Effects of Sub Occipital Muscle Inhibition Technique in Mechanical Low Back Pain

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health condition, 70% of population of all ages is suffering from low back pain. Females have higher prevalence of low back pain than males. Individuals with low back pain experience muscle stiffness tension and pain in the back of body between the lower edge of 12th rib and the lower border of gluteal creases in the lumbo-sacral area (from L1-S1 vertebra) with a duration of more than three months. Low back pain can be mechanical in nature and is not associated with any other pathology .The primary etiological factors of mechanical low back pain is repetitive trauma and overuse. Hamstring is a multi - joint muscle complex which consists of three muscles ( semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris muscle) that covers the posterior thigh extending from ischial tuberosity to the medial and lateral aspects of the knee joint, performing flexion of knee and extension of hip joint. Hamstring muscle is prone to tightness, its flexibility have a vital role in maintaining the normal lumbar spine mechanics. Hamstring tightness is common among ages of 18-25 years with about 62% to 82% prevalence .Hamstring shortening during spinal flexion limits anterior pelvic tilting resulting in higher compressive loads on lumbar spine. It will place extreme pressure on lumbar extensors, involved in maintaining pelvic motion which will result in LBP . Sub occipital muscle inhibition technique is a technique that results in relaxing the tense fascia and sub occipital muscles .It can be relaxed by applying pressure to sub occipital region while patient is lying in supine position. It is able to relax the fascia and results in increasing hamstring flexibility, which further results in reducing low back pain, increasing lumbar spine mobility and reducing functional limitations