Mega Misalignment vs. Power Pillow
- May 11, 2017
- 2 min read
Every night, there's a relentless battle going on while you sleep......BUT our pillows can fight just as ferociously as Jack's! Say goodbye, morning aches!! Our secret weapon.....Proper Pillow Placement! Skadoosh!!
How can you align your body to prevent further strain on your lower back? For me, the answer was learning about the Quadratus Lumborum (QL). Another client-requested topic!
Years ago, my lower back, specifically my QL, was super sore especially when I woke up. The QL muscle is your deepest abdominal muscle. It is attached to your last ribs, lumbar vertebrae, and the crests of your hips. Located on both sides of your lower back area, this muscle works overtime.... aiding in walking, climbing stairs, side-bending, and breathing, amongst other functions. QL tightness presents as deep lower back pain that can refer to other areas as well, such as the hips and buttocks. Picture of QL here.
When this pain began, I thought.....well, maybe I need to rest my QL while sleeping. How can I do that?? When I thought about the QL anatomy, I realized that I needed to place a pillow between my knees and ankles to align both muscles. It took consistency, but then I saw huge results. No more of that pulled muscle feeling in the morning and throughout the day! It's now been 3 years...and it still helps!
Although the reason for this discovery was my QL, there are many other symptoms that will possibly lessen in severity by this pillow placement. Lumbosacral pain, buttock pain, pain radiating to the leg, hip pain, and groin pain. These are all symptoms of SI (sacroiliac) dysfunction. The sacroiliac area is a joint between the sacrum (the lowest part of your spine) and the ilium (the back part of your hips). Picture of SI joint here. According to the SI dysfunction website, "the most commonly reported position of comfort by patients in the study was side lying (left or right), with a pillow between the knees." Reference here.
Can I get an Amen??
*This is an informational blog only and shouldn't be construed as a substitute for medical examination, diagnosis, and/or treatment, and that you should see a medical physician, chiropractic doctor, or other health care specialist to address concerns that are outside the massage therapist's scope of practice.
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