Back pain is an epidemic; you can follow numerous principles and schools of thought to correct it. To name a few back pain relief systems - Chiropractic practice, dry needling, TENS stimulation, physical therapy, massage therapy, trigger point therapy, McGill strengthening, and even surgery - all exist to solve the same external problem of back pain. This article is going to review posture pump correction compared to massage therapy for relief, and which might be better for you.
Posture Pump Posture Correction For Relief
There is no doubt that poor posture is a contributing factor to lower back pain. Sitting with slouched, head-forward neck posture is bad for the neck and increases strain on the lower back. Correcting posture with a tool like Posture Pump can help the spine align and decrease strain (and by association - pain as well) in and around the back.
Massage Therapy For Relief
Muscle tension and imbalances are hyper-prevalent in the modern era and are undoubtedly contributing factors to back pain. While activities like sitting pull the posture out of place it is important to ask: What is the actual root of my poor posture and pain? On the surface, poor posture alignment could be the only fault. However, if you look beneath the surface, there may be a ton of muscles that have developed straining constant tension that holds your posture in its unhealthy position. The massage therapy school of thought is that if you correct and fix the muscles, you can fix the pain and return your posture to alignment.
Posture Pump Correction Utility
A device like Posture Pump is effective in correcting spinal alignment for pain relief. This may be all you need, but there may be more at play. If it were me starting again (see my back pain relief story), I would pair Posture Pump correction with massage therapy for the best chance of relief. Massage therapy is needed because without it, your posture may just fall back out of place as soon as you put the Posture Pump away. By pairing the two you can get the best of both systems by fixing the muscles AND the posture - and in turn, fix the pain.
How To Do Massage Therapy For Relief
Massage therapy can be done by the hands of a trained chiropractor, physical therapist, or massage therapist, or at home with a purposefully made tool like QL Claw. QL Claw is our tool of choice because it allows you to release muscle tension exactly when and where you need it, without the need for travel or scheduling an appointment.
QL Claw on the Lower Back QL Muscle
Learn more about lower back trigger points and back muscle anatomy at the links here for the best massage therapy results for back pain relief.
Posture Correction Exercises At Home
There are 2 exercises I have been using lately to help correct my posture. I don't have the worst posture in the world, but I find myself sitting and slouching more often than I would like. I have been doing these two movements for a few months and have noticed a drastic difference in posture already.
Posture Exercise 1: Face Pull Posture Press
This exercise forces your upper back and shoulders to work hard to stay in a healthy position - or else you won't be able to do the exercise. Grab a light-medium resistance band and anchor it like in the pictures below. Perform reps as shown for 12-15 reps while holding a brief pause and the top to maximize the pump and strain on the muscles.
Face Pull Posture Press Exercise
Posture Exercise 2: Mid/Upper Back Bioenergetic Opener
This is a fairly taxing posture correction movement - proceed with caution. My 25-year-old body loves and responds well to this position, but your case may be different. To do this movement, get into an arched back position as shown in the photos. Try to calm your breath and relax the stomach, chest, and neck muscles. From here, take 20 slow and deep breaths into your belly.
Mid/Upper Back Opener Exercise
Posture Pump vs Massage Therapy Conclusion
Posture Pump and Massage Therapy are both non-invasive and in my opinion, should be tried before resorting to more drastic and permanent measures (i.e. surgery). Be sure to use your judgment and to be safest, ask a professional. A trained eye who can see and understand your body will always be the best bet for finding the right relief for you. If you enjoyed this post on Posture Pump vs Massage Therapy, read these next for more on how you can conquer your pain:
Sources:
[1] Donnelly, Joseph M. Travell, Simons & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2019.
[2] Davies, Clair, and Amber Davies. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief. 3rd ed., New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2013.