Your Low Back Might Not Be The Problem
"My low back is always tight."
I hear this all the time.
And while that tightness is real, the place you feel discomfort isn't always the only place worth looking.
Sometimes, your hips may not be moving or contributing as well as they could - and your low back may be picking up some of the slack.
Think of you like a group project.
If one person isn't doing their share, someone else has to pick up the slack.
Your body can work the same way.
3 Signs Your Hips Might Be Involved
One hip moves WAY differently than the other
Some difference from side to side is completely normal.
But if one hip significantly less mobility than the other, that's something work paying attention to.
Your balance is much worse on one leg
Your hips play an important role in controlling your pelvis and keeping you stable.
If standing on one leg feels easy on one side but you're wobbling all over the place on the other, that difference gives us useful information.
Sqauts or deadlifts consistently bother your back
Your hips legs, and trunk all need to work together during these movements.
If you're shifting to one side, losing control, or struggling to use your hips effectively, your low back may end up doing more than its share.
So What Should You Do?
If you've been stretching, rolling, or cracking your low back over and over...
... only to have that tightness keep coming back...
It might be time to look beyond the spat that hurts.
The goal isn't always to find the "tight muscle" and stretch it harder.
Sometimes, the better question is:
"Why does my back keep feeling like it has to do so much work?"
That's where a movement assessment can be helpful.
Instead of simply treating the area that hurts, we can look at how your hips, spine, ankles, and entire body are moving together.
Your body is a group of project.
Make sure everyone is doing their share.
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