Tight Quad Muscles and How They Relate to Low Back Pain

Quadriceps muscles are in the front of your thigh tight, which could be why they may be creating a chronic posture problem for you.

Two forces may be at play. They may even be happening at the same time:

• Tight quads can lead to lower back pain because they pull the pelvis down.
• Tight quads naturally lead to weak hamstring muscles. These are the quads' opposing muscles, located at the back of your thigh. Stress and pressure on the hamstrings can cause back pain.

Both scenarios can affect your pelvic alignment. If your alignment is off, your posture may suffer and the pain may increase.

This article will explain why tight quads can cause back pain. It will also help you figure out if you may have tight quads. A healthcare provider is best able to confirm or dismiss your hunch.

Tight Quads Pull the Pelvis Down

Pain or injury may force you to expand your medical vocabulary. But doing so may also help you to better understand your condition and communicate with your healthcare provider.

Start with the quadriceps, which are the big muscles in the front of your thigh. One of the four muscles that belong to this group—the rectus femoris—attaches to the pelvis at a place called the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS).

This means the rectus femoris is the only one in the quadriceps group that crosses over your hip joint (and also affects movement there).

Think of your ASIS as the front part of your hip bone. The ASIS is a place you can actually touch.

When the quads (and especially the rectus femoris) get really tight, they pull on the hip bone. The pelvis tips downward, or forward. (Technically, this position is called the anterior tilt of the pelvis.)

You may know that the spine wedges in between the two halves of the pelvis. So it should make sense that if the pelvis tilts forward, the lumbar spine may react by going into an arch.

A bigger arch in the lower back—called excessive lordosis—often causes tightened (and painful) back muscles.

Tight Quads Overpower Hamstrings

When your quads are too tight, and the pelvis is pulled down in front, there is a corresponding lift up in the back. This puts the hamstring "on a stretch," as therapists like to say.

And yes: This can hurt.

If you sit a lot at home or work, you can probably feel your "sitting bones." These small bones need hamstring muscles to stay attached to your hip.

Generally, good posture (and good hamstring tone) helps pull down your pelvis in the back. This is a good thing because it helps keep your pelvis in a comfortable position.

Tight quads set off a "chain reaction" in your body as the pelvis moves down in front and up in the back while the hamstring stretches. The reaction? Pain, and often lots of it.

Knowing When You Have Tight Quads

Believe it or not, sometimes even athletes don't know if their quads are tight. It can be tricky to know for sure, especially if you spend most of your day sitting. But one thing is certain: The more time you spend in a chair, the tighter your quads—and your lower back muscles—will probably get.

There is no substitute for a trip to your healthcare provider and/or physical therapist. A posture evaluation is the most accurate and reliable way to test your quads.

You can also try doing a few screening tests at home:

• Stand up and push your hips forward. (Push from those sitting bones so you're at the correct level.) How far forward can you go? What do you feel? Pain may equal tight quadriceps.
• Assume a lunge position, with one leg forward (and bent) in front of the other and the back leg straight. Ask yourself the same questions from above. In addition: How does the front of your hip on the back leg feel?
• Stand with your front leg bent and the back leg straight. Discomfort in the back leg could mean you have tight quads.
  
• From a kneeling position, arch your back. Now grasp your ankles behind you. (See why it's called the Camel pose?) Modify the pose to adjust for any pain or joint issues. You may have tight quads if you must prop yourself up or modify the pose to reduce the pain.

Summary

You may be wondering why you feel back pain if you have tight quadriceps. Chances are, a couple of things are going on: Your quad muscles are tilting your pelvis forward and your weakened hamstring muscles are putting pressure on your back.

See your healthcare provider or physical therapist for a diagnosis. Or in the meantime, try some self-assessments to see if your quads are tight.