The London Back Pain Pattern
Probably the most common presentation that patients walk through my door with is lower back pain. And in London, most of these patients have lower back pain for very similar reasons.
The classic Londoner seems to spend most of their work life sitting in front of a desk while dealing with constant and heavy levels of stress. The body — a fantastically intelligent and efficient machine — will commit to getting good at whatever activity you do. If you spend most of your time sitting and stressed, then the body will adapt accordingly:
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The shoulders hunch
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The thoracic spine (upper back) stiffens
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The hamstrings tighten
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The neck muscles — typically used during stressed breathing — start to take over from the diaphragm (though they can’t really, they just become very tight)
The Back that Carries It All
The lower back is an area of the body that excels at compensating for problems elsewhere — the most generous part of the body, always there to lend a helping hand. And as such, it’s often the first to hurt when something else isn’t doing its job.
Just like many of my London patients, the lower back is caught between a lazy colleague that no longer wants to work (the thoracic spine) and a demanding boss that always wants more (the hamstrings). Eventually, the back can no longer compensate and starts to hurt.
The Osteopathic Solution
The solution?
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Wake up the lazy colleague above by getting the spine moving again
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Change the boss’s attitude by lengthening and releasing the hamstrings
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Find some space to breathe by encouraging more diaphragmatic breathing and releasing the neck and upper chest
If only the office problems could be solved as easily!