When an Air Force Academy civilian came into my office in Colorado Springs, he shared something I hear more often than I can count… The common phrase he shared was:
“I can’t sit through a full meeting without my low back locking up.”
His low back gives him more grief than he can handle, and for someone whose line of work depends on his focus, discipline, and long hours sitting at a desk, the pain was more than just discomfort, it was interfering with his line of work. It was impacting on his job, his concentration, and even his mood.
These are all on top of his day-to-day life struggles with his kids and the hikes he goes on for fun over the weekends. I am here to share what I learned by helping him finally sit without pain.
Why Living in Colorado Springs Can Make Low Back Pain Worse
Living in Colorado Springs is beautifully breathtaking! However, a common pitfall of living here is suffering from the high altitude, the dryness, and the seasonal chill…
For instance:
- Dehydration- It happens quicker at a higher elevation and this causes tight muscles with a slower recovery.
- Cold Weather Stiffness- General aches and pains can be normal, especially from sitting at a desk all day, but when combined with this elevation it then makes the symptoms hang around for longer while making the discomfort in your joints more significant. The unsettling inflexibility in the hips only gets worse with sitting for longer periods of time.
… When combining these symptoms, it is no wonder his low back pain was only getting worse! It caused undue hindrance on his sciatica symptoms, making his problems become recurring hitches to his routines while living and working here in Colorado Springs.
Why a 2-Hour Ashiatsu Massage Made the Biggest Difference
For this client in particular, the 90-minute massages were just not enough time. On top of his current work position, he had years of built-up tension from prior injuries we had to backtrack through. A 2-hour Ashiatsu massage session allowed us to have the time to:
- Warm up the deeper tissue layers of fascia to prepare the body to release easier, and to,
- Use an even slower sustained pressure with the ashiatsu massage techniques to relieve the pressure in the low back.
At Inspire Movements Massage Therapy, we love to use what is called “Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation” (PNF) to get the body to release easier. Think of it as temporarily tripping a breaker to shut off the body from engaging a muscle – that is what we do in our massage sessions here.
Now, when adding in cupping therapy, this helps to bring the tension closer to the surface, which allows us to get more done in the same amount of time. This is just one of the “secret sauces” to a speedier recovery in our practice.
So, that extended time of a 2-hour massage was the foundational turning point in his massages. It was the cornerstone for his treatment plan!
The Importance of Bi-weekly Massage Consistency
As much as I wish one massage could fix it all, that is often not the case. Especially when there is so much trauma built up over the years. The body has memory, and this is a reason a person still needs to wear retainers at night after braces. The gums need to maintain the corrected tooth position to prevent the body from returning to its original position!
By booking his massages every 2 weeks, he was then able to stay ahead of his pain cycles instead of waiting until the pain was unbearable. Here, each massage session has been built on the last one while further relieving the same or new pain cycles, restoring circulation, restoring recovery, and restoring balance overall with each following appointment.
Maintaining a massage schedule helped him get back to his daily workflow and sit through meetings without discomfort!
What You Can Try Between Massages
While massage therapy is incredibly beneficial, it is just one of several building blocks and it is most advantageous when paired with other self-care modalities.
Here is a list of stretches you can try to manage your pain symptoms when:
- You Are Sitting at a Desk:
- Ear to Shoulder Stretch– Lean your head to either the left or right side so that your ear is close to the shoulder, then take your opposite hand and hold onto the chair beneath you. By doing this, you are stretching the tops of your shoulders in addition to your neck.
- Smell Your Armpit Stretch– Yes, I know it sounds weird but hear me out! With one hand, grab the base of your skull and roll it in towards the armpit. With the other hand, grab onto the base of the chair on the opposite side.
- Figure 4 Stretch– When you are seated, bring your leg up and rest your ankle on you thigh. This alone can be enough for some, if you could use more of a stretch, start leaning your chest in toward your bent leg,
- Seated Spinal Twists– Sit up tall then twist gently from the waist. Use your arms to help guide your movements.
- Seated Knee-to-Chest– One at a time, start by pulling your leg toward you chest. Changing the angles of where your knee points for more internal and external hip rotation could help out tremendously! Just listen to your body as you do the slight variations. Switch sides and time each the same.
- Seated Cat/Cow Stretches-In yoga when on all 4’s, you will flex and extend your lumbar spine. You will do the same motions when seated in the chair.
- Even just doing some standard leg extensions while sitting could be incredibly beneficial!
- At Home:
- Happy Baby– This stretch is when you are lying flat on your back and holding your knees to your chest. You will alternate by pulling one leg in closer than the other. Time each to be the same on both sides.
- Child’s Pose– Simply sit on your knees then extend your arms gently as far forward as you can. Then, you will reach out either to the left or right to get more of a stretch.
- Hamstring Stretch– Just sitting down on the floor with your legs laid out in front of you, try and reach as far as you can!
A Gentle Reminder
We have a couple of 2-hour massage openings coming up next week. These spots normally disappear rather quickly, but booking by Friday typically helps to secure your spot. No pressure — just a reminder that staying consistently ahead of the pain works best when you stay on top of your self-care goals. Both massage and stretching!
👉 Ready to take the next step? Schedule online at springslowbackpainrelief.com.
Practical Tip To Take With You!
Drink more water than you think you need to in Colorado Springs! Bonus if you can get some electrolytes in your water as well!
I love drinking my lemon water in the mornings before I begin the day. At this altitude especially, dehydration can sneak up on you unexpectedly. Tight, dehydrated muscles are more likely to lock up quicker than well-hydrated and nourished muscle tissues.
Combining quality hydration with bi-weekly therapeutic ashiatsu massages helps to see the warning lights before any alarms blare off. You will notice longer-lasting pain-relief changes in your comfort, overall energy, and function!