Lower back pain fixed by addressing tight shoulder muscles

16 year old male presented with low back pain, that had not been relieved by any other treatment modalities.  He was a keen footy and cricket player with a remarkable past history.

After a careful examination it was discovered that his low back pain was actually caused by a strain in his left latissimus dorsi (lat) which inserts into both the shoulder and low back.  What was discovered when he laid on his stomach was his left shoulder sat off the table due to a compensatory pull of the shoulder posteriorly whilst the main muscle belly pulled on the low back.

Treatment consisted of loosening through his low back, mid back, neck and shoulders.  Mobilisation and MET (push against me and relax technique) to the shoulder and lumbar spine.  Exercises to help stretch his low back were prescribed  We worked out that the cause was due to repetitive bowling practise of a new technique that he hadn’t perfected.