Your back has so many muscles that have very important functions, mostly to keep you upright. They tend to be fairly strong muscles. So much so, that when other muscles aren't firing properly, for whatever reason, the back muscles will take over and over compensate. This can lead to low back pain, when obviously the problem comes from the other muscle or muscle group misfiring.
The problem can also be related to tightness in other areas. Often people have tight hamstrings, which sit just below the glutes (the bum), which is just below the low back. Glutes tend to be weak, while the tight hamstrings can be quite strong, and the quads, on the front of your thigh, are also weak. This imbalance of large, important muscle groups can lead to tightness felt in the low back.
Another common cause for low back pain is simply a weak core and/or excess weight being carried around the middle.
And then, of course, the pain could be from the low back itself.
Massage can be a very good way of finding out where the tightness or weakness is coming from. With a few massages, and a few strengthening exercises, you can be on your way to reducing your low back pain. If you're experiencing low back pain and would like to find out how to reduce it, please contact me at
carolyn.w.burke@gmail.com