FREE FOR SUBSCRIBERS
This mini course demonstrates three key but often overlooked stretches that can be crucial for relieving lower back pain. It also introduces the gentle but profoundly effective method of Active Isolated Stretching. FREE for subscribers.
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FREE FOR SUBSCRIBERS Lesson 1 – Rethinking Our Approach to Lower Back Pain
Advances in medicine have provided us with vast benefits none of us would want to live without, but chronic pain of a musculoskeletal origin remains poorly understood, and even more poorly treated. What's needed is a better approach.
FREE FOR SUBSCRIBERS Lesson 2 – Inner Thigh Adductors Stretch
One of the most overlooked areas of tightness related to lower back pain is the inner thigh region of the upper leg, the adductor muscle group.
FREE FOR SUBSCRIBERS Lesson 3 – Gluteals Stretch
When clients present with lower back pain I frequently find that one or both of their gluteal muscle groups are tight and constricted.
FREE FOR SUBSCRIBERS Lesson 4 – Hamstrings and Latissimus Stretch
This stretch has three parts and works well because it simultaneously addresses the muscles "above and below" the lower back, both of which can exert a powerful influence on how the lower back feels.
FREE FOR SUBSCRIBERS Lesson 5 – The Relieving Power of Global Flexibility
Identifying and improving global flexibility has the potential to resolve many, many persistent aches and pains and mysterious symptoms.
Neuromuscular Therapist and founder of Relieving That Pain Online Courses, Stephen has been helping individuals achieve relief for chronic and recurrent musculoskeletal pain for 30 years.
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I am 35 with a previous history of SI joint issues from a ski crash and running. The past 3 weeks I have been experiencing debilitating pain in my right glute and down the back of my thigh. I have worked with my acupuncturist, seen a chiropractor and physical therapist as well as gotten a deep tissue massage. They have all focused on my SI joint and piriformis, but none of these methods that have provided relief. After 3 weeks of intense pain in the mornings I went to my doctor and they gave me a steroid injection in my piriformis. That was 24 hrs ago and that seems to have provided some relief but the impacts are still unclear. I find, living in a rural area, I am treated by most people like I am 75 and will just have to deal with this pain forever so I have been looking for my own solutions because I believe its possible for me to get back to running, skiing and playing with my 2.5 y/o. I have started your course focused on the iliopsoas with the thought the issue wasn’t originating with my piriformis as I have always had tight hip flexors (especially after the birth of my son). I apologize for the extensive download of information but I am wondering if I am on a logical track or if I should be focusing on a different area? Thank you
I’m so sorry to hear you’ve had so much pain and so little help thus far. You didn’t mention having had any tests such as an MRI or X-ray in order to rule out a bulging disc; it would be good to be assured that that is not contributing factor. But assuming it’s not, here’s a few thoughts.
When clients of mine report having had a lot of treatment in a given area (such as you describe with your SI joint and piriformis) but not feeling much relief, I almost always suspect that the area of treatment is NOT the root cause but rather a secondary result.
When the hip flexors are chronically tight, there can be numerous potential effects including the possibility of strain in another location such as the SI joint. This can be especially true if one of your hip flexors is tighter than the other because pelvic torsion can be the result.
Pelvic torsion can cause a “shearing” in one of the SI joints which can result in pain. I’m glad to hear you’ve begun the Iliopsoas course as this is a solid starting point. But because you’ve been in significant pain recently I want to strongly encourage you to be VERY gentle with the course and to simply exclude anything that feels aggravating.
Further, if you notice that your left hip flexors are tighter (or more stuck) than your right, and/or that your left hamstrings are tighter than your right, you may be suffering from what I call the RALF Pattern, or Right Anterior, Left Fixed Pelvic Torsion Pattern. If so, gently give preferential stretching focus to those tightest areas as you work through the course.
The need to clearly assess exactly where we are tightest is why I created the Flexibility Diagnostic featured in the my course, the Stretching Blueprint (just released in Dec. 2020). Also, I will be offering very specific guidance for correction of pelvic torsion and the RALF Pattern with the release of the next course in my Blueprint Series: Postural Blueprint (Mid-2021 release).
But for now, you’ve got plenty to work with going through the Iliopsoas course. Please make sure not skip Phase 1. Sometimes I find that individuals don’t spend enough quality time with the self-massage section but this can be absolutely critical for releasing the hip flexors.
Please let me know if you have additional questions and wishing you the best!
Hello, I have scoliosis and my pelvic is twisted after i gave birth to my son it has twisted more, because of that no matter how much i stretch my lower back gets soo tight in the morning and hurt throughout the day, its been 2 years I’m so tired of the pain!! i want to know if your course can help me fix the pelvic rotation, i mean fix the actual body structure not just release muscles with stretching because that will keep getting tight until the structure is fixed, waiting to hear from you. Thank you!
Thank you for the question. For the most complete answer I could offer, please see my article, The Many Faces of Iliacus Dysfunction. This article goes into detail about how two of my courses — Healing the Hidden Root of Pain and Stretching Blueprint — relieve pain in the body and can resolve postural distortion, including pelvic torsion (aka twisted pelvis). After reading the article, please let me know if you have additional questions.
I am 55 and I have been suffering from the right lower lumbar pain that radiates through my right thigh, right calf, and right foot. I am looking forward to using physical exercises to heal myself. Please I need your assistance.
I hope that these stretches are getting you started on the right path. Your symptoms may be an indication of pelvic torsion and dysfunction of the iliopsoas muscle. Please refer to my article, The Iliopsoas Muscle and its Frequently Overlooked Syndrome. This link will take you to my blog, Lower Back Pain Answers.
Hi, I have 12-degree scoliosis. Last year I start getting groin pain on the right side. I found out that I have osteoarthritis. I have tried many exercises, but everything seems to make things worst. My x-ray says I have degeneration in my C5-6-7, Th 8-9-10, L4-5. L5 has bilateral sakralisation. 3D scan shows pelvic obliquity 2 mmR, pelvic torsion DL-DR 3¤L. My questions are: Can I use your suggested exercise? I am the case opposite of your RALF description?
Thank you.
One of the many reasons I use Active Isolated Stretching (shown in the mini course and also used as the very foundation of the Stretching Blueprint) is because it is inherently gentle. By replacing a static stretch that is held for 30 seconds with a repeated 2-second stretch gets us off what I call the Treadmill of Re-Aggravation. Further, in the Stretching Blueprint I build on the foundation of a gentler approach with my concept of Progressive Ease. Whether or not these approaches are right for you, however, can only be known by trying them out. One tip is to focus your stretching NOT on areas of discomfort but where range of motion is most limited. This can reduce the amount of added strain the body feels from exercise. And whether or not you are in the RALF Pattern is difficult to decipher from a written description. In the next course from my Blueprint Series — Postural Blueprint for Correcting Pelvic Torsion — I describe the RALF pattern at length, including common symptoms, and also provide self-testing. But I would start with the Stretching Blueprint. I hope that helps!
Dear Stephen, Thank you for your response. I will try to work with areas where motion is most limited, but it feels like the most limited motion is on the side of discomfort.
3 PTs have given up on me. Have had pain and coldness in both calfs for 5+ years that came on suddenly. Tried lots of “cures” to no avail. Hoping you can help.
If you have only tried “cures” that target the calves themselves then you might consider that the calves are the downstream symptom of an issue elsewhere in the body. The body is a tensegrity structure in which everything affects everything else. So it’s possible, for example, that inflexibility in other regions of your body may be setting up the strain and pain in the calves. I explain the concept of tensegrity in detail in my course, Stretching Blueprint for Pain Relief and Better Flexibility. This course is a complete guide to improving global flexibility using Active Isolated Stretching. I created this course because improving global (head to toe) flexibility has the power to relieve a very high percentage of unexplained or mysterious pain and symptoms. Give it a try. All courses have an unconditional 30-day refund guarantee.
Hi Stephen, Can your iliopsoas course help relieve pain of a twisted pelvis/psoas because of a recent sports injury?
The iliopsoas course, Healing the Hidden Root of Pain, is primarily designed to relieve pain and symptoms caused by Iliopsoas Syndrome. A twisted pelvis is most appropriately addressed by my course specifically designed to resolve this problem: Postural Blueprint For Correcting Pelvic Torsion. Because Pelvic Torsion is so common, there’s a decent likelihood that the twisted pelvis/aka pelvic torsion was present before the sports injury and predisposed you to being injured.
Hello Stephen O’Dwyer. I must say I am really impressed with all the information on this site. I have been struggling with high hip for so many years, and it seems it is due to tight illiacus/psoas. I bought your program last week, but I have still not been able to access it. I’ve filled out the contact form but still no access. Hope to hear from you.
Regards Henning 🙂
Hi Henning, I can see that you subscribed to the site — thank you! — and that gives you immediate access to this mini course, Three Key Stretches. However, I don’t see any record of you purchasing one of the other courses. Do have any record of the purchase you believe you made?
Yes, I purchased two of the courses before I registered my account. The money has left my account, so it went through. Is there an email I can respond to, so I can send the transaction number. On the paypal receipt it says Neuromuscular Therapy of Vermont, LLC. I bought the stretching blueprint and healing the hidden root etc. 🙂
Thank you so much for your swift response!
regards Henning
I figured out what happened. Please see your email.
Everything is in order now, I have Access to the purchased programs. Thank you Stephen ❤️
You’re very welcome!
I thought I could just try the free course of 3 stretches and not order any courses?
Yes, that’s right! If you don’t have access, you may not have logged in yet. Once you log in, let me know if you’re continuing to have trouble.
HI Stephen, thanks for the free info. I came across your content through an article about the RALF pattern. I will say, you are the first person I have seen to very specifically articulate what I have observed and tried to explain to physiotherapists and such over the years. I am wondering which program of yours would be best to purchase and start with? The Postural Blueprint or Stretching Blueprint?
All signs seem to point to having a textbook RALF pattern for me, except that my left QL tends to feel more “short tight” than my right.
In general, my right side of my lower back, hip, etc, feels “looser” or long tight as you say. My right side is also weaker slightly. And, if I ever pull my back, 90% of the time it is my right SI area that feels the pain.
I am a life long athlete and still compete in BJJ and train otherwise 5-7x a week. I would love to correct these dysfunctions, I have a feeling they contribute to some back pain episodes that I have had, thankfully not too often.
I don’t mind purchasing both courses, but wondering which to start with first.
Thanks very much again.
C
Please see your email.
Thanks for this great info! I’ve been dx with pelvic lock and wondering whether myofascial release on hip flexor muscles on the “locked short” side will help? I’m trying to do everything possible to help get things unlocked!
Myofascial release can certainly be helpful as long as it’s applied to the correct muscles. I haven’t heard the term “pelvic lock” before but if pelvic torsion is what’s being referenced then there isn’t a locked short “side.” In other words, pelvic torsion is characterized by the iliacus on one side and the psoas on the other side being locked short. For example, in the RALF Pattern which is extremely common, the right iliacus and left psoas are locked short, while the right psoas and the left iliacus are locked long. This asymmetrical shortening of the hip flexors is the root cause of the pelvic bones rotating in opposite directions creating a torsion.
To learn more I encourage you to view the 5 free lessons I offer excerpted from my course for correcting this issue: Postural Blueprint for Correcting Pelvic Torsion. One of the important concepts you’ll learn from these lessons is that locked long muscles, which are overstretched and feel tight but are very strained, do not respond positively to being stretched or lengthened further, such as myofascial release would do.