Low back muscle strain, also known as functional low back pain, chronic low back injury, and lumbar fasciitis, is a chronic inflammatory injury to the muscles and their attachment points, fascia or periosteum of the lower back. It is one of the common causes of low back pain, with main symptoms of swelling and soreness in the lower back or lumbar region, recurring attacks, and pain that can vary with changes in weather or level of exertion. It is a common clinical condition, with multiple risk factors. If not treated, it can cause degeneration and even small tears in the muscle fibers, leading to scar formation, fibrous bands or adhesions, and long-term chronic back pain.
Back massage can stimulate the governing vessel and the foot taiyang bladder meridians on the back to treat low back muscle strain. It focuses on stimulating the back shu points such as the spleen shu point, stomach shu point, and kidney shu point.
How to do "back massage"?
Doing back massage in the morning after waking up or at night before going to bed is more effective. Lie on your stomach on the bed, exposing your back and making your body as flat as possible to relax the muscles. Then, use your thumbs and index fingers to pinch the skin and muscles on both sides of the lumbar spine, and use your index and middle fingers to guide and push your thumbs forward, alternating between loose and tight pressure, gradually massaging the shoulder and neck area in a regular pattern. Massage upwards 6 times each time, twice a day, for a course of 7 days.
The skin of children is delicate, so the back massage should be gentle to avoid skin damage. The back muscles of adults are thicker and tighter, making it less easy to lift, so the pressure should be slightly stronger. In summary, the appropriate pressure should be chosen based on the softness of the patient's back muscles.
Back massage can also treat symptoms such as poor appetite, indigestion, diarrhea, and insomnia. It also has a good therapeutic effect on adults with weak organs and functional disorders. This therapy should not be used for patients with skin damage, abscesses, or skin diseases. It should also be used cautiously in patients with high fever, heart disease, or bleeding tendencies.
Why can back massage treat illnesses?
In simple terms, back massage is a traditional Chinese medicine treatment method that uses the thumbs and index fingers of both hands to sequentially pinch and knead the skin surface of the baby's back. Back massage can stimulate the autonomic nerves and ganglia of the human body, improve the body's immune function through complex neural and humoral factors, and regulate visceral activities in a holistic and bidirectional manner, thus preventing and treating various diseases.
The center of the back is the governing vessel, and the sides of the governing vessel are the routes of the foot taiyang bladder meridian. The governing vessel and bladder meridian are the first line of defense for the human body against external pathogens. Back massage can unblock the meridians and achieve the effect of adjusting the organs.
Moreover, back massage can also treat symptoms such as poor appetite, indigestion, diarrhea, and insomnia. It also has a good therapeutic effect on adults with weak organs and functional disorders. This therapy should not be used for patients with skin damage, abscesses, or skin diseases. It should also be used cautiously in patients with high fever, heart disease, or bleeding tendencies.
Prevention
1. Prevent dampness and cold
Do not sleep in damp places. Add clothes according to changes in the weather. After sweating or getting wet in the rain, change into dry clothes or dry the body in a timely manner.
2. Acute low back sprain
Active treatment and rest are necessary to prevent it from becoming chronic.
3. During sports or vigorous activities
Proper warm-up exercises should be done.
4. Correct poor working posture
For example, avoid bending over for too long or sitting too low. Change positions after sitting for an hour. Using a backrest with a protrusion can relieve pressure on the lower back and help prevent low back muscle strain. When carrying heavy objects, slightly bend the chest and waist, flex the hips and knees, and take steady steps without taking big strides.
5. Avoid overwork
The lower back is the center of the body's movement. Excessive fatigue will inevitably lead to injury and low back pain. Therefore, it is important to balance work and rest in various tasks or labor.
6. Use a firm mattress with a soft pad
A too soft mattress cannot maintain the normal physiological curvature of the spine, so it is best to add a 10 cm thick soft pad on a wooden board.
7. Pay attention to weight loss
Control your weight. Excessive body weight will inevitably bring extra burden to the waist, especially for middle-aged people and women after childbirth, who are prone to gaining weight. Control your diet and exercise more.
