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Why Does Your Back Hurt?



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One of the most common causes of lower back pain is having tight hips. Cyclists and runners encounter this problem frequently, as do people who play hockey or sit at a desk all day. If this is you, you probably have tight hip flexors.

There are a few stretches you can do to avoid back pain and maintain good hip health. One stretch in particular helps the psoas muscle. This muscle runs down your spine, goes down, and inserts in the back of your hip. It is one of the muscles that brings your knee up towards your chest, so you can see how sitting all day would shorten that muscle.


"Sitting all day can shorten the psoas muscle."


You need to lengthen your psoas muscle in order to maintain good hip health. To stretch your left psoas muscle, step forward with your right foot. Maintain a neutral spine by squeezing your left glute. Next, pretend there is a string attached to your hip and pull straight out. You will feel the stretch immediately.

One common mistake during this stretch is overarching your low back, which takes slack off the muscle and doesn’t provide a deep enough stretch. Hold the stretch for 2 minutes on each side to prevent low back pain.

If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!