04 Apr Low Back Pain When Bending Backwards
Do you have low back pain when bending backwards?
Maybe you do, but you think it’s not a big deal:
I don’t have to bend backwards, so the pain I have when i bend backwards isn’t a big deal.
Or maybe, you’ve been getting treatment for your low back pain, but it’s not working?
If you’re interested in fixing this, below we’ll discuss a secret problem to all physical pain that isn’t often talked about.
Your Mechanic Doesn’t Just Know About Engines
When you bring your busted up car to the mechanic, you trust that he has an understanding about all of the parts.
He’s going to fix what needs to be fixed. He’s not going to just put a big band-aid on the side of your door and say:
Here’s your car back. That’ll be $500.
Your mechanic doesn’t just know about engines. He knows about the tires, the car’s frame, the computer system connecting the parts, and all of the other components.
If your mechanic only knew about one part, you obviously wouldn’t bring your car to him.
But we bring our bodies to “mechanics” or doctors/therapists who only do ONE thing all of the time.
If that ONE thing, that one treatment, isn’t working for you, great! Keep doing it.
But if it’s not, chances are that some part or piece is being neglected.
Overly simplied, your low back is made up of:
- Vertebra (bones)
- Disc (form of carilage)
- Muscles
What does each part do?
- The bones give you support so you can stand upright.
- The disc gives you support and allows movement to happen so your spine can bend forward or backwards.
- Your muscles do the movement, taking the stress on them so the vertebra and disc are not asked to do too much work.
One of the biggest reasons why someone is in pain for months to years, without relief from any treatment, is:
You’re trying to fix the wrong parts, stemming from being diagnosed incorrectly.
Evidence of the wrong diagnosis is when you’ve been getting treated for more than 5-10 treatments without any significant relief.
That’s why at Barefoot Rehab, we have the 5 Visit Rule, where we promise permanent relief in 5 visits or less.
When you become aware that what you’re doing isn’t working, then you can start to go deeper down the rabbit hole to find the parts that have been neglected and find the doctor who knows how to piece them together.
A Secret Problem Causing Back Pain When You Bend Backwards
When you bend backwards, the muscles of your low back fire and contract to take the stress.
When your muscles are healthy, your vertebra and disc take on as minimal stress as possible, preventing premature wear-and-tear. Your muscles, vertebra and disc all work at 100%.
When your muscles are glued down by a problem called adhesion, they work at less than they’re normal capacity. If your muscles are working at 75% capacity, where do you think the extra 25% of stress goes?
It could go on other muscles, but in the case of bending backwards, it tends to go on the vertebra and disc, which are now working at 125% capacity (FYI – the facet joints are 2 joints on the back portion of the vertebra).
Discs, just like overworked workers, can only work overtime for so long before it breaks.
That’s why getting rid of the adhesion from your low back muscles is so important.
What Adhesion Removal Looks Like
Katie is a 33 year old female who is in her third trimester of pregnancy. The added load of the baby has caused her low back to flare up.
When asked what her provocative movement is, she said, “Bending backwards”.
Below is the actual treatment that made her 50% better after one treatment. (Doctor’s Note: Even though Katie said she feels like she has more range of motion, she didn’t. The improvement for this patient is only symptom-based, not functional.)
Why does getting the adhesion removed reduce pain (and often, increase range of motion and fleixiblity)?
Adhesion causes the muscles to be tight and weak. It’s literally glue within the muscles.
When the muscles are unglued, they can contract again, taking stress off of the vertebra and discs that are inflamed.
This type of treatment often produces immediate results. This is why we always test your problem, treat your problem, then re-test it immediately after to make sure we nipped the problem in the bud.
How to Get Your Adhesion Removed
Wherever you live in the world, go to Integrative Diagnosis’s (ID) Find a Provider search function. Most ID doctors train with the instructors at least once per month. I’ve never been around a group of doctors that trains this much.
Hence, why I’m referring you to doctors on the path of mastery.
Below, the founder of ID, Dr. William Brady, discusses adhesion:
If you live within 100 miles of North Jersey, Barefoot Rehab is the only Integrative Diagnosis clinic. Give us a call at 862-205-4847.
How long have you had low back pain when bending backwards? Are you ready to get it fixed? Or are you satisfied living with it?
Simon Butler
Posted at 23:18h, 20 SeptemberI’m currently stuck in the Caribbean (Covid) and unable to reach “proper” medical assistance. My lower right back hurts when I serve playing tennis. Never on ground strokes, bending forwards or anything else. No constant pain, no numbness tingling or anything.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 20:00h, 12 OctoberHi Simon, sorry for delay. Sounds like it’s an extension-based lumbar issue. Hard to say whether it’s a facet, disc, or muscle with that info.
Parinitha Bhargav
Posted at 16:43h, 12 OctoberThis post is a source of information to learn about back pain. Thank you for all the details shared.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 19:59h, 12 OctoberHappy to help Parinitha. LMK if there is anything else I can support with.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 20:00h, 12 OctoberHi Simon, sorry for delay. Sounds like it’s an extension-based lumbar issue. Hard to say whether it’s a facet, disc, or muscle with that info.
Morten Olesen?
Posted at 12:15h, 28 NovemberDifficulty bending over and walking with pain concentrated in left buttock area. Started out at the b bottom of the spine being rather painful two months ago, but is now mainly located in buttock. Tingling under left foot. Can I exercise a possible slipped disc away ?
Dr. Chris
Posted at 17:29h, 30 NovemberYou can try. Take it very slow – planks, side planks, bird dog – only exercise with a mild provocation of pain. Pay attention over 3-7 days to see if things are getting worse or not. If it’s a bad disc, you can cause harm so be careful.
Bharadwaj
Posted at 02:05h, 19 JanuaryGood information .
I am facing exactly the same issue addressed by SIMON BUTLER. Bending backwards cause severe sharp pain in some part of right lower back.
How are you doing now , Simon.. I hope you are fine now, LMK what medications, physio you followed. Thank you
Dr. Chris
Posted at 21:50h, 19 JanuarySorry to hear this. Pls know that medications are only pushing off the problem and making it worse. I’d rather see you find a permanent fix that allowed you to not worry about this again.
Dawn Fabricatore
Posted at 02:14h, 22 Januarywhen I bend backwards I has considerable pain across the middle/lower of my back…my back just hurts.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 14:21h, 26 JanuaryYup, I get it. If it’s been over 6 months and you’ve tried at least 3 docs/therapists, you likely need to see an adhesion removal specialist.
Shan F.
Posted at 19:26h, 04 OctoberHi!
I have this problem and it started when I got injured by someone (my back got bent backwards over the back frame of a chair, kept getting pulled by my belt every which way aggressively, happened about a month and a week ago). Since then, when I bend backwards, it causes terrible pain in my mid back, to where I cannot even come close to making that full range of motion. Not sure if maybe my back was simply overextended, and its just a muscle strain. Any advice?
Dr. Chris
Posted at 14:35h, 05 OctoberHi Shan, this can be a lot of things. No, it’s not just a muscle strain. It’s most likely spinal inflammation, a degenreative issue, and or adhesion.
Dr. Chris
Posted at 15:13h, 05 OctoberHi there Shan, it sounds like a spinal inflam/degenerative issue or adhesion. If it doesn’t get better, it’s more likely to be adhesion.
Jason A.
Posted at 09:39h, 08 JulyHey
I experience pain in my upper back, around the mid region, whenever I bend my chin to my chest.
Also I have this pain in my lower back too that affects my range of motion.