subject: Golfer's Back Pain And The Quadratus Lumborum [print this page] There is one muscle that every massage therapist should know intimately, the Quadratus Lumborum. Has your massage therapist ever asked you how your quadratus lumborum was doing? Here is a little information you should know about this very important muscle. It arises from the aponeurotic fibers from the iliolumbar ligament and the adjacent portion of the iliac crest. It then inserts into the lower order of the 12th rib, for about half its length. It then inserts it into four transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae.
So what does this all mean? Well, I guarantee you that if a knowledgeable therapist presses on the origins and insertions, you will probably experience some pain. What are its actions? It laterally flexes the lumbar vertebrae, really the side of the body, and creates a little bit of extension in the lower back. I have heard statistics that 65% of all back pain can be traced to the imbalances the Quadratus lumborum muscle. If I were looking for course in my quest for continuing education as a massage therapist, I would certainly search out a teacher who would inform me about how to deal with and balance the quadratus lumborum and its attachments to lumbar vertebrae and 12th rib. If there are imbalances there, they are placing pressure on the disc, if there's pressure on the disc, there is pressure on the nerve root, if there's pressure on the nerve root, than there is going to be a diminished signal and more than likely ischemic tissue and PAIN.
A massage continuing education course should do two things. The first should be to expand your knowledge base. The second should be your ability to raise your fees. Let's talk one of the most widely played sports in the world... golf. Golf is an expensive sport, so many golfers are willing and able to pay you to help them with their constant back pain. The swing in golf is very powerful and violent. This swing creates lateral flexion and extension among other muscular chain actions. I have never met a golfer who played a lot, and wasn't experiencing back pain.
A massage continuing education course should do two things. The first should be to expand your knowledge base. The second should be your ability to raise your fees. Look for a teacher that can elevate your knowledge. You should leave the class with an entire new set of tools with which you can immediately use.
As I've mentioned in my previous articles, if you are searching for continuing education as a massage therapist, it is extremely important to learn how to deal with the painful conditions that your client's bring to your massage practice. In my next article I will discuss this psoas muscle and its relationship to the quadratus lumborum. If you learn in a continuing education course the nine muscular secrets to back pain, your continuing education will be a success, and so will you as a massage therapist.
