Lower back pain

This article is the second of three articles.

A general overview of back pain and its treatment with hydrotherapy can be read here

You can read about upper back pain and its treatment with hydrotherapy here

Lower back pain is often accompanied by a herniated or deformed disc in the L4-L5 vertebrae area, as a result of strain, stretching, excessive sitting, or incorrect posture, or wear and tear caused over the years.

Lower back pain may also be accompanied by radiating pain or numbness towards the legs or buttocks, which we divide into two main situations.

Sciatica is a condition in which the affected area is located in the lower back vertebrae, but the pain radiates along the sciatic nerve, and the patient feels it in the leg (thigh, knee, and even ankle).

Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle contracts around the sciatic nerve, causing lower back pain. In the case of piriformis, damage to the lower back cannot be seen on imaging tests such as MRI or CT, because the origin is muscular.

It is important to emphasize again that working in water cannot correct degenerative changes in the joints or skeleton. It can loosen and strengthen muscles, it can relieve pain, and it can help the patient return to an active and mobile state.

A significant part of the work in the case of lower back pain is strengthening the core muscles. The core muscles: abdomen, back, shoulder blades, are the ones that hold our body upright. In warmer water, it is easier to bear the weight of the body, and the water relaxes muscles and relieves pain, thus allowing you to do movements that might be too painful on land.

The work on the core muscles is done against the resistance of water combined with the resistance of floating devices used in the pool, thus allowing for work adapted in terms of effort to any level of fitness. We will also work on the flexibility and lengthening of muscles, especially muscles of the lower back and buttocks. Combining flexibility with strength gives us a muscle that knows how to exert itself when asked of it, and also knows how to perform unusual movements without protest. The exercises can and should be taken home, to maintain and improve fitness.

Another significant part is the passive floating part. Clinical Watsu treats problems of lower back pain, sciatica, and piriformis syndrome very well. When the patient lies in the water with floats, I can reach every area of the back and buttocks, help release where the muscles are tight, and move the patients' joints. Part of clinical Watsu incorporates stretches along the spine, a movement that gives a feeling of lengthening and creating space between the vertebrae, thereby reducing pain.

The last part of the treatment combines conversation and an examination of lifestyle habits, with the intention of finding out exactly what difficulties the patient is encountering, what relieves the pain and what makes it worse, and what small lifestyle changes can be made: posture, walking pattern, sleep postures, stress reduction.

Piriformis syndrome is clinically linked to trauma (physical or emotional), as that muscle contracts as a part of the survival system. Together we will learn effective methods to deal with anxiety, and to release the muscle so that it hurts less.

In the video, you can see back rotations, which are mainly intended to improve range of motion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QthFnc0gh1A