Massage Therapy at NOMAD Aquatics & Fitness

Quadratus Lumborum

Self-Treatment using tennis ball for the Quadratus Lumborum

The Basics about the Quadratus Lumborum (QL)

The QL is a four sided muscle that connects the bottom rib and the top of the pelvis on each side.The iliac crest which is the top rim of the pelvis and that you most likely recognize as your hip bone.The iliac crest is a very important bony landmark to remember because it will guide you to several important muscles.You might want to try and trace it with your thumb from the front of your hip all the way around to the base of your spine.

This muscle also attaches to the sides of the lumbar vertebrae.These attachments are located right where you do so much bending which gives the QL the leverage to support the entire upper body.Without these attachments you would sway around like a flower on a slender stem.Along with controlling movement at the waist, the QL muscles also participate in forced exhalation, such as coughing or sneezing.

Usually pain from the QL trigger points can occur in the hips, buttocks, or around the sacroiliac joint at the base of the spine.You might experience sharp agonizing stabs of pain when you cough or sneeze.Sometimes this type of pain can be psychologically paralyzing, making you reluctant to move.Problems turning over in bed or lying on the afflicted side might be experienced and also pain is sometimes felt in the groin and down the front of the thigh.

A tight QL muscle can restrict pelvic movement, causing trigger points to arise in the gluteus minimus muscle, which can then cause symptoms of sciatica.The tension in this muscle can pull a lumbar vertebra on the sacroiliac joint out of place.It can also hold one hip high and put an abnormal curve in your back, making you appear to have scoliosis or a short leg (1992, 28-38, 63).

The pain experienced from the QL muscle trigger points is commonly mistaken for arthritis of the spine, disk problems, sciatica, or bursitis in the hip.A physician confronted with these symptoms may feel that he should exam you for kidney stones, urinary tract trouble, and or other internal or systemic problems (1992, 28-69).

Trigger points in the QL muscle could be a result of a short leg, short arms, or one side of the pelvis being smaller than the other.This muscle is one of the main muscles that are often traumatized in falls and auto accidents.Also, this muscle can be strained if you twist or are otherwise off balance while lifting.

One interesting fact is that if the QL muscles are left vulnerable to stress and overuse when the gluteal muscles are stiff and weakened by trigger points.When the Gluteals aren't doing their job then the QL must pick up the slack. This action causes them to tire out, freeze up, and leave you with twice the trouble you had to begin with.Since the gluteal and QL muscles work together, they are usually afflicted with trigger points at the same time.

Treatment of QL with Tennis Ball and Finger/Thumb

Make sure that you first confirm the location of the QL by feeling it contract when you hike your hip up.This muscle will be easier to isolate if you are lying down.Slowly pushing your finger or thumb into the side of your back between your hipbone and lowest ribs, you should encounter a solid wall of muscle.This solid wall of muscle is the edge of both the QL and the superficial spinal muscles.The QL is on the front side of this short column of hard muscle.

If pain is caused by trigger points in the QL, there are likely to be trigger points in several places, especially near the attachments at the hip bone and bottom rib.A good tool for working on your QL is a supported thumb.If you reach across behind you with the opposite hand and grasp the hand that is working then both hands can then work together to force the thumb into the muscle.

Also you can use the tennis ball to massage between your hipbone and ribs by placing it against a wall.Make sure to stand sideways with your arm out of the way in front of you body, and roll the ball from front to back over the short column of muscle.

If you are experiencing pain from the QL muscle trigger points but you're not in a situation where you can stop and work on them, just pinch the skin over the QL hard enough to hurt a little.This will distract the nervous system and will quiet the pain signals long enough to get you whereyou are going.If you were in the middle of the street then it would at least enable you to walk and get out of the street.

Staying on top of the game when it comes to trigger points can really pay off in the long run.Don't wait for them to catch you at a bad time.Make sure to troubleshoot your QL muscles from time to time, especially if you have had problems in the past.This should be done even when you are not experiencing any pain.Latent (trigger points that are frankly sleeping) trigger points cause muscles to weaken, shorten, and stiffen, but may give you no indication of their presence unless you press on them looking for tenderness.

Staying alert for latent trigger points makes it easy to nip trouble in the bud.

* Information researched from The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, Your self-treatment guide for pain relief; Clair Davies, NCTMB


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Massage Therapy at NOMAD Aquatics & Fitness

	Quadratus Lumborum Self-Treatment using tennis ball for the Quadratus Lumborum The Basics about the Quadratus Lumborum (QL) The QL is a four sided muscle that connects the bottom rib and the top of the pelvis on each side.The iliac crest which is the top rim of the pelvis and that you most likely recognize as your hip bone.The iliac crest is a very important bony landmark to remember because it will guide you to several important muscles.You might want to try and trace it with your thumb from the front of your hip all the way around to the base of your spine. This muscle also attaches to the sides of the lumbar vertebrae.These attachments are located right where you do so much bending which gives the QL the leverage to support the entire upper body.Without these attachments you would sway around like a flower on a slender stem.Along with controlling movement at the waist, the QL muscles also participate in forced exhalation, such as coughing or sneezing. Usually pain from the QL trigger points can occur in the hips, buttocks, or around the sacroiliac joint at the base of the spine.You might experience sharp agonizing stabs of pain when you cough or sneeze.Sometimes this type of pain can be psychologically paralyzing, making you reluctant to move.Problems turning over in bed or lying on the afflicted side might be experienced and also pain is sometimes felt in the groin and down the front of the thigh. A tight QL muscle can restrict pelvic movement, causing trigger points to arise in the gluteus minimus muscle, which can then cause symptoms of sciatica.The tension in this muscle can pull a lumbar vertebra on the sacroiliac joint out of place.It can also hold one hip high and put an abnormal curve in your back, making you appear to have scoliosis or a short leg (1992, 28-38, 63). The pain experienced from the QL muscle trigger points is commonly mistaken for arthritis of the spine, disk problems, sciatica, or bursitis in the hip.A physician confronted with these symptoms may feel that he should exam you for kidney stones, urinary tract trouble, and or other internal or systemic problems (1992, 28-69). Trigger points in the QL muscle could be a result of a short leg, short arms, or one side of the pelvis being smaller than the other.This muscle is one of the main muscles that are often traumatized in falls and auto accidents.Also, this muscle can be strained if you twist or are otherwise off balance while lifting. One interesting fact is that if the QL muscles are left vulnerable to stress and overuse when the gluteal muscles are stiff and weakened by trigger points.When the Gluteals aren't doing their job then the QL must pick up the slack. This action causes them to tire out, freeze up, and leave you with twice the trouble you had to begin with.Since the gluteal and QL muscles work together, they are usually afflicted with trigger points at the same time. Treatment of QL with Tennis Ball and Finger/Thumb Make sure that you first confirm the location of the QL by feeling it contract when you hike your hip up.This muscle will be easier to isolate if you are lying down.Slowly pushing your finger or thumb into the side of your back between your hipbone and lowest ribs, you should encounter a solid wall of muscle.This solid wall of muscle is the edge of both the QL and the superficial spinal muscles.The QL is on the front side of this short column of hard muscle. If pain is caused by trigger points in the QL, there are likely to be trigger points in several places, especially near the attachments at the hip bone and bottom rib.A good tool for working on your QL is a supported thumb.If you reach across behind you with the opposite hand and grasp the hand that is working then both hands can then work together to force the thumb into the muscle. Also you can use the tennis ball to massage between your hipbone and ribs by placing it against a wall.Make sure to stand sideways with your arm out of the way in front of you body, and roll the ball from front to back over the short column of muscle. If you are experiencing pain from the QL muscle trigger points but you're not in a situation where you can stop and work on them, just pinch the skin over the QL hard enough to hurt a little.This will distract the nervous system and will quiet the pain signals long enough to get you whereyou are going.If you were in the middle of the street then it would at least enable you to walk and get out of the street. Staying on top of the game when it comes to trigger points can really pay off in the long run.Don't wait for them to catch you at a bad time.Make sure to troubleshoot your QL muscles from time to time, especially if you have had problems in the past.This should be done even when you are not experiencing any pain.Latent (trigger points that are frankly sleeping) trigger points cause muscles to weaken, shorten, and stiffen, but may give you no indication of their presence unless you press on them looking for tenderness. Staying alert for latent trigger points makes it easy to nip trouble in the bud. * Information researched from The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, Your self-treatment guide for pain relief; Clair Davies, NCTMB

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