My client came for her Personal Training session and complained about a sore left lower back that she thought probably happened when doing a side plank at Pilates.
Her question was: “How do I roll my lower back to ease the pain?”
My answer: “I have never rolled my lower back and there is something not right with rolling that part of your body. I am pretty sure that you either have tight glutes or quads.”
I suggested to her to lie on her back and do the spinal twist. I felt that her glutes needed releasing. I started using trigger point release around her glutes area which to no surprise were so tight, causing the pain to travel up to the lower back. This is very common as the upper fibres of the Glute Max connects onto a thick facia of the lower back. The lower fibres connect onto the TFL (Tensor Fascia Latae) and the ITB (Iliotibial band). The Piriformis lies deep underneath the Gluteus maximus and externally rotates the hip. I highly recommend to roll your Piriformis on a regular basis too.
There are different ways how to release the muscles (fascia):
- Trigger point massage using fingers, elbow, bottom of hand
- Foam rolling
- Massage
The trigger point release had significantly reduced the pain and tightness so that we could go ahead with the training session.
I have been a Personal Trainer for over 10 years, I feel confident to find solutions for any ailments. As a Personal Trainer we will of course focus on building muscle but at the same time it is very important to stretch and work with the foam roller to achieve a better overall outcome of building a strong and healthy body.
