Are you experiencing low back pain? Have you had repeated episodes of low back pain throughout your life? There are many different causes of low back pain, such as joint pain, muscle pain, or pain caused by a bulging or herniated disc, to name a few. So how exactly is low back pain relevant to hip mobility? Well, a lack of hip mobility and low back pain are frequently linked! Pain in the low back does not always mean that only the low back needs to be treated.

The body is pretty amazing and is able to compensate to accomplish tasks throughout day. If something needs to be picked up off the floor, we can bend at the knees, bend at the hips, bend in the back or any combination of these to reach for the item. Tight hips do not prevent us from picking something up off the floor. However, the body compensates by increasing motion in the low back if there is a lack motion through the hips. This increased motion in the low back often leads to joint pain, muscle pain, or disc injuries in the low back. The picture to the right shows the proper way to squat, whether training for an athletic event or picking something up off the ground.

How can you tell if you have tight hips?

There are a couple easy tests for hip mobility. First, sit up straight and tall, then cross your right ankle over the left knee and gently push the right knee toward the floor. Now switch sides and try the same thing. Can you get your shins parallel to the floor? If not, you likely have tight hips.

The next test is to gently pull your knee toward your opposite shoulder instead of pushing it toward the floor. Do you feel a stiffness or pull in your hips or glutes? This is another frequent sign of tight hips. These screens can also be easily turned into stretches to loosen up your hips. If you experienced pain with either of these or have low back pain, please schedule an appointment with one of our chiropractors. We will perform several other functional screens and orthopedic tests to determine what is causing the pain. Then we can determine which treatment approach is best for you. We want to see you pain free and moving well!