In 2020, after the first MCO was lifted in June, we started our operation again by providing one to one teaching. Among clients that come for practice, we noticed that around 90% of them were experiencing lower back pain. Long hours of sitting caused tightness at the muscle – Quadratus Lumborum (QL).

第一个MCO解放之后，我们发现来上私教的客户有90%是已经出现腰的问题。非到不得已的时候，才来做运动。我们来看看是什么造成腰痛吧！

QL is a very important muscle at our lower back, connecting the 12th ribs to the iliac bone and also the lumbar spine. It is rectangular in shape and plays important role in stabilising the lower back and pelvic.

首先，带大家认识腰部非常重要的肌肉，它年轻健康的时候叫做腰方肌，当它超劳过度就变成了千年老腰。这块肌肉长在哪里呢？来看看这个图吧。

这块肌肉位于腰部、和腰椎密切相关的、方形肌肉，所以才叫“腰-方-肌”。它把肋骨第12节，腰椎和骨盆连接，起到了稳定腰部的作用。

We can identify this muscle as the security officer at the lumbar spine and pelvic. If this muscle is weak, the pelvic and lumbar spine will loss its stability and cause pain at our lower back.

它可以说是骨盆和腰椎的保安肌，帮助稳定骨盆及腰椎，无力的时候会导致腰椎失稳而导致腰痛。

This muscle also attached to the ribcage. We understand that muscles that attached to the ribcage are essential in assisting our breathing pattern. Quadratus lumborum assist exhalation by pulling down the 12th ribs. we may experienced pulled at the QL when we breathe, cough or sneeze and this lead to lower back pain.

它连接肋骨第12节到骨盆，其实所有连接在肋骨的肌肉都和呼吸有很大关系，所以腰方肌主要帮助降肋助呼气。当呼吸，咳嗽和打喷嚏都有机会牵扯腰方肌导致腰痛。

Our gluteus muscles and abdominal muscles become weak due to long hour sittings, and the quadrates lumborum has to compensate the work by abs and glutes. After long run, the QL is overworked.

久坐会导致臀肌和腹肌无力，腰方肌长期代偿导致腰肌劳损。

Let’s learn how to massage and stretch the QL muscle. 那我们要如何放松千年老腰呢？

1. Use a massage ball to massage the QL by lying down sideway. The massage ball is place in between the ribcage and pelvic. Stay in the position and breathe normally to feel the pressure placed on QL. Then move your body forward and backward to massage the muscle. 用按摩球按摩，侧躺将球放在腰的位子，要避免压倒肋骨。

2. Stretch the QL in sitted position, one leg is straight and another is bent. First, shift the upper body to the straight leg side and slowly stretch all the way with the opposite hand reaching to opposite side. Keep the pelvic stable at all time. 坐姿拉伸腰方肌，身体向一侧平移再侧屈，感觉腰部的拉伸。整个过程保持核心收紧和骨盆稳定。

3. Stretch the QL in kneeling position, reaching one hand up and stretch to the opposite side. Equal weights on both legs and pelvic is stable at all time. 双膝跪地，单手向对侧延展，过程中保持核心收紧和骨盆稳定。

Imagine the QL muscle is like a rubber band, If the elasticity is not enough, it will break when pulled to the extreme. Once a muscle strain occurs, it can take months or even longer to recover.

Protect your quadratus lumborum muscle to prevent lower back pain.

为什么一定要放松拉伸呢？想象腰方肌是一根橡皮筋，如果弹力不够的话，拉到极致时，就会绷断。

如果肌肉长期处于紧绷状态，万一需要拉长的时候，就会橡皮筋一样，容易产生损伤。平时拉伸不到位，持续紧张的肌肉，会增加炎症发生的几率，导致紧张酸痛。

一旦发生肌肉拉伤，需要几个月甚至更久才能恢复。

照顾好你的腰方肌，避免它变成千年老腰！