All of us have heard someone saying that, or worse say it ourselves.
In Asia the problem is less prevalent especially in their older generation. They traditionally sit on the floor and use squat toilets. This constant large range of
motion keeps older Asians much more flexible than their Western counterparts.
So, what can be done?
Lots of things can cause a sore back. First and foremost we have to know that the
condition is not medical in nature. Injury, a ruptured or herniated disk and acquired conditions are medical problems and can’t be fixed with massage of any kind. That’s just an unfortunate fact. Sometimes things like pinched nerves or locked facet joints can be relieved to some extent with Thai Massage and manipulation.
Most men over 40 complain of back problems. The good news is most of them don’t have a major medical problem. Men tend to lift poorly over their lifetime which adds to the problem. They also tend not to stretch as much as women and thus as they age become less flexible. It’s that flexibility that Thai Massage can target in very specific ways and it works for women as well, especially after childbirth, where the spine has been stressed for a long period of time.
Men tend to have very tight hamstrings, the muscle at the back of your leg, and calf muscles. When your hamstrings tighten it throws your pelvis out of alignment which in return puts your lowed back also out of alignment. Also there is a condition called Piriformis syndrome. This condition causes the Piriformis muscle, located in the buttock region, to spasm and causes pain. The condition can also irritate the nearby sciatic nerve and cause pain, numbness and tingling along the back of the leg and into the foot. By manipulating your legs and making the leg muscles more flexible the stress on your lower back is relieved and the pain goes away. Unfortunately unless you continue to stretch on a regular basis it comes back. Thai Massage is incredibly good for increasing flexibility by gently massaging and assisting in the stretching out of the muscles. If you
could put your hands on the floor when you were a kid but now you can’t or can hardly touch the floor your leg muscles are too tight.
Thai Massage can help you over time to relieve a lot of the discomfort caused by lower back pain as Massage releases your natural endorphins. Those endorphins are released and help block pain signals from registering with your brain.
There are also things that you should do like stretch out your hamstrings. Right after a hot bath is a good time as the heat relaxes your muscles. Take some Yoga classes or just go for a walk. With the help of Thai massage you can be feeling much better in no time at all.
