What causes lower back pain when bending forward? The relationship between the hamstrings, hip joint, and back.
What causes lower back pain when bending forward? The relationship between the hamstrings, hip joint, and back.
My lower back hurts when I bend forward.
It's painful when putting on socks or picking things up from the floor.
When you spend a long time in a bent-over position, such as when washing your face or cleaning, your lower back can become stiff.
Do you have any of these concerns?
The act of bending forward may appear to involve only bending at the waist, but in reality...
hip joint
·pelvis
・Hamstrings
·back
core
They are working in conjunction with each other.
Therefore, even if there are no major problems with the lower back itself, pain can occur due to uneven movement of the hip joints, hamstrings, and back, which can concentrate stress on the lower back.
This time, we'll explain the common physical characteristics of people who experience lower back pain when bending forward.
Cause ①: Hamstrings are tight
When you bend forward, your hamstrings, located at the back of your thighs, are stretched.
If your hamstrings are tight, it becomes difficult to tilt your pelvis forward, and you'll be more likely to compensate by bending at the waist.
especially,
- When I bend forward, my hamstrings feel very tight.
- It's difficult to bend forward when your knees are straight.
• Long periods of sitting
- My buttocks and the backs of my thighs are stiff.
For those individuals, checking the flexibility of your hamstrings is also an important point.
However, you cannot simply conclude that "tight hamstrings = the cause of lower back pain."
The important thing is to check if tightness in the hamstrings is restricting pelvic movement and causing movement to be concentrated in the lower back.
Cause ② The hip joint is not bending properly.
When bending forward, it's necessary to bend not only your waist but also your hip joints.
Ideally, you should slightly pull your hips back while bending your hip joints to distribute the strain on your lower back.
However,
- Stiff hip joints
- Unable to pull my hips back
- Bend only your knees and lean forward.
- Curl up from the waist first
For those who fit this description, the strain tends to concentrate on the lower back.
In this type of exercise, it's important not only to massage the lower back, but also to learn how to bend forward using the hip joints.
Cause ③ The pelvis is difficult to move back and forth.
Forward bending also requires the pelvis to tilt forward.
If your pelvis is not moving well, you will find it easier to perform movements that involve bending your upper body forward using only your waist.
especially,
- When sitting, the pelvis tends to tilt backward.
・ Prone to slouching
- My buttocks and hamstrings are stiff.
- When I bend forward, only my lower back rounds.
If this sounds like you, you might want to re-examine the movement of your pelvis.
Cause ④ Stiff back
When you bend forward, not only your lower back but also your upper back gradually rounds.
People with stiff backs often have difficulty moving their thoracic spine, so they tend to compensate by bending their lower back more.
especially,
- My back tends to get stiff.
・ Mostly desk work
I'm worried about my hunched back.
- Difficulty twisting the body
• Shallow breathing
For those who experience this, we would like to check not only the movement of the lower back but also the movement of the upper back and rib cage.
Cause #5: Maintaining a stooped posture for extended periods.
It can be that maintaining a half-crouched position for extended periods puts a greater strain on the lower back than the leaning-forward posture itself.
for example,
Wash your face at the sink.
・Vacuum
Cooking and washing dishes
- Pick up the child
- I spend a lot of time hunched over at work.
This is an example of such a situation.
The Japanese Orthopaedic Association also advises paying attention to postures that put a strain on the lower back, such as bending over, in order to prevent lower back pain. ( Japan Musicians Association )
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also emphasizes reducing factors that cause lower back pain, such as work posture, movements, and the work environment, as part of its measures to prevent lower back pain.
Leaning forward does not necessarily mean bad posture.
Leaning forward isn't inherently a bad thing.
Bending forward is necessary in daily life.
What's important is,
Can you use your hip joint?
Can the pelvis move?
Can you move your back?
Is the strain concentrated solely on the lower back?
is.
Rather than completely avoiding bending forward, it's important to create a situation where you can use other parts of your body besides your waist.
Be careful if you experience numbness in your legs.
In addition to lower back pain when bending forward,
- Pain radiates from the buttocks down to the legs.
- My legs are numb.
- Difficulty putting weight on the legs
- Dull senses
If you experience symptoms like these, you should consider not only simple muscle stiffness, but also neurological issues such as a lumbar disc herniation.
Lower back pain has various causes, and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association emphasizes the importance of accurate diagnosis. In particular, if you experience numbness or weakness in your lower limbs, or urinary abnormalities, prompt consultation with an orthopedic specialist is recommended. ( Japan Musicians Association )
In Re-Set, we check not only the waist but the entire forward bending motion.
At Hashimoto's chiropractic salon Re・Set, for those who experience lower back pain when bending forward, we don't just massage the lower back,
Movement when bending forward
Hip joint flexibility
- Hamstring tightness
・Pelvic movement
Back flexibility
・ How to use your buttocks
- Core support
・Your usual sitting posture and work posture
We will perform the procedure while checking these points.
"My lower back hurts when I put on socks."
"It's difficult to pick up things from the floor."
"If you keep bending over for a long time, your lower back will feel heavy."
"Even if I massage my lower back, it goes back to normal."
If that sounds like you, why not take another look at your hamstrings, hips, pelvis, and spine, not just your lower back?
If you are looking for a chiropractic clinic near Hashimoto Station, please contact Re・Set Chiropractic Salon.
References
・Japan Orthopedic Society “Low back pain”
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare "Measures to Prevent Lower Back Pain"
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Measures to Prevent Lower Back Pain in the Workplace"
