Body Stress & The Lower Back

The causes of body stress in the lower back:

The jarring effect of accidents and falls may cause body stress to become locked into the lower back. Poor posture, heavy or incorrect lifting, bending or repetitive exercises may also strain ligaments and muscles, resulting in stress becoming stored in the physical structures.

The effects of body stress in the lower back:

Irritation to the spinal nerves of the lower back may result in back pain, and this may be referred along the nerve pathways into the abdomen, groin, hips, legs or feet. Often pain is felt along the large sciatic nerve, which passes through the buttock and down the back of the leg. There may also be sensations of numbness in any of these areas. Muscle function may be affected, resulting in stiffness or weakness.

The compression effect in the lower back may be so severe that the back muscles lock up in a protective spasm, pulling the spine sideways or forwards. While body stress remains stored in the lower back, the irritation to the nerves may undermine or disturb the normal functioning of the areas and organs that they supply. Thus body stress may lead to digestive problems such as constipation or diarrhoea, as well as bladder complaints, and may adversely affect sexual function.

Sometimes a person may not be aware of body stress in the lower back, other than feeling stiffness on arising in the morning. After BSR a person may be pain-free for a period, and then experience a return of the problem for no apparent reason. This signals that the lower back is ready to undergo further, deeper releases of body stress. If body stress has been present in the lower back for a long time (the cause may have originated in childhood), it may be necessary for the stored tension to be released in “layers” over a period of time.

As the foundation of the spine, the lower back area affects the stability of the rest of the spine. Therefore, if body stress is stored in the lower back area, muscular tension will be referred to the upper back and neck.