QL muscles

[Lavandula]

I wasn't sure whether to put this in the chiropractic, osteopathy, of back pain section.

My QL muscles on both sides (more on right) are totally solid and have deep trigger points in them which don't seem to ease with massage or trigger point work. I have sciatic type pain down back of leg and some pain around sacro-iliac joint, and hip which I assume is refferred pain. Have been having pain for last 3 years now. What could cause the QL muscles to be this tight? I haven't injured my back at all.

[dktherapy]

Hi Lavandula,

If you have tightness in the psoas, it would probably cause the difficulty in QL. Both of these can be quickly and easily released by a practitioner of the Emmett Technique. If you would like to PM me, I can give you details of a colleague who is a really good practitioner living close to you.

Best wishes
Debbie

[just jag]

I find that eastern thought can often be useful in such situations, as it is often not just a case of simple muscle/mechanical dysfunction.

From the point of view of the meridians, especially the two parallel lines on the bladder meridian that run either side of the spine, there are many points that relate closely to the internal organs. On the strech of the bladder meridian that runs along the spine there are special points, shu or yu points, depending on whether you subscribe to chinese or japanese, that each have a close relationship to each of the organs, and also can reflect the health of the organs.

For example, Bladder 23, at roughly the proximal end of the QL, is the kidney point, and often can be very painful in people with bad lower backs. I have found with my own health that the state of my internal organs closely affects the muscular state of my back. Thats where oriental massage can come into its own. I have been told too that internal cleansing of the colon or liver has alleviated many back and hip problems.

I have found too, in my own practice, that proportionately more women have a greater degree of muscle hardening and trigger point activiy in their QL than men, and have wondering about this being related to the womb and ovaries and the female cycle and all the emotions surrounding that.

Even in any tradition using chakras such as yoga or reiki, the energy votex of say the sacral chakra, which encompasses lower hara, lower back and lower abdominal organs, is a whole, so the organs will not be differentiated or seperate from the muscles of the lower back.

Even from a western point of view of physiology regarding nerves, dermatones and fascial formation, everything is linked, so the health of the organs will effect the muscles, and vice versa.

Hope that gives you something to consider....it does me!

[Davidmh]

Just read this thread - hope you don't mind me chipping in.

Background.
We have not evolved for life on a hard, flat surface.
If you are a creationist we were not created for life on a hard. flat surface (unless you believe that there was concrete in the Garden of Eden). Some people find this absurdly simple concept difficult to grasp - but just think about it for a minute.

Some people just don't adapt well to hard, flat surfaces. The OP may be one of them.
Trigger-point release will not work if every time you go back out onto the pavement you are re-irritating the problem.

Why has the problem suddenly come on after all this time?
My guess is simple ageing. Up to the age of 30 we are, most of us, bomb-proof, after the age of 30 its downhill all the way!

Advice.
Try ditching your flat shoes (which I'm guessing you wear) and start to wear a small heel and see if that starts to help. Then try your trigger-point releases again.

David

[busydiva]

Hi Lavandula,
You might want to check out your hamstrings. I am guessing they are very tight and have active trigger points too.
Now, one reason why your QL's are so tight, could be week glute muscles. In this case the QL's and hamstrings are compensating fot the week glutes.
Exercising and strengthening the glutes will help, as well as stretching and massaging all the posterior muscles from head to heel.

Hope this helps and good luck

[PostureGeek]

My left QL remains 'hypertonic' (contracted and tight) because I have an anatomically short leg on the right (this was spotted when I began chiropractic uni in 1996).

Due to the right short leg my pelvis drops down on that side giving me a lumbar scoliosis (curvature) that wasn't picked up until I had an xray in uni. If you have one QL consistently tighter I would recommend having your leg length assessed as I usually find this the number 1 cause of 1-sided tightness.


Really hope this helps.

[bodyengineer]

Normally I would agree with most people on here regarding a tight QL, I would also go as far as checking an atlas subluxation, hearing, vision and jaw mechcanics, but the guy has an anatomical leg length (not functional) and so he would need a heal lift to accomodate this. Great posting though guys! Great read and great to hear about the more holistic points of view.