Hamstring & Low Back Pain

Have you ever considered how important your hamstrings muscles are in relationship to your lower back? Most people do not think about those tight muscles on the back of the upper leg / thigh as having much to do with low back pain (LBP); however, it is one of the most important muscle groups to keep loose both as a means of improving current low back trouble as well as preventing future LBP. Think of the hamstrings as a stabilizing guide wire that keeps us upright. When we bend over with our knees straight, we can feel the hamstrings gradually tighten, often keeping us from reaching our toes. When the hamstrings are too tight, some of us can hardly reach past our kneecaps as we bend over.

The low back is only so flexible and in reality, most of our ability to touch our toes comes from our hip joints. In fact, after scoliosis surgery where metal rods are placed on both sides of the spine, patients will often make up for the loss of low back movement and still be able to touch their toes by increasing their hip motion! This, however, can only be accomplished if the hamstrings are stretched to a point of allowing the hips and pelvis to rotate forwards when bending with the knees straight.

So, what happens if the hamstrings are too tight? Think of a young sapling tree branch versus an old oak branch. When bending the two branches, the young sapling can easily bend, while the old oak branch breaks early into the process. Similarly, as we bend over to lift a box, when the back and leg muscles, ligaments, and tendons are tight, something has to give or break, similar to the old oak branch. The weak link in the injured person bending over may be a disk that ruptures or ligaments and/or muscle tendons that overstretch and tear. By keeping the hamstrings loose (like the young sapling branch), much less force is placed on the low back, reducing the risk of injury.

If you are experiencing low back pain, consider visiting Morgan Chiropractic in Stuart, FL. Our chiropractic solutions can help you recover from an injury, treat aches and pains, and get closer to your wellness goals. Call us at (772) 221-8969 to schedule an appointment today!