A lot of people today have low back issues. I can’t speak for everyone, but I can speak for a fair number of people.
Usually this low back pain is due to tension in the psoas muscle. The psoas is a hip flexor that attaches to the front of the spine and is a major contributor to hip flexion. When this muscle is tight, it can pull the lower spine forward, which can trigger discomfort in the lower back.
It typically gets tight from prolonged stress, or from long periods of hip flexion such as:
- Sitting
- Cycling
- Sleeping side-lying
If you do one of the above, one of the best things you can do is stretch the psoas and the areas around it. One of my favourite YouTubers, Sydney, has a 20-minute guided stretch through the low back and hips. I enjoy her because she walks you through the routine instead of just showing you, which makes her easy to follow — and she tweaks her routines a little so you’re not doing the same one over and over.
If stretching the area doesn’t help, we recommend seeing a physiotherapist to assess tight and weak areas and build a custom plan to bring your body back into balance. Sometimes a good personal trainer can do this too.
PLEASE NOTE: stretching (and exercising) should feel a little uncomfortable BUT NEVER painful. If it hurts, find another way to do the stretch, or reach out for more suggestions.
This is advice based on my perspective as a massage therapist and shouldn’t be taken as gospel — just a resource for you to try yourself.