The Neglected Multifidus Muscle

A Lifeline For My Back Pain!

The multifidus muscles are a group that hold the spine stable, deep inside the spine With spinal surgery in that area, these muscles are neglected for a while, while recovering. Or it is neglected once people do not follow through with healing stretches.

My first physical therapist had me work on them after some time and it was hard at the time. I fell off of doing that exercise while doing more challenging ones. I was doing pretty well but after a while I had a new pain in the surgical area. I could not figure out what was wrong, but it got worse. I tried all kinds of stretches to try to help. I tried a hot pad, TENS unit, and such. Nothing helped enough.

I started researching to see if other people had the same issue. I saw stories of the same pain after surgery and looked further, seeing that the multifidus muscles were needing to be strengthened and that worked for many. Considering it was a pain that started after I thought I was going to be fine, it made sense that I had neglected that area.

I looked for the video that the first therapist sent to me to work the multifidus. I started working on those stretches and got very sore in the area. I had massage therapy a couple days later and that helped a lot. I am starting to do much better as I continue those stretches.

If you have a new pain after lumbar surgery, do suspect the multifidus muscle and find stretches for it. As with any new stretch you might get sore, as I did, but keep it up and you might feel some relief by that muscle starting to work again. It might take some months to build back up after being neglected. I’m already having noticeable progress from the combination of multifidus stretching and therapeutic massage.

I just had a full body therapeutic massage to loosen up areas all over. I had instructions to not stretch multifidus all day, and not to exercise after and just gentle stretches. Then I needed to take a very warm shower or bath before bed. With all of this I needed to stay well hydrated.

Waking up the next day I was not in pain at all. It is a process, so I have to stretch and exercise to keep all those areas looser until the next massage. I know there will be pain again and some will be due to my “normal” pain receptors thinking I’m supposed to be in pain. I try to ignore that but it’s years of setting in. My acupuncturist cautioned me about that a few years ago. I’m still feeling pretty decent in the late afternoon, so the massage did some good.

I can tell this is making a difference – I have not needed a pain pill or Tylenol since the massage and with keeping up the exercises. The massage worked off my cranky sore muscles and allow me to have a more productive stretch.

It will still takes months to get the multifidus to full functionality, but progress is good.

Therapeutic Massage is Helpful for Mutifidus

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The Neglected Multifidus Muscle

A Lifeline For My Back Pain!

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