Ongoing stiffness occurs with Low Back for several reasons including:
- Pain
- Tissue adaptation due to injury or disease
- Activity avoidance
Ongoing stiffness is likely to impact upon your normal activities of daily living as there is a certain level of flexibility required to perform daily tasks or maintaining static positions.
The body is designed for movement and activity, so:-
“Use it or Lose it”
Long term reluctance to move or stretch in a particular direction will result in an inability to move in that direction and a fear of repeating the movement.
Sitting in Flexion with Discomfort
Sitting with the low back bent forward (flexed) will become painful if you have lost flexibility in the low back for bending.
Discomfort with Walking
Swimming or walking involve more lumbar extension and will become painful when extension flexibility has been lost.