Low Back Pain in Salsa and Bachata Dancers: Let's Demystify This One
When I get someone with low back pain, I don't blame the lower back.
The lower back - the lumbar spine and its small muscles - is trying to do the best it can with what it has left. Which isn't much.
Here's what you need to know: The whole body works together.
The lower back has a relationship with glutes, abs, lats, and hip flexors. Of these five areas, the lower back muscles are the smallest.
You're asking the smallest, weakest team member to carry the heaviest load. No wonder it's screaming.
When working with lower back pain, I'm always checking the other four areas for weakness.
Do I usually find weakness in these other areas? YES!
What typically happens:
Glutes stop firing properly
Abs aren't activated
Lats are checked out
Hip flexors are tight and underactive
Your poor lower back picks up slack for ALL of them.
Once we get those four areas working properly, the pressure and tension on the lower back decreases and people feel better.
Stop blaming the compensation. Start strengthening the team.
If you want to know which ones you need to work on and exactly what to do, let’s talk.
