Can lower back pain be helped by modifying the way you twist your hips while walking? The answer is yes if you consider the typical faulty body mechanics that cause many lower back pains.
Mechanical lower back pain is considered by most experts to be the most common type of back pain. It accounts for at least 90% of all low back pain, and includes strains, sprains, arthritic degeneration, disc problems, spondylolisthesis, retrolisthesis, stenosis, facet syndrome, sacroiliac joint issues and most cases of sciatica and spasms. One of the more common mechanical faults related to these lower back pains is asymmetric pelvic twisting motions while walking.
Many people have a tendency to favor crossing one leg over the other while sitting and lying down. While they may switch legs occasionally, one leg usually becomes the favorite side to cross over. This chronic asymmetrical habit shortens the external rotator muscles in the favored leg and hip. Tightness develops in the hip external rotator muscles which causes a permanent tendency to stand, walk and sit with that leg turned outwards more than the opposite side. This also results in the ability to twist the hips more easily to one side than the other while standing with the feet pointing straight ahead. Typically, it will be easier to twist the hips away from the favored leg and foot that turns out more.
As a result of this external hip rotation, the back pain sufferer will typically also elevate that same hip higher than the opposite side while walking. This causes compressive stress in the lower back on the same side. Discs, facet joints, muscles, ligaments and nerves can all be irritated with the repetitive compressive micro trauma occurring over the 5,000 to 10,000 average walking steps a person takes each day.
Correcting this walking lower back pain tendency with rehab exercises often fails as patients have difficulty staying consistent with home rehab work outside the gym or rehab center. An effective alternative to fixing this mechanical problem is simply changing the way the hips and pelvis twist while walking each day.
To determine if your lower back pain may be affected by this common mechanical fault, check your leg alignment as you walk, stand and sit. If you notice that one foot or thigh turns out more than the other, there is a good chance the following correction can improve your low back pain through better body mechanics.
As you walk, twist your pelvis towards the side of the flared-out leg/foot as that leg begins to move behind you. If you typically turn your right thigh and foot outwards while standing, sitting, or walking, you will emphasize turning your pubic bone to the right as your left foot steps forward and your right leg pushes behind you. If your left thigh and foot naturally turns out more, you will want to emphasize turning your pubic bone to the left as your right foot steps forward and your left leg pushes behind you.
Note that the emphasis of turning your hips or pubic bone simply means that you will want to turn it farther in distance (1/4 to 1 inch more) than your typical walking form. This will also cause the involved leg to stay behind you slightly longer than it usually does when walking. By turning the pelvis farther, you will be helping to close the angle between the thigh and the hip joint, which will over time correct the external hip rotation tendency and its mechanical stress to the lower back. This will be helped by making an effort to cross the legs more symmetrically when sitting and lying.
Practice this for only a few minutes each day when first beginning to avoid over straining your hip and leg muscles with the new motion. Gradually increase the number of corrective steps each week over several months. Add this modification to your other walking modifications and corrective exercises to steadily enjoy walking lower back pain away.
Dr. Michael C Remy, DABCO, CCSP is a chiropractic sports orthopedist who specializes in custom walking exercises for back pain and spine rehabilitation. His Walk Away Back Pain™ Program offers simple and effective back pain solutions through improved walking movements and techniques.
Disclaimer: The Walk Away Back Pain Program™ and all North Shore Health and Fitness Associates, Inc. ebooks, video series and courses are for general educational and informational purposes only and do not replace professional medical advice. This content does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. Always consult with your own doctor before starting this or any new exercise program, or changing your diet or supplements, as these changes may be harmful to your health. Exercise and changing posture and movement patterns carries a risk of injury. You perform these movements, stretches and exercises at your own risk. Stop immediately if you feel pain, numbness, tingling, dizziness or shortness of breath during any exercise. Modify or skip any movement that causes discomfort. The author and publisher disclaim any liability for injury, loss, or damage resulting directly or indirectly from the use of this content. Results vary by individual, and no specific outcome or cure for back pain or any other musculoskeletal pain is guaranteed.