By Annette Cashell
There was a time when I wouldn’t have been able to travel any distance without “paying” for it with a few days of excruciating low back pain. That was back when I was suffering from bulging discs and before I had ever even tried a Pilates class, never mind becoming a movement coach!
Since then, I haven’t had any issues with my back but I never take this freedom of movement for granted. I know all the triggers and travelling is definitely one near the top of the list.
It’s not surprising really; travelling usually involves a lot of standing and sitting, a decent dose of stress plus the physical effort of dragging/lifting luggage – the perfect storm for a flare-up!
General stretching and exercises can help, but I prefer a slightly different approach; let me
explain about fascia. (You might not have heard of fascia before, but if you have back pain,
there’s a good chance that it’s involved).
Fascia is connective tissue that is present ALL over your body; think of it like a second skin just underneath your skin, a bit like a stretchy and very slippery Spiderman suit that covers your entire body.
If your fascia is hydrated, then your Spiderman suit fits and glides well and allows you to
move easily.
However, if your fascia is dehydrated, it becomes “matted” or “stuck” in places (a bit like a
Spiderman suit that is 2 sizes too small), and doesn’t allow your body to move easily. This also increases the PERCEPTION of pain.
Why? An adult’s fascia contains approximately 250 million nerve endings, similar to, or
slightly more than the skin.
So, working on your fascial health can definitely help with pain. You just have to know how:
1. If you’re using a roller, use a SOFT one
2. Work s-l-o-w-l-y
3. Pause regularly to allow the tissue to adapt
4. In the case of low back pain, DO NOT roll the low back. No, you roll your glute muscles in
your butt instead.
Here are my Top 3 Fascial Routines for Back Care:
1. Roller Routine For The Glutes
If you don’t have a soft roller, you can use a regular roller (but place a blanket/towel on top to make it softer) OR roll up 2-3 large bath towels, lengthwise. Click here (6 mins)
2. Kitchen Sink Routine
– Stand leg length away from the kitchen sink, bend forward at the hips and hold onto the sink with both hands. Now, lean your hips AWAY from the sink, legs straight.
– Add in a tuck/untuck of your pelvis if that feels good. Legs can be straight or bent while doing this.
– Now, bend one knee at a time. Allow your spine to move as much or as little as it wants to. As always, work within your range; there should be NO pain so make the move slower or smaller as necessary
– Click here to watch this Instagram video (2 mins)
3. Whole Body Shell Stretch
This is also my FREE 20 min class. Click here to get access.
If you have pain, my Holistic Movement Method can help. Book a free Clarity Call.
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