What causes waist weakness?

Waist weakness may be caused by muscle strain, lumbar disc herniation, osteoporosis, kidney deficiency or long-term poor posture.

1. Muscle strain:

Overuse or acute strain of waist muscles can lead to local accumulation of lactic acid and micro-damage to muscle fibers, manifesting as weakness and weakness in the waist. It is common in manual workers, people who exercise excessively, or after suddenly lifting heavy objects. Hot compress, massage and proper rest can relieve symptoms. In severe cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used for treatment.

2. Lumbar disc herniation:

When the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc compresses the nerve root, in addition to pain, it is often accompanied by numbness of the lower limbs and reduced lumbar support. It may be related to long-term bending, obesity or trauma. The diagnosis needs to be confirmed by CT/MRI. Mild cases can be improved through traction and physical therapy. For severe cases, transforaminal endoscopic surgery should be considered.

3. Osteoporosis:

Osteopenia leads to a decrease in the load-bearing capacity of the vertebral body, which is common in postmenopausal women and the elderly. Typical symptoms include soft waist and shortened height in the morning. Bone density examination can confirm the diagnosis, and calcium and vitamin D supplementation and anti-osteoporosis drug treatment are required.

4. Kidney deficiency factors:

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the waist is the home of the kidneys. When kidney qi is insufficient, soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, chills and fatigue will occur. There are two types: kidney yang deficiency and kidney yin deficiency, which may be accompanied by increased nocturia or hot flashes and night sweats. It can be treated through Baduanjin and moxibustion, and if necessary, Chinese medicines such as Jingui Shenqi Pills can be taken.

5. Bad posture:

Long-term sitting, hunched back and other incorrect postures can lead to compensatory fatigue of the psoas muscles. When the core muscles are weak, waist weakness will occur. It is recommended to get up and move around every hour, strengthen the back muscle training such as Xiaoyan Fei movement, and use an ergonomic chair.

In daily life, you should avoid lifting more than 30% of your body weight at a time, choose a hard bed for sleep, and maintain the natural curvature of your spine. Eat more calcium-rich milk and dried shrimps, and swim or briskly walk more than three times a week to strengthen your lower back muscles. Lumbar support can be used for acute attack, but long-term wear may cause muscle atrophy. If it is accompanied by symptoms such as incontinence, persistent fever, or waking up with pain at night, serious diseases such as spinal infection or tumors need to be ruled out immediately.