A THERAPEUTIC APPROACH TO LOWER BACK PAIN
Lower Back Pain is the leading cause of disability in the UK, 1 in 6 in the UK experience some form of Lower Back Pain.
Based on those statistics, it would not be unreasonable to suggest that the medical route to Lower Back Pain does not have all the answers. What is very clear in the research is that those who incorporate movement into their lives, tend to have better outcomes. But not all movement is equal and when it comes to restoring functionality and mobility, then finding a path back to ‘Spinal Neutrality’* must be your goal.
According to Donna Farhi, when it comes to Lower Back Pain and the treatment of it, there are three vital questions to be explored.
And these questions are
Is there something that needs to be released? - Do I need to release the spine, does it feel compressed/contracted?
Do I need to balance the spine? - Am I feeling one sided discomfort or feeling an inequity in movement available to me
Do I need to strengthen or stabilise my spine? - When I go to move, reach away from centre, do I start to feel complaints from the back?
And she goes on to say that a therapeutic approach for Lower Back Pain is one that seeks to bring back the spine to its natural curves* and that the key components of this approach need to involve movements that:
Release your spine
Balance your spine
Strengthen & Stabilise your spine
The order that you work in, depends upon the presentation of your body and breath patterns. Again, not all movements are equal.
*Spinal Neutral = gravity goes THROUGH the spine, as opposed to INTO the spine.
These are some brief examples of movement practices - they are influenced by Feldenkrais, Hanna Somatics & Donna Farhi.
Release your spine through gentle rotation
Rebalance your spine through gentle side bending
Stabilise your spine through stimulus & activation
If you would like to learn how to use intelligently designed mindful movement as a way to bring back more ease into your body, then please do get in touch.
I work work with individuals who are seeking to find a more easeful relationship with their body; those who are in pain, those who are feeling disconnected and those who simply wish to cultivate an attitude of curiosity and compassion towards themselves.
