According to the American Chiropractic Association, 95 percent of the Americans experience a sudden sharp muscle pain known as a spasm sometime in their life. Muscle spasms are involuntary contraction of the muscles, and can involve all of the muscle, part of the muscle or several muscles at once. The quadratus lumborum is a muscle of the lower back that is susceptible to strain and spasm during exercise.
Anatomy
The quadratus lumborum, or QL, is a muscle in the the lower back that helps the body to extend or arch the back and to laterally flex or bend to the side. This muscle attaches to the iliac crest and lumbar vertebrae 3, 4, 5 and the twelfth rib, and lumbar vertebrae 1, 2, 3 and 4. This muscles is innervated by the intercostal T12 nerve and L2, L3, L4 nerves.
Causes
Causes of muscle spasms are not well known. Inadequate stretching before exercise, muscle fatigue, over exertion, stress, dehydration, and electrolyte depletion are a few of the possible causes of spasms. Medications like diuretics can also cause muscle spasms, notes the American Chiropractic Association, or ACA. Subluxation, or a vertebrae out of place, causes a pathological change in the muscles that leads to spasms. The lower back vertebrae, from the bottom of the rib cage all the way down into the pelvis, can affect the QL because it attaches to these bones and is innervated by nerves that are affected by these bones.
Treatment
Start with gentle stretches and massage. If the spasm is related to a new injury, sprain or strain, ice for 20 minutes every few hours for the first two to three days. After the first few days, apply moist heat for 20 minutes every few hours. See a chiropractor or physical therapist to improve your posture and to adjust the spine to relieve the subluxations. This can also help relieve the stress placed on the muscle and decrease spasms.
Prevention
Adopt changes in your diet and habits to prevent future spasms; regular stretching and strengthening of the involved muscle groups can also help. Increase your intake of fluids, fiber, protein, calcium, potassium and magnesium-rich foods, and avoid consuming excess sodium, soda, sugar, caffeine and alcohol, suggests the ACA.
References
- ACA: Spasm
- ACA: Subluxation
- "Human Anatomy"; Kent M. Van De Graaff; 2002
