Summer Qi Chats | Week 8
Why is your back hurting?
This week we go over a very important checklist as to why your brain is getting your attention via low back pain or discomfort.
It’s usually not what you think…
Unfortunately, our brain is not always going to be clear in terms of WHY it’s telling you “I’M NOT SAFE!” Often we don’t think of the brain’s outputs as communication. We may more generalize brain messages as PAIN - DISCOMFORT - INABILITY - A NUANCE!
But in order to ‘feel safe’, the brain has the ability to change your behavior entirely. The back is a great example of how the brain is getting your attention but many of us don’t see the low back as a way of communication. Because sometimes pain is a messenger, not a pinpointed compass to where the problem likes.
Sometimes, low back is not what you think it is…
This images to the right is a broad understanding of how pain is produced from the brain for reasons that we often don’t associate with musculoskeletal pain.
THE CHECKLIST
What is your low back bothering you?! Here’s a few things to run down before you accept the discomfort…
Open up the highway of Qi. Sit, stand or move with length in the spine. As we do in class, lengthen through Bai Hui. Two other areas where Qi can get stuck easily is around the torso (Dai Mai) and the Kua (front of the hips). Great areas to massage with hands to awaken the Qi or simply perform hip circles for circulation of Qi, lymph and blood.
From mouth to anus… A great reminder for us all that our digestive system could be affecting our low back. If we’re not digesting our food properly nor experiencing proper bowel movements everyday, then we may be getting messages regarding how our digestive system is out of wack.
Inhale and Exhale. Our respiratory habits can be directly associated with low back pain as our diaphragm and pelvic floor are ‘attached’ to the back and need movement with every breath we take. If your torso isn’t moving as you breathe, this could be a long term problem and it’s manifesting in the low back.
Squeeze that body! There are times when structurally we are out of alignment and our musculoskeletal system is ‘compromised’ due to poor postural habits and movement patterns. Rather than stretching your way out of discomfort, perhaps your brain will feel more supported with tensioning and releasing exercises as we demonstrate in today’s video!
Neuro-Qi Tip o’the day!
Check yourself
I personally feel the most important is the Qi flow (lengthen) and movement throughout the day!
Teach yourself to spot common habits in your movement (or lack of) with daily activities that could result in repetition of bad postural behaviors
*Video posts every Friday by 11:30am MDT
