Many individuals overlook the correlation between tight quad muscles and lower back pain. If you’re dealing with strain or discomfort in both of these areas, there is a possibility that they are interconnected. Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with us if your lower back pain is causing significant issues. Keep reading to comprehend the relationship your lower back shares with various areas of the body, especially in connection with tight quad muscles.
Quadriceps muscles are in the front of your thigh tight, which could be why they may be creating a chronic posture problem for you.
Two forces may be at play. They may even be happening at the same time:
- Tight quads can lead to lower back pain because they pull the pelvis down.
- Tight quads naturally lead to weak hamstring muscles. These are the quads’ opposing muscles, located at the back of your thigh. Stress and pressure on the hamstrings can cause back pain.
Both scenarios can affect your pelvic alignment. If your alignment is off, your posture may suffer and the pain may increase.
This article will explain why tight quads can cause back pain. It will also help you figure out if you may have tight quads. A healthcare provider is best able to confirm or dismiss your hunch.
Tight Quads Pull the Pelvis Down
Pain or injury may force you to expand your medical vocabulary. But doing so may also help you to better understand your condition and communicate with your healthcare provider.
Start with the quadriceps, which are the big muscles in the front of your thigh. One of the four muscles that belong to this group—the rectus femoris attaches to the pelvis at a place called the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS).
This means the rectus femoris is the only one in the quadriceps group that crosses over your hip joint (and also affects movement there).
Think of your ASIS as the front part of your hip bone. The ASIS is a place you can actually touch.
When the quads (and especially the rectus femoris) get really tight, they pull on the hip bone. The pelvis tips downward, or forward. (Technically, this position is called the anterior tilt of the pelvis.)2
You may know that the spine wedges in between the two halves of the pelvis. So it should make sense that if the pelvis tilts forward, the lumbar spine may react by going into an arch.
A bigger arch in the lower back—called excessive lordosis—often causes tightened (and painful) back muscles.3
Tight Quads Overpower Hamstrings
When your quads are too tight, and the pelvis is pulled down in front, there is a corresponding lift up in back. This puts the hamstring “on a stretch,” as therapists like to say.
And yes: This can hurt.
If you sit a lot at home or work, you can probably feel your “sitting bones.” These small bones need hamstring muscles to stay attached to your hip.
Generally, good posture (and good hamstring tone) helps pull down your pelvis in the back. This is a good thing because it helps keep your pelvis in a comfortable position.
Tight quads set off a “chain reaction” in your body as the pelvis moves down in front and up in back while the hamstring stretches. The reaction? Pain, and often lots of it.
If you don’t strengthen your hamstrings and stretch your quads, the hamstrings may lose their ability to support your ideal pelvic and spinal positions.
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Original article published on verywellhealth.com
