WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Video
WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Video
This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

4 Ways Pilates Changes Your Body For The Better

4 Ways Pilates Changes Your Body For The Better

4 Stretches Guaranteed To Help You Touch Your Toes

4 Stretches Guaranteed To Help You Touch Your Toes

Kristen Bell’s Approach To Working Out Is Something We Should All Live By

Kristen Bell’s Approach To Working Out Is Something We Should All Live By

The 3 Stretches You Should Be Doing Daily

The 3 Stretches You Should Be Doing Daily

{headline}

{headline}

Turns Out Going To The Movies Totally Counts As Cardio

Turns Out Going To The Movies Totally Counts As Cardio

7 Things To Know Before Trying Pilates

7 Things To Know Before Trying Pilates

The Dead Bug Is The Perfect Ab Move For Avoiding Back Pain

The Dead Bug Is The Perfect Ab Move For Avoiding Back Pain

{headline}

{headline}

Could A Healthier Gut Be The Key To Greater Gym Gains?

Could A Healthier Gut Be The Key To Greater Gym Gains?

For The Love Of God, Please Stop Foam Rolling This Body Part

For The Love Of God, Please Stop Foam Rolling This Body Part

This Is Exactly How Miley Cyrus Got ‘Abs Like A Ninja Turtle’

This Is Exactly How Miley Cyrus Got ‘Abs Like A Ninja Turtle’

This Type Of Fitness Class Will Give You The Best Results

This Type Of Fitness Class Will Give You The Best Results

Vanessa Hudgens' Secret For Weight Maintenance Is Really, Really Simple

Vanessa Hudgens' Secret For Weight Maintenance Is Really, Really Simple

Victoria Beckham Just Shared Her Hot Tip For Longer, Leaner Muscles

Victoria Beckham Just Shared Her Hot Tip For Longer, Leaner Muscles

The Fat-Busting Exercise Behind Kate Hudson’s 11kg Weight Loss

The Fat-Busting Exercise Behind Kate Hudson’s 11kg Weight Loss

  1. Home
  2. Fitness

The Surprising Thing That's Causing Your Back Pain

Thankfully, it's easy to fix. - by Alex Richardson
  • 11 Jan 2019
The Surprising Thing That's Causing Your Back Pain
Getty

If I were to ask a room full of women, "who has tight hips?" I can guarantee you that a majority of the room would say yes. I can almost equally guarantee that if I ask the group of women who said yes, "have you ever experienced lower back pain?" the answer would also be yes.

While lower back pain and tight hips are both common among women, they aren’t necessarily related. There are many causes of back pain and many elements to its treatment or management.

RELATED: 6 Pilates Exercises To Relieve Lower Back Pain

One thing is certain though – the hip flexor muscles are directly connected to your spine. The psoas is one of your main hip flexor muscles and it attaches from your femur to your lumbar vertebrae (the lumbar region is your lower back).  

If your hips are tight, there is a good chance that this will pull your pelvis into what we call an anterior pelvic tilt. I like to call it a ‘duck bum!’ Easier to visualise now? An anterior pelvic tilt is basically when your pelvis is tilted forward, causing your lower back to curve inwards. This inward curvature of your lower back can put a lot of pressure on your spine and easily cause back pain.

You may have noticed that your back will begin to hurt after a long walk or a prolonged period wearing high heels. Both of these activities can easily pull your pelvis into an anterior pelvic tilt, causing excessive load and pressure on your lower back. Too much sitting can also contribute to an anterior pelvic tilt, due to your hip flexors remaining in a shortened position while you are seated.

So, if you like going for long walks and you also sit at a desk all day, you may want to check your hip health to avoid lower back pain!

While it is important to stretch your hip flexors, it is very possible that your hip flexors are tight, due to some kind of imbalance in your body. If you have lower back pain and tight hips, I highly recommend checking in with a physiotherapist or giving Pilates a go. You could very well have tight hamstrings and/or weak glutes which also need to be addressed.

For now, try this hip stretch! I like to do it before a workout or after a prolonged period of sitting.  

Kneeling hip flexor stretch

flexor stretch
flexor

You can find out more about The Duo Pilates Method here.

RELATED: 4 Pilates Exercises That Will Help You Build A Booty

  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Lifestyle
  • Pilates
  • Exercise
  • Workout
  • Leg Workouts
Alex Richardson
Alex Richardson
Alex is a Registered Nurse, qualified Pilates Instructor and owner of Duo Pilates. She has a passion for educating and inspiring people to use movement to improve their lives. She believes that in order to train our body the right way, we first need to train the mind to acquire body awareness.

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

4 Ways Pilates Changes Your Body For The Better

4 Ways Pilates Changes Your Body For The Better

4 Stretches Guaranteed To Help You Touch Your Toes

4 Stretches Guaranteed To Help You Touch Your Toes

Kristen Bell’s Approach To Working Out Is Something We Should All Live By

Kristen Bell’s Approach To Working Out Is Something We Should All Live By

The 3 Stretches You Should Be Doing Daily

The 3 Stretches You Should Be Doing Daily

{headline}

{headline}

Turns Out Going To The Movies Totally Counts As Cardio

Turns Out Going To The Movies Totally Counts As Cardio

7 Things To Know Before Trying Pilates

7 Things To Know Before Trying Pilates

The Dead Bug Is The Perfect Ab Move For Avoiding Back Pain

The Dead Bug Is The Perfect Ab Move For Avoiding Back Pain

{headline}

{headline}

Could A Healthier Gut Be The Key To Greater Gym Gains?

Could A Healthier Gut Be The Key To Greater Gym Gains?

For The Love Of God, Please Stop Foam Rolling This Body Part

For The Love Of God, Please Stop Foam Rolling This Body Part

This Is Exactly How Miley Cyrus Got ‘Abs Like A Ninja Turtle’

This Is Exactly How Miley Cyrus Got ‘Abs Like A Ninja Turtle’

This Type Of Fitness Class Will Give You The Best Results

This Type Of Fitness Class Will Give You The Best Results

Vanessa Hudgens' Secret For Weight Maintenance Is Really, Really Simple

Vanessa Hudgens' Secret For Weight Maintenance Is Really, Really Simple

Victoria Beckham Just Shared Her Hot Tip For Longer, Leaner Muscles

Victoria Beckham Just Shared Her Hot Tip For Longer, Leaner Muscles

The Fat-Busting Exercise Behind Kate Hudson’s 11kg Weight Loss

The Fat-Busting Exercise Behind Kate Hudson’s 11kg Weight Loss

WomensHealth
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Paragon Media
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Paragon Media

Brands

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
  • Men’s Health
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now