Introduction

Lower back pain is one of the most reported injuries that are common not only to those in sports but those outside of sports too. The onset to lower back pain is often multifactoral and is not normally down to just one simple thing. To understand how to reduce your lower back pain, it is important to understand what may be contributing to your lower back pain.

What is causing my lower back pain?

Lower back pain is often down to excessive stress or strain on the structures of your back. This can be to the muscles of the lower back (Quadratus Lumborum, Erector Spinae or the Glutes) and/or the disks of the lower back. Whilst these tend to be the symptoms of your lower back pain, there are other factors that tend to be their causation such as:

  • Poor movement or technique (when lifting objects/weights)

  • Excessive training loads (too much compression or strain on the lower back)

  • Poor training programming and scheduling (not enough rest, overtraining

Can a sports massage help relieve lower back pain?

In short, yes. A sports massage for lower back pain can provide pain relief for lower back problems. Specifically, for lower back muscles. However, it is worth noting that the relief from a sports massage tends to be short-lived (24-48 hours). That is because once you are off bed, you will return to your daily postural habits, physical activity and demands of your sports/work.

A sports massage can be a great modulator of pain which means it can dampen down the signals of pain but not necessarily help resolve what has caused the pain in the first place. You will need to seek an appropriate diagnosis to discover the true source of your pain and develop a strategy to provide long-term relief such as:

  • Understanding the stress or strain your lower back has from daily activity, work, training 

  • understand if the pain is due to soft tissue tightness or tension

  • Understand if there are any skeletal or disk irritations/herniations or prolapsed disks.

  • Discover if your core is not providing enough stability for your daily activities, work, training intensity

Deadlift screening for lower back pain

What type of massage is best for lower back pain?

To answer this question you need to understand what types of massages are out there and what potentially will be right for you at your stage of discomfort. Here are just a few:

  • Sports massage

  • Deep tissue massage

  • Swedish massage 

While lower back pain can be treated by massage, not all styles of massage are most beneficial. For example, Swedish or relaxing massages are more aimed at relaxation methods and for some, stress relieving. However, this type of massage is not aimed at deep tissue therapy.

Sports massages on the other hand are ideal for relieving deep tightness or restricted movement. This type of massage is targeted at relieving tension by applying a lot more pressure in a more focused approach. This is great for you if you are experiencing chronic tightness, tension or soreness in the mower back and hip areas.

Lower back foam rolling

Other ways to relieve lower back pain

  • Foam rolling

  • Movement 

  • Stretching

  • Stability training

Take home message

Getting a sports massage for lower back pain is a great way to reduce pain, and increase your confidence to move more and feel better. Whilst regular sessions with a qualified massage therapist are best, it is important to note you can practice self-massage for lower back pain at home using the methods listed above. You can see our bank of follow-along videos on our YouTube channel HERE

If you are wanting to seek further advice or guidance to reduce your lower back pain in Sheffield, you can message us directly using the chat box below or click HERE to head to our booking calendar and arrange an appointment with one of our therapists.