When working out hard with squats and deadlift or working long hours in a chair, your lower back gets tight and sore. Before it gets worst, it is good habit to work on loosening up some of the muscles that are responsible for the lower back tightness.
1. Adductors Foam Rolling
Adductors or inner thighs does get tight fairly easily especially if you sit a lot. Majority of population has weaker gluts because of extended sitting and adductors seems to be doing more work to keep the hip stabilize. Strengthening gluts will be important too but for now let's go through loosening up your adductors.
Adductors starts from bottom part of the pelvic bone and goes all the way down to inner side of the knee. So when foam rolling it is ideal to break into 2 segments; top half and bottom half. Top half should be focusing more towards groin area and bottom half should be focusing on knee area.
2. Quad Foam Rolling
Quadriceps, especially rectus femoris connects from iliac spine (front portion of hip bone) to the patella tendon, which is connected to your knee cap. Primary function is flexion of the hip and extension of the knee.
So if you have been working on your quadriceps or sitting too long and has tight quads then this can also cause tight hip, which also lead to tight lower back.
On video I'm working on loosening up the tight quads. It is hard to tell but I am rotating my thighs so I can hit inside quad called vastus medialis and outside quad called vastus lateralis. Last two are not so much responsible for lower back tightness but they will help loosen up your knees as well.
3. Piriformis Foam Rolling
You may have heard of piriformis. It is with your glut muscles and connects from sacrum to your thigh bone. This muscle gets tight mainly because of being in seated position for too long.
Foam roller should line up parallel to sacrum so the foam roller will be moving along the piriformis rather than perpendicular. Crossing leg will give more digging to the piriformis. If you are not flexible enough to cross your legs start without crossing legs.
4. Psoas Stretch
I used to say hip flexors stretch but I started to change the name since focusing muscle is psoas muscle only. Tight psoas muscle probably is the primary reason why you have lower back issue.
It is very important muscle and connects from lower portion of the spine to the upper region of femur bone.
Tip to stretch this muscle is to pushing the hip forward in lunge position with one knee anchored to the floor. Another important tip is to tilting the pelvis back. Imagine pointing the belly button towards your face.
Rather than holding for long time, move back and forth to provide movement, which will help loosen it up faster.
5. Frog Stretch
This stretch has been my go to stretch. Benefits are stretching the groin and mobilizing hip at the same time.
Same with psoas stretch but frog stretch also is not holding or static stretching.
Objective is to spread knees and push the gluts toward the heel. Pay attention to how my foot is turned out.
Again, start with whatever width you can handle and work your way out.
Initially, I would suggest to do these everyday. But gradually you can minimize to 2-3 times per week. I personally go through this routine after my leg workouts.
Enjoy!
Kota Shimada
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