Relieve Low Back Pain | Reduce Low Back Pain | Canada's Leading Authority in Human Movement | Dev Chengkalath

LARGE BREASTS.

Warning: May cause severe back pain

“Where the heck is he going with this one?!?”

I am going to assume that’s what you’re thinking.

And rightly so. 

Read on to find out how big breasts are related to back pain… 

While I’ve discussed many learned or habitual causes of back pain, there is an area that I haven’t spent much time talking about. 

Structural causes. 

Now these types of causes are many and can include bone related issues as scoliosis (curvatures of the spine), leg length discrepancies (one leg shorter than the other), or a number of other problems related to the structural make up of various human tissues (bones, joints, tendons, ligaments etc). 

One such structural issue that is fairly common, but not often discussed, is the case of the massive mammaries. 

Being a male physical therapist working under the auspices of the Regulated Health Professions Act, I’ve had to broach this subject with my clients with significant caution.

You can’t just tell someone that their boobs are causing their back pain. Even if that’s really the case.

That being said, this problem is very real for those that suffer from it and must be addressed.

For this problem, there are a few solutions I’d like to suggest:

1. Proper bra fitting: Obviously, not being a bra expert myself, I’ve had to reach into my extended network of colleagues and experts for information (no matter what industry you’re in, you MUST have a network you can access for things you don’t know!-but that’s for another post!) This includes the correct size, style, support and structure. Even a small change such as a wider shoulder strap can make a HUGE difference. So for all you women out there, have your brassieres professionally fitted. 
2. Fix your posture. ‘Nuff said. 
3. Lose excess body weight: This is not only important for back pain issues but also for health issues. My good buddy Rocco has a program that can help you out. You can check it out HERE.
4. Get in shape: If you have a heavy chest that collapses you forward, you need strong, resilient muscles to defy gravity and keep you upright. Get strong. Get fit. 
5. Breast reduction surgery: Sometimes, it’s gotta be done. Your health is probably worth more than having cleavage. 

So there you have it. Big breasts and back pain.

The silence has ended.

Dev Chengkalath

So now that you’ve had a few hours to work on those glute squeezes, how’d they go? 

Were you able to get the muscles to contract when you wanted them to? Were you able to get them to contract to a sufficient level? Were you able to squeeze them hard enough?

Although this may seem like a wasted exercise, I assure you, this is probably the easiest motor control movement you can do to get you on the path to a pain free low back.

It requires no equipment, it’s portable and best of all, it take very little time. 

In this post, I just want to go a little bit more in depth on why the glutes are so important for your back health. 

First off, this group of muscles is one of the largest and strongest in the body (or so it should be!). It’s also one of the major constituents of your core.

That’s right.

In contrast to popular belief, the core is not just made up of the muscles that form your six-pack abs or allow you to rip out all those sit-ups. It’s actually an interconnected network of muscles, joints and tissues that work to transfer energy, create stability and resist various forces such as rotation through the trunk.

As the glutes are one of the largest groups of muscles attached to the pelvis, they play a significant role in creating stability, transferring energy and creating optimal movement in that body region.

Functionally, the glutes’ major role is to extend through the hip and allow your leg to move behind your body.

This becomes important because if you’ve turned off your glutes from all that sitting or those hours and hours of repeated poor postures, your hip won’t be able to extend as far back.

Inhibited muscle=less movement. 

The problem is that your body doesn’t understand this.

It doesn’t know muscles. It only knows movements. 

If your brain says extend the hip, your body will find a way to get that hip extension. Unfortunately, this usually happens through painful or undesirable compensations in the low back and spine. 

So if you’re walking uphill, going for a jog, or doing that all familiar sit-to-stand, and you have inhibited glutes, there’s a good chance that you’re actually compensating with excessive extension through your low back in order to get that full hip extension. 

Over time, or for those unlucky few, instantly, this will cause low back pain. 

Now get back to working on your squat and get those glutes firing!

To your low back pain prevention and relief!

Dev Chengkalath

P.S. If you didn’t catch the squat video, you can check it out here!

I spent all last Friday moving apartments and I’ve spent the last few hours (more like all day) today helping a friend move furniture.

Oh, the aches and pains.

Moving boxes, bins and furniture of all shapes and sizes, through hallways, doorways and through elevators.

What did I learn from this experience?

Doing this all day can lead to back pain.

First off, let me tell you, I much prefer lifting weights at the gym! At least the load comes in neat, compact packages and the environment is controlled.

Secondly, no one is immune for a sore back!

I’m pretty certain, with all my physical therapy experience, I used solid biomechanics when lifting, pulling, pushing, dragging all those items, but I still couldn’t escape the dull ache that crept into the base of my spine.

It just feels like I need to dig my thumbs as deep as possible into those tight bundles of irritated muscle fibres along my vertebrae and force ‘em to relax.

In fact, this is one of those occasions where acupuncture is extremely helpful in decreasing pain and improving mobility. I’m on my way to get myself needled.

End result: improved movement!

But the lesson here is more important.

Next time, it’s all about outsourcing. I will hire movers.

To your healthy backs.

Dev Chengkalath

Looking for a quick and easy way to relieve the stress that builds up in your neck and shoulders from an unrelenting work day?

As a high performance physiotherapist in Toronto, I see people come in with stiff, painful and sore upper backs, necks and shoulders all the time. These people usually haven’t hurt themselves doing crazy exerises or through sports, but rather through their daily routines. They’ve been working for years at the computer, driving or commuting, lounging on the couch watching TV, to name a few.

Here’s one of the easiest moves to release those tight achy muscles. As an added bonus, it takes only a few seconds and requires no equipment other than a wall and a small amount of space.

Stand up tall facing the wall. Rest your forearms against the wall while keeping your head and chest up and in neutral position. Basically, don’t be looking up and don’t be looking down. Slowly slide your forearms up the wall while flexing your shoulders up. At the highest point, take a deep breath in and slowly exhale all the way. While doing this, let your shoulders drop down and relax completely through your upper back and neck. Take another deep breath in and slowly exhale. This time, still keeping your neck, shoulders and back relaxed, let your arms be pulled down to the starting position by gravity. Repeat two to four times and you’re ready to face that computer workstation again.

Now go out and move.

Dev Chengkalath