How I Work the Low Back (It's Not Always the Erectors)

I start every low back session with a rib test. What the ribs tell me changes everything I do next. Here's the full approach — fascia, QL, and why the erectors might not be the problem. In this video I walk through my complete approach to low back massage, starting with a rib mobility assessment that reveals whether the quadratus lumborum is driving the restriction. I demonstrate how to differentiate the thoracolumbar fascia from the erector spinae group by feel, why fascial release feels different from muscular release (holds then melts vs gradual softening), and how addressing the QL changes rib mobility. I cover the anatomy of the erector spinae group (spinalis, longissimus, iliocostalis), the three layers of the thoracolumbar fascia and what attaches to it, QL attachments and the difference between muscular tone and tightness, and why desk workers develop QL compensation patterns. The rib reassessment at the end proves whether the clinical hypothesis was correct. Useful for massage therapists working with clients who have low back pain, low back tightness, QL tension, lumbar stiffness, rib restriction, desk worker postural patterns, or chronic low back holding patterns. This video focuses on clinical reasoning — testing a hypothesis with your hands, working layer by layer, and proving the result. #massagetherapy #deeptissue #lowback #lowbackpain #QL #quadratuslumborum #massagetechnique #clinicalreasoning #palpation #thoracolumbarfascia #erectorspinae #ribmobility