Back Pain? Try Stretching Your Quadratus Lumborum (7 Ways) 

I’ve had excruciating back pain for the past two months, making it extremely difficult for me to work. I’ve been seeing a chiropractor and a physical therapist several days a week and nothing has been working. I came across this video and did your stretches along with you. My back pain literally completely disappeared by the end of the video. You guys are the best!!

You guys are the best, in my opinion of course Bob!

THIS MAY ALSO HELP THOSE WITH GLUTEAL PAIN. If you tried everything available for gluteal pain, and it persists, try this ! In my case, I saw MDs, chiros and PTs. Tried meds, gluteal stretches & exercise, heat, ice, google, RU-vid etc... finally I pieced together an idea from all the advice and treatments I had, and all the articles I read, plus a personal knowledge of my past history with injuries. That idea was to work on the Q L. My LEFT side was sooo tight and I didn’t know it cause I got so used to low back pain. That tightness caused my opposite side to hike up , causing my gluteal muscles on the RIGHT side to work overtime to bring me back into straight alignment, resulting in chronic pain in my right glute region. Do what BOB and BRAD said on this video could literally bring you back to life, even if your worst pain isn’t in your QL.

I've found what helps me is actually 10 second dipping side planks. The muscle release is ridiculous. It's also strengthening it!

Best intro I have ever seen..

The side-bend with the Swiss ball changed my life. Thank you SO much!

I have done many of your videos over the years and a lot this spring. I knew my QL was tight and has been for a very very long part of my life after falling off a pony when I was 7 on my spine and bum. I did all these stretches and pressure release with you. All I can say, was I had tremendous relief after I was done. I am so thankful to you both and will continue these exercises and release.

where do i send a check - you have with this video done me more good than anything i have done including pain and sleeping pills since 1977, may you have long happy and healthy lives.. old man mike bengyak

Just started seeing a PT after trying a number of different things. Came access this video and boy am I excited to tyr these 7 tips

I love you guys, so SO much. I have been waiting for back surgery for a severely herniated disc (L5-S1) with horrible sciatica and I follow all your videos for that stuff, for years now, but recently I did something else to my back causing horrible pain and just figured out through these videos of yours (plus the ER doc and my own PT) that I tore my entire QL on my right side. I’ve been doing these stretches this morning and I can move around a whole lot better. For days I’ve barely been able to walk. Thank you!!!

In case anyone was wondering, stretching anterior pelvic tilt means stretching the right muscles associated with anterior pelvic tilt which are your quads and psoas muscles

Thank you very much! I have been seeing a chiropractor for months, which has helped my back pain a lot, but hasn't relieved me entirely of my pain. You guys nailed it. Thank you!

Great video! I love you both ! Great teachers! And team work !

I'd like to hear more about how that muscle died. I've never heard of that before.

Thank you!!! This was exactly the relief I needed - helped me tremendously!

Thank you before finding this video, I didn’t know it was my QL that give me problem, did some of your exercises from your other video as well help me to relieve the tightness

You guys are so adorable. Just found your channel because I sprained my ancle... I'm pretty sure it's a grade 2 sprain. Thanks for the channel you've created!

Guys your are so nice! I appreciate your advice as much as your sense of humor

I've watched many of your videos and just love how you bounce off one another. The way you've embraced the internet, I have a great deal of respect for. Keep coming out with your clips, they are very informative. Cheers, all the way from Aus.

Would QL pain be so tight that I cannot bend forward? I’ve been having pain for so long and I cannot bend forward without it being painful.

Great stuff gentlemen

thanks for allowing your wall anchors to be shipped to Canada, got them today!

This is a really useful video. Thanks

I love that step QL/Adductor at the same time ideal, thanks!

You guys are simply awesome!

Can a tught quadratus lumborum cause pain from the hip up into the lower ribs and sometimes upper back?

Thank you, gentlemen!

Is one arm hanging from a pull up bar a good option ? Can feel a great strech in this area when doing it.

You guys are both master Yoda's in your field. Been following you for a very long time. And battling a reoccurring lower back problem many of your videos have been helpful but this one Takes the Cake. I think I finally isolated my issue to be the QL. Cheers, and thanks again guys for everything

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!I hv been watching your videos, I hv learned so much about the body and how to treat some of mine issues. I watch 4-5 in one session n hv practice them also...Really hv been helping me a lot. BLESS YOU ALL 😃😊😊😊😊😊😃

Thanks for the helpful stretches… really needed that! My dad was in the Seabees in WWII, they always claimed they could fix anything except a broken heart and the crack of dawn….you are in good company.

Good work guys 👍

Thank you so much for this! Gave me some other exercises to do, about 90% of my back pain is in this area. Though it is funny when I have the dogs new ball, and it's not a tennis ball I know they're not good for dogs, in at my back and she's got her snout 🐽 shoved under my back trying to steal it! 😂 😂 😂 😂

Thanks guys, awesome! What a good exercise for QL strengthening?

Ok, so now I am feeling it. The QL is saying hello after just one day of this. How many reps of any of these should you do Bob and Brad? Every day or skip a day?

I never worked out those muscles before until recently, been sore, thanks for the tips 👍🏾

Every morning I wake up super tight from sleeping on one side it’s miserable

I LOVE WHAT YOU"RE DOING WITH THE SKELETON! That's so simple, yet effective at visualizing how the muscles attach and connnect bones!

Thank you guys! Instant relief from my tight Quadratus Lumborum. 🙏

Could my knee injury affect my QL and make it tight

If your spine is curved could you stretch one side and ignore the other side to help straighten your spine? And which side?

So basically I do everything wrong to make it tight. Thanks Bob and Brad!

Very helpful. Thanks so very much guys.

Thanks!

I'd also like to hear more about why your muscle died after nerve damage and how you got that nerve damage. I had skin cancer removed and the doctor went to deep and hit a nerve and made my whole back flex during the procedure and I'm having major issues with my QL on that side ever since.

Every time my daughter goes to the chiropractor. (She just turned 5). One hip is much higher and he said it's the way she is developing. I am going to try these stretches with her and see if it might be a tight muscle. She sits on her feet all the time. Thank you for this video. God Bless you!

I have a back pain. At ql muscles area. Have been doing exercises. Its better little. Bt pain still there. Let me try ur exercises. Help ur any suggestions too

I need a bed that sinks down 6 inches for my shoulder. Side sleeping Driving Coffee Are my #3 QL jackers

I get on the floor and I'm not getting back up. I've been having mobility pain for the last 3 years.

God i was searching the name of that muscle all over the internet, searching for anatomy picture and I finally found it ! I'm so glad you guys made a video about it. I feel exactly where it is, and it's causing my spine (?) or maybe some tendon there, to pop in my lower back when I'm rotating on this opposite side. I'm so tired of this uneasy, pinchy feeling. I really do have the feeling my vertebraes there are gliding a little. There is something moving that shouldn't move, it's unconfortable. Do you think some other muscles could be involved from what I'm saying ? When I use a massage ball, on my back, it's like all of my left side in my back is stiff, while the right side is good. And when I put the ball on that knot, on the quadratus lumborum, I know it's this one, I can feel it, well it's triggering the popping in my lower back.

Thank you SO MUCH for your videos, I have my herniated disc back into place thanks to your vids but I am stil having nerve pain, what do you guys think of inversion tables??

I am a physiotherapist too😍😍😍..great job...a very useful video

What is the problem if you cannot sit cross-legged i.e your knees stay up in the air, pain on outer edge of knee, hips, etc. I want to be able to comfortably sit cross-legged. What exercises / stretches do I need to do?

I think this is the muscle bothering me after playing a round of golf, only on the left side, and significantly hurts after cooling down. Thx guys.

I’m here because squats and deadlifts. And the lacrosse ball I can roll on for days

How can you make the difference between qudratus or erector spinae tightness? Can these cause sciatica ? 😟

When trying to massage the QL with the tennis ball- wouldn't you run into an issue in which you'd be much more likely to hit the erector spinae rather than the QL?

If your soreness or tightness is limited to one side does that indicate that that is the side that needs stretching and release

Which side is the QL affected.

Hey where your muscle go? It died 😂😂😂

Great video. It's very helpful to see the muscles on the dummy. Can you do one on the multifidus and erector spinae?

you guys are awesome

You guys keep us going...thanks! I would love to have you guys show the relationship between posterior pelvic tilt (bus driver’s ass) swayback etc. Keep it funny!

How long u do it for each side

Lol you two are a hoot! I think that muscle is causing me issues, gonna give them a try. Thanks

this is what I have, for carrying heavy branches/trunks on my right shoulder

Anyone having troubles should try the QL walk 😏

These exercises are very helpful. You can improve the effect even more if you make swinging movements at a rate of 2/sec during the exercise. Vibrations release blockages.⬆

Must we stretch each side or 1 side ??

This pain made me think I had kidney issues

Love your videos! Thank you very much! 💗💗

Love from India

When using the ball, how do I know if I'm on the spinal erector or the QL? The QL seems like it's below the SE

I have this on the left side. When I'm in pain or even just trying to rest in bed, what are some sitting positions.? I find it always hurts more to lay around but then when I try to do normal activities, the pain comes on and radiated into my flank and abdomin. Then it gets worse if I eat. Now that i tried the muscle relaxers , the pain goes away and i can eat, but the pain comes back once it wears off. When I'm at work doing hardwood flooring, sometimes it gets better when I'm moving around but only if I really pace myself. Last week I worked too hard and now I'm around day 10 of pain and still had to go to work. It was so bad I would sit in the van in pain. So I'm at home resting and trying stretches, using robaxin when needed, I need some sitting and posture techniques. Will be going back to my doctor to get my tests and referral to psyio or chiropractor.

You guys are real funny. I wonder why Brad is holding that stick the entire video...

3:26

Before trying to fix the heart, have you noticed that Sam has a chip on the shoulder?

Hi Guys, If someone is assessing my core stability by pushing my left side (as if to try to tip me over to the right), which QL is activated to resist the motion? Right or left? Many Thanks!

Ive had pain in this area for years , I went to a chiropractor he did that one adjustment where im on my side and pushed on my glute area and my back popped and felt amazing helped for about a year the last two years it came back in the same area , at first when trying to self diagnose lol , thought it was hip flexor pain but didnt seem right after watching the video on this part of the back quadratus , I think its definitely this muscle is whats been bothering me , its super tight all the time and I constantly want to stretch it , the last two months though something different is happening , when i lie on my back and rotate my hips , cause this felt good and still kinda does give some relief while sore too , now there is a popping noise and slight grind feeling. Any suggestions as to what might be going on ? Tried the tennis ball it just felt sore , the leg stretch on my couch or anywhere the leg can hang felt really good but also hurt a little , i sleep on my stomach side and I think thats the main reason this started , should i sleep on my back now or side with pillow between knees ?

Lol i just turned 25 and this is so for me.

You remind me of Simon & Garfunkel. Is the skeleton Mrs Robinson then?

Muscles can just die?!😨

You guys r the best, thank you.

I have been a family doc doing occ med for 40 years and wish I could have had you guys next door to my clinic.. Just watched the QL vids. Enterntaining education. The best kind!

i think another muscles should be stretched are hip flexors.

I've included 'leaning against the wall' and the tennis ball thingy into my daily exercises and stretches.

You guys are ridiculously AWESOME. PT-wise and you all.

Thank you so much,love your videos.🙏🙏

Great stuff!! Thanks.The first example is exactly my issue.

but how far away from the wall is the placed foot??? I would think that made a difference ?

I am a massage therapist and have trouble with this muscle thanks for the stretch!

few weeks ago ..i had a sharp pain in my left glute ehile deadlifting.. since then it hurts when i stand on left leg solely.. like the actions like putting the sock on or single leg deadlifts..it doesn't hurt bad but it's there ..is it my si joint or bulging disc ? what should i do?

Where are you guys located, I've had back pain for 20+ years, Would love an evaluation

Pulled my mid back 3 days ago .. this video perfect timing.. in so much pain

You two do make me smile and I love your videos. But even more than that, you've just fixed my reoccuring QL pain that has been bothering me persistently for about 5 years now. Often it just 'grabs' at me and I change posture and have to be careful for several days. Other times I'm in great pain and can barely move. I did the ball release and instantly felt a massive difference. I was laughing and crying at the same time with relief and joy. Thank you so very much

Any recommendations specifically for acute QL spasms ?

what is the size of the blue ball ?

7 ways to stretch the QL!!!!

You guys are the best.

I got a keg. Lol 😆