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Back Pain and Tight Fascia
Lower back pain and tight fascia. Fascia is the connective tissue that lies beneath the skin. It wraps around bones, muscles, organs and nerves. It runs deep, wide and lengthwise. Ultimately it connects everything together.
The above video will detail 3 locations where fascia can become tight and cause lower back pain. Watch to learn more.
When fascia becomes tight it can cause both local pain and discomfort and symptoms away from the area of tightness.
The lower back is a common area where it can be affected by tight fascia. The pain can have a muscular part. However, as a therapist, I have observed that chronic pain conditions can actually stem more from tight fascia.
Over the years I have treated chronic lower back issues stemming more from fascia. In fact most of the cases have had a large element of chronic restrictions of the fascia.
3 Locations where Fascia can become Tight
These 3 areas when the fascia become tight can cause or exacerbate lower back pain:
- Local lower back fascia: Probably the most common one. This issue can be resolved by focusing more directly on the fascia versus the muscles. The mind-set when treating the area is more about precision, aggression and length of time on the structure.
- The Latissimus Dorsi muscle and ribcage: Two clues for me that can indicate where to focus. If the patient is also having shoulder pain and feels their breathing maybe restricted. The shoulder pain because the Latissimus Dorsi muscle is tight and it attaches to the front of the shoulder. Breathing restrictions because the fascia is restricting the motion of the ribs. Treat this area and it can relieve lower back pain.
- The calves: Typically this is how a patient can present. Back pain and tight fascia of the calves can be an exacerbator or root. Releasing the calves can result in significant relaxation of the hips and lower back muscles.
The mind-set and approach to back pain and tight fascia. These presentations require a primary focus on releasing the fascia. The muscles become more secondary. In fact, some treatments the fascia is treated more and the local muscles can be minimally worked.
It seems counter-intuitive but years of observation and treatments have led me to believe that this is the case. Many people suffer from long-standing chronic pain and tightness. This issue is often due to the past treatment approach. Realizing that a different approach can provide powerful benefits.
Back pain and tight fascia treatments require strong investigative skills, an open mind and the proper approach.
Typically, the treatments combine techniques to the fascia and deep tissue massage. It requires an aggressive approach. At times the treatments can be very painful. This depends on how tight the fascia is. It also depends on how long the issue has been ongoing. Additionally, the duration treating the structures impacts the treatment.
If you have experienced issues with lower back pain due to tight fascia, we invite you to share it. If you suspect that your fascia is a large cause of your lower back symptoms, please contact us. We can discuss in detail what can be done.
More Resources:
If you have chronic pain and tightness it’s time to book your appointment. Do you have posterior chain tightness? Watch our video on Instagram to learn about a very common presentation that can be treated via deep tissue massage.
