Indications
The quadratus lumborum, or QL, is a common source of lower back pain. Because the QL connects the pelvis to the spine and is therefore capable of extending the lower back when contracting bilaterally, the two QLs pick up the slack, as it were, when the lower fibers of the erector spinae are weak or inhibited (as they often are in the case of habitual seated computer use and/or the use of a lower back support in a chair). Given their comparable mechanical disadvantage, constant contraction while seated can overuse the QLs, resulting in muscle fatigue. A constantly contracted QL, like any other muscle, will experience decreased bloodflow, and, in time, adhesions in the muscle and fascia may develop, the end point of which is muscle spasm.
This chain of events can be and often is accelerated by kyphosis which is invariably accompanied by rounded shoulders, both of which place greater stress on the QLs by shifting body weight forward, forcing the erector spinae, QLs, multifidi, and especially the levator scapulae to work harder in both seated and standing positions to maintain an erect torso and neck. The experience of "productive pain" or pleasure by a patient upon palpation of the QL is indicative of such a condition.
While stretching and strengthening the QL are indicated for unilateral lower back pain, heat/ice applications as well as massage and other myofascial therapies should be considered as part of any comprehensive rehabilitation regimen.
Read more about this topic: Quadratus Lumborum Muscle
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