Treatment of the Low Back and Hip: The Triad

Total CPDs: 3

NCCAOM (3), Standard Certificate (3)

Access Period: Lifetime

Course Notes: Notes are provided with this course.

Treating low back pain is often a complex and complicated undertaking. There are frequently roadblocks to success, relief may be limited, and sometimes improvement is temporary. This three-hour webinar on the treatment of the low back and hip should offer all acupuncturists some perspectives and points for more effective and long-lasting results. Part 1 is based upon the three anatomical structures – the gluteus medius, the quadratus lumborum, and the SI joint. Whitfield Reaves calls this "the triad", and his approach takes a significant turn from what traditional Chinese medicine often postulates. No longer can we automatically assume that low back pain is due to kidney deficiency and caused by obstructions in the Bladder channel. Whitfield's 40+ years of clinical experience has led to protocols that can assist the practitioner in achieving enhanced results. Treatment starts with the gluteus medius, which stabilizes the pelvis and refers pain throughout the lumbo-sacral region. The quadratus lumborum stabilizes the lumbar spine, and when in contraction is a significant contributor to low back pain. And the often overlooked sacral-iliac joint can elude the practitioner, and it is often a generator of pain in the in sacral area. Together, these three structures of the triad is an effective foundation for all low back and hip pain. Benefit from these relatively easy to treat structures, with points and protocols that the practitioner can use daily in the clinic.