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For a good few years now I've had some minor lower back pain triggered by an overly tight left hamstring/glute/piriformis. It can usually be managed by stretching/tennis ball massage and generally only flares up when I've been lazy with that.
I woke up a couple of weeks ago with it (think my leg had got cold in the night), but the combination of stretching and a couple of pretty brutal days bent double mixing cement and bricklaying seemed to solve it (worked my hamstrings properly hard), but it flared up again during the Jennride (its actually OK when riding) and has just got worse since.
Stretching and massage aren't touching it - if anything making it worse. I can feel the left Piriformis is absolutely rock hard and all poking it is doing is making it more inflamed. It's bearable if I keep moving, but sitting for more than 2 or 3 minutes (desk job!) and I can't get up again.
My usual local friendly physio has shut up shop and so getting an appointment with a new one is not going to be instant.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Tightness is sometimes caused by weakness elsewhere, which the body is trying to combat by turning on something else to try and stabalise the area. Whenever I get a lower back or glutes issue I go back to Dr McGill's Big 3, which seems to help.
https://squatuniversity.com/2018/06/21/the-mcgill-big-3-for-core-stability/
you need a proper diagnosis from a proper medical professional. Go to a physio
https://www.theinertia.com/health/a-yin-sequence-to-release-tightness-in-the-it-band/
Works for me, that and foam roller/massage ball/hockey ball torture.
I had tightness in my lower back on hilly MTB rides, I then rode BMX the day after a big MTB ride and pinged my lower back and had to walk like a cowboy for a week!
I saw a physio and was given a mix of palates and yoga moves to do daily which has sorted it and made the area stronger, see that physio ASAP!
Hamstring stretches and glute stretches/activation - things like pigeon pose, glute bridges etc.
Back issues are so varied. Wife was suffering similar symptoms to you. She's healthy and flexible with no tight hamstring issues. an MRI scan showed prolapsed disc pressing on nerves causing various muscles to cramp and create other issues
As above, get a proper medical diagnosis
Getting a stand up desk sorted out my lower back pain. Since starting working from home I spent alot more time sat down and stated to get lower back pain. A few weeks ago I got an extendable stand up desk and the pack pain has gone. I'm now stood up all day. Got some physio but didn't seem to make significant improvement...I guess if I did it for alot longer it might have. Not sure if your situation is similar to mine.
Hamstring stretches and glute stretches/activation – things like pigeon pose, glute bridges etc.
That's my usual remedy and I do them daily - several times a day at the mo, but its just not touching it. Pigeon pose is pulling it good and proper, but just not easing it off.
(I do 20 minutes of stretching/yoga daily while the missus is in the bath, quite often a little core circuit post ride and foam roll once or twice a week. Pre CV19 I was doing a weekly biking focused strength & conditioning class, but that hasn't restarted yet. In general I'm not in bad shape - 47 years old and the same weight - 63kg - I was when I was 18)
Round here it's a two week wait for a decent sports physio, and well worth it!
He did say he's getting a lot of cancellations as people have to isolate so queue moving along nicely....
I get this and usually cure it with a bit of yoga too. these two work best for me
sitting half spinal twist pose
chair pose - then turn to the side and try to touch the floor
When I was working from home on my PC all day during the first lockdown mine got really bad. Standing instead of sitting is definitely better.
try happy baby pose too, and rock back & forth and side to side to massage the lower back.
If the muscle has properly spasmed (and other too possibly) trying to stretch them out could be making matters worse (for now).
1. Upgrade your tennisball
2. If it's your lower back, check if it could also be your quads causing the pain (stretch/trigger point).
3. You may need to trigger point your piriformis (YouTube it) and you will definitely need something harder than a tennisball.
4. You can explore all sorts of tight bits with a Theracane, but also recommend a larger hard ball which I find works best for hamstrings (think 10cm).