Goodbye Back Pain

by Julie Zuleger

Is back pain sidelining you from the activities you enjoy? Or do you bend down to pick something up and feel pain lifting or can’t stand up straight? Does any of this sound familiar? Say goodbye to the pain and discomfort and live your life fully.

Well-documented clinical research has concluded 70-85% of all pain is believed to come from little, tiny knots in the muscle (clinically known as trigger points). The good news is pain caused by muscle knots can be easy to fix. Pain in the back can come from many different muscles throughout the body. Back pain can be caused by muscles in the hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and upper back. Many people suffer from low back pain due to incorrect lifting, posture, and flexibility. 

There are many myths about back pain. Some of these include:

  1. Myth: Back pain is always caused by a serious medical condition. 
    Fact: While back pain can result from serious medical conditions, most cases of back pain are caused by muscle strains or spasms, muscle knots, poor posture, or injuries resulting from activities such as bending or lifting.
  2. Myth: Bed rest is the best treatment for back pain. 
    Fact: Bed rest is not recommended for treating back pain, as it can lead to muscle weakness and stiffness. Instead, moderate exercise, incorporating active recovery techniques, and stretching can help promote healing and reduce pain.
  3. Myth: Painkillers are the best treatment for back pain. 
    Fact: While over the counter or prescription pain medications can help manage back pain symptoms, they should not be relied upon as the sole treatment for back pain.
  4. Myth: Surgery is the only solution for back pain. 
    Fact: Surgery is typically only recommended for people with severe or chronic back pain that cannot be managed through other treatments. 
  5. Myth: Back pain only affects older adults. 
    Fact: Back pain can affect people of all ages, from children to older adults. Younger people may be more prone to back pain due to poor posture, lack of physical activity, or spending long periods sitting or looking at screens.
  6. Myth: Exercise can make back pain worse. 
    Fact: Certain exercises, such as yoga, Pilates, muscle compression with tools (Self-myofascial release with tools) and stretching can be especially beneficial for back pain sufferers.
  7. Myth: Heat is always the best method for reducing back pain. 
    Fact: While heat therapy can be helpful for some types of back pain, such as muscle strains, it is not always the best method for reducing pain. Cold therapy may be more effective for other types of back pain, such as inflammation.
  8. Myth: There is no way to prevent back pain. 
    Fact: While it may not be possible to completely prevent all types of back pain, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing back pain. These include maintaining good posture, practicing safe lifting techniques, getting regular exercise, flexibility, strength training/lifting weights/resistance band training, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Knowing what to do can be confusing. It is becoming evident that resting and doing nothing can worsen back pain. Incorporating activities such as foam rolling, movement, stretching, and flexibility can help improve symptoms and reduce pain. Goodbye Back Pain is a workshop based on The Tiger Tail Method which breaks down into 3 parts:

  1. Roll and Warm Up
    The warmup phase consists of breathing techniques to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to relax the body along with dynamic movements to warm the muscles and fascial tissues. The purpose of muscle rolling is to warm up the fascial tissues and to release tension. Releasing muscle tension assists in decreasing overactive tissues in the body and introduces mobility in the myofascial tissues of the body. 
  2. Release
    In the release or stretch phase, we will incorporate various forms of dynamic, active, and static stretching to improve mobility, and neuromuscular efficiency, and return tissues to their normal resting length.
    Rolling and Release will be combined by muscle group. 
  3. Restore
    In this phase, we will focus on strengthening the muscles that were stretched. We incorporate dynamic movement patterns to improve the function of the body. 

One example is rolling the lower back with the Tiger Tail 18” roller, stretching the lower back followed by active movement. Below is a sample sequence that is taught in our Goodbye Back Pain class at SCW MANIA® Conventions.

1. Roll:

Low Back – 18″ roller 

2. Release

Knee to chest stretch 

  • Lay on your back with legs extended on the floor.
  • Pull right knee to chest grasping your knee with both hands. Keep your head on the floor with the gaze looking at the ceiling. It is important to keep the neck in a neutral position.
  • Gently pull the knee closer to the chest. 
  • Hold for 20 – 30 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times
  • if you feel pain in your low back, bend the other knee
  • Repeat pulling left knee to chest.
 
 

Seated Spinal Twist 

  • Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you.
  • Bend your right knee and place it over your left leg, so your right foot is flat on the floor next to your left thigh.
  • Keep your left leg extended and your foot flexed.
  • Sit up tall, lengthening your spine, and maintain a neutral position by avoiding rounding or arching your back.
  • On an exhale, twist your torso to the right, placing your left hand on the outside of your right knee or thigh.
  • Place your right hand behind your back, either on the chair or the floor, for support.
  • Inhale deeply and elongate your spine even more, feeling the twist starting from the base of your spine and gradually moving up to your neck.
  • With each exhale, gently deepen the twist, being mindful not to strain your muscles.
  • Hold the twist for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing deeply and allowing your body to relax and settle into the pose.
  • When you are ready to release the twist, inhale deeply, and on an exhale, slowly unwind your torso back to the center.
  • Extend both legs forward and take a moment to notice any changes or sensations in your spine.
  • Repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side by bending your left knee and twisting your torso to the left.
 

3. Restore

Cat Cow stretch

  • Start in a kneeling position with hips over knees and shoulders over wrists.
  • Back is in a neutral position.
  • Inhale as you arch the back. Bring the head up and tilt the pelvis up. See Photo A.
  • Exhale as you round the back. Drop the head and pelvis. See Photo B.
  • Keep the core engaged during the movement.
  • Repeat 8-10 times.
 

For more information on Tiger Tail courses and tools, visit www.tigertailusa.com/classes or email [email protected]. We will be presenting Goodbye Back Pain at SCW DC and California MANIA®. In this course, we will look at contributing factors and assessments that personal trainers can incorporate with their clients along with how to use Tiger Tail tools and Tiger Tail Methods to help clients reduce pain and become more active.

Join us at DC MANIA®, February 23- 25, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Dulles Hotel, California MANIA®, March 22-24, and Florida MANIA®, May 3-5. Tiger Tail USA will be presenting sessions on Tiger Tail® Goodbye Back Pain and many more. Stop by the Tiger Tail booth at the FREE Expo for great deals on Tiger Tail muscle care tools.

About the Author: Dr. Julie Zuleger

Dr. Julie Zuleger has over 20 years of experience as a Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Strength, and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Corrective Exercise Specialist, RYT-500 Yoga Instructor, and Human Movement Specialist. Julie promotes self-care using massage tools and stretching-based programs and teaches continuing education courses for yoga teachers, massage therapists, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning, fitness, and wellness professionals. Julie holds a PhD in Education and is the Director of Kinesiology and Education at Tiger Tail USA.