Pain Free Health Clinics

That persistent “tight” feeling in your low back may sometimes involve the muscles running along either side of your spine.

The lumbar erectors, part of the paraspinal muscle group, help support and control your spine during everyday movements such as standing, bending, and lifting. When these muscles feel tense or sensitive, targeted pressure techniques may be used to help manage symptoms and make movement feel more comfortable.

In this video, we demonstrate two approaches for targeting the lumbar erectors:
✅ Lumbar Erector Release uses controlled rolling pressure along the muscles beside the spine to target areas of tension and sensitivity.
✅ Self Trigger Point Release uses more focused pressure on a specific sensitive muscular area.

When performing self trigger point work, the goal isn't to use as much pressure as possible. Find a sensitive muscular spot, apply comfortable pressure, hold, and continue breathing normally rather than forcing through pain.

These techniques may help with temporary muscle tension or discomfort, but persistent low back tightness can have different contributing factors. Depending on your individual needs, treatment may also include mobility exercises, progressive strengthening, movement rehabilitation, and education.

💬 Low back tightness keeps coming back or affecting how you move? Comment “BACK” below, and our team will help you understand what your next step could be.

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🖐️ Frozen shoulder can make everyday movements like reaching overhead, getting dressed, or reaching behind your back increasingly difficult.

Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder typically involves pain and significant restriction in shoulder movement. While trigger points aren't the underlying cause of frozen shoulder, surrounding muscles may become tense or sensitive as you compensate for limited shoulder mobility.

Trigger point work may be incorporated into a physiotherapy treatment plan to address this muscular tension and help make movement more comfortable.

For someone with frozen shoulder, treatment may help:
✅ Address sensitive and tense shoulder muscles
✅ Reduce muscular discomfort
✅ Support more comfortable shoulder movement
✅ Prepare the shoulder for mobility and strengthening exercises

Because frozen shoulder involves more than muscle tension alone, trigger point work is typically just one part of a broader rehabilitation approach. Treatment may also include mobility exercises, progressive strengthening, manual therapy, and education based on your symptoms and stage of recovery.

💬 Is frozen shoulder making it difficult to reach, dress, or complete everyday activities? Comment “SHOULDER” below, and our team will help you understand what your next step could be.

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📍 Low back pain isn't always about one muscle or one structure, which is why treatment shouldn't be one-size-fits-all.

Dry needling is one technique that may be included in a physiotherapy treatment plan when muscle pain, sensitivity, or tension is contributing to low back symptoms. It involves inserting thin needles into targeted muscle areas to help manage symptoms and support more comfortable movement.

For appropriate patients, dry needling may help:
✅ Reduce short-term low back pain
✅ Ease muscle tension and sensitivity
✅ Improve comfort during movement
✅ Support progression into mobility and strengthening exercises

Dry needling isn't intended to be a stand-alone solution for every type of back pain. At Pain Free Health, treatment may also include exercise, mobility work, manual therapy, education, and progressive strengthening based on the findings of your assessment.

💬 Dealing with persistent low back pain or muscle tension? Comment “BACK” below, and our team will help you understand whether an assessment may be appropriate.

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🧘 If you spend hours sitting, a basic hip stretch isn't your only option.
The kneeling lunge stretch primarily targets the front of the hip, but adding different upper-body reaches can introduce movement through the trunk and create a more dynamic mobility exercise.

In this video:
✅ Kneeling Lunge Stretch with Overhead Reach combines hip extension with an overhead reach to promote mobility through the front of the hip and trunk.
✅ Kneeling Lunge Stretch with Side Reach adds lateral trunk movement while maintaining the hip stretch.

Together, these variations may help:
✔ Improve hip mobility
✔ Stretch the front of the hip and surrounding muscles
✔ Encourage trunk mobility
✔ Reduce feelings of stiffness after prolonged sitting
✔ Prepare your body for everyday movement or exercise

Move slowly and stay within a comfortable range rather than forcing a deeper stretch. Persistent hip stiffness can also be influenced by strength, mobility, movement habits, and other factors, so stretching alone may not address the underlying issue.

💬 Do you often feel stiff after sitting for long periods? Comment “STRETCH” below, and our team will help you understand what your next step could be.

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💪 A strong core isn't just about how long you can hold a plank. It's also about maintaining control while the rest of your body moves.
Core bracing is a foundational exercise used to develop trunk control and stability. Once you can maintain a comfortable brace, adding hip flexion creates an additional challenge by asking your core to remain controlled while your lower body moves.

In this video:
✅ Core Bracing helps build foundational trunk control and stability.
✅ Core Bracing in Hip Flexion progresses the exercise by adding controlled leg movement.

These exercises may help:
✔ Improve core control
✔ Build trunk stability
✔ Improve coordination between your core and lower body
✔ Prepare your body for more challenging strengthening exercises
Proper breathing and control are important during core exercises. The goal isn't simply to brace as hard as possible, but to maintain appropriate tension while still being able to breathe and move with control.

If you're recovering from an injury or having difficulty maintaining core control during movement, a physiotherapy assessment can help determine which exercises and progressions are appropriate for you.

💬 Struggling with core control or looking to build a stronger foundation? Comment “CORE” below, and our team will help you understand what your next step could be.

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👀 Stretching isn't always the only approach when your body feels stiff or restricted.

Soft-tissue techniques, including percussion or vibration-based treatment, may be incorporated into a rehabilitation program to address areas of muscular and soft-tissue tension and support mobility. Research on myofascial and vibration-based techniques suggests they may provide short-term improvements in flexibility or range of motion, although results vary and these treatments shouldn't be viewed as a stand-alone solution.

Standing Fascia Release with a Vibracussor is used while the patient is upright, allowing treatment to be incorporated alongside functional positioning and movement.

This type of treatment may be used to:
✅ Address areas that feel tight or restricted
✅ Support mobility and range of motion
✅ Prepare the body for movement
✅ Complement strengthening and rehabilitation exercises

At Pain Free Health, passive treatments are only one part of the bigger picture. Assessment, mobility work, strengthening, and movement retraining may also be included depending on your symptoms and goals.

💬 Always feeling stiff or restricted when you move? Comment “MOVE” below, and our team will help you understand what your next step could be.

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🦵 Strong knees rely on more than just powerful muscles. They also need good control.

The Standing Terminal Knee Extension with a Resistance Band is a simple but effective exercise commonly used in physiotherapy to strengthen the quadriceps while improving knee stability and control during everyday movement.

This exercise may help:
✅ Strengthen the quadriceps
✅ Improve knee stability and control
✅ Support walking and climbing stairs
✅ Build confidence during everyday activities

Like any rehabilitation exercise, proper technique and progression are important. The right exercise program depends on your injury, strength, mobility, and stage of recovery. A physiotherapy assessment can help determine which exercises are most appropriate for your goals.

💬 Working on knee strength or recovering from an injury? Comment "KNEE" below, and our team will help you understand what your next step could be.

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🤸 Strength and flexibility don't have to be separate goals.

The Jefferson Curl is a controlled exercise that combines mobility and strengthening through a comfortable range of motion. When introduced gradually and progressed appropriately, it may help improve movement quality while building strength throughout the posterior chain.
In this video:
�✅ Jefferson Curl promotes spinal mobility, flexibility, and body awareness.�✅ Jefferson Curl with a Kettlebell adds light resistance to build strength and control through your available range of motion.
This exercise may help:�✔ Improve posterior chain flexibility�✔ Build strength through a controlled range of motion�✔ Enhance spinal mobility and movement control�✔ Increase confidence during bending and lifting movements
Because this exercise loads the spine through a large range of motion, it isn't appropriate for everyone. The amount of movement and resistance should always match your current mobility, strength, and rehabilitation goals. If you're unsure whether this exercise is right for you, a physiotherapy assessment can help determine the most appropriate approach.

💬 Do you feel stiff or uncomfortable when bending forward? Comment "MOBILITY" below, and our team will help you understand what your next step could be.

🌐 www.painfreehealth.ca�📧 [email protected]