Hi. This is Dr. Chris Tomshack again with your 4th HealthSource letter—2nd-to-last in our Back-Pain-Relief series.
 Today, we’re talking about a “super” back muscle—the Tenderloin. But first, I want to get back to those questions I mentioned in the last letter: “What everyone wants to know about back pain but is afraid to ask.”
 The questions are: #1: “Do I need surgery?” and #2: “Why do I hurt so bad? I didn’t DO anything?”
 It’s natural to worry about surgery when you’re really in a lot of pain. The good news is, the WORST pain in the world does NOT mean surgery. Just a one-inch spasm can lock up a joint in the spine and feel like someone is stabbing you with an ice pick. Don’t assume the worst, even with terrible pain. You may have a simple problem!
 Secondly, there’s an old saying, “Little hinges swing big doors.” It means that small things, repeated over and over, can have BIG consequences. That’s why MOST of the problems we see are NOT from falling down the stairs or getting hit by a truck. It’s more like picking up a pencil or turning over in bed—and BANG, suddenly….
 Those small imbalances have finally “come home to roost”, like a small alignment problem on your front time finally causing a blow out after 20,000 miles. OK, let’s get back to our Master Muscle, the Tenderloin which is a long muscle that sits just above where you hip bends—in the groin and above it in the abdomen.
 And no, biologists and anatomists don’t call it “the tenderloin”. They say, the “psoas”, which is from the Greek “psoa”, meaning “muscle of the loin.” Big game hunters know this muscle as the “back-straps.”
 You may not care either way, but this muscle is a HUGE KEY to a healthy back. It helps stabilize the hip, pelvis and spine. And when it’s tight—or worse—when it goes into a spasm—the good old tenderloin can drop you to your knees with lightning-bolt pain.
 It’s one of the many things we check out at our complimentary Community Service Screening—a 17-point pain “track-down” which even includes x-rays if you need them (click here xxxxxx to schedule an appointment).
 The good news is, getting this muscle back to normal can be pretty easy and often produces MIRACULOUS results—like getting a bad tooth filled—it’s a huge relief.
 So now I’m going to describe a simple stretch to get the process started. Actually, you’ve probably seen people doing this stretch when they’re about to start jogging or working out. It’s also called the “hurdler’s stretch” or the “lunge.”
 Here’s how you do it. Let’s say you’re going to stretch the right side. Put the right knee on the floor. Then put the left leg out in front of you with the left knee bent at 90° and the left foot on the floor.
 When you’re in position, gradually let your body sink toward the floor—going forward toward the floor at about a 45° angle so you feel a stretch in the groin. Let it stretch for about 15 seconds, then gradually ease off and walk around for a minute or so. Then repeat the stretch on the other side and do each side 3 times. You can do this set of stretches 2 or 3 times a day—but carefully and gently—especially at first.
 As I said earlier, when it’s tight, this muscle can give you a very sharp jab in the back—but it can also make you achy and stiff. If it doesn’t let go with this stretch, we probably need to free up a stiff joint in the pelvis, hip or spine. And I can’t do that by e-mail. It requires some pin-point, hands-on work in the office.
 So if you’re still hurting after trying this for a day or two—it’s time to call us—especially when our 17-point Community Service Screening is complimentary at the present time. But don’t wait. The usual fee is $179 00 so this is a great time to check it out (click here xxxxxx to schedule an appointment).
 In your last e-mail, coming tomorrow, I’ll show you another important stretch—and how to do it the RIGHT way instead of how most people do it.
 My best to you, Dr. Chris Tomshack for HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive RehabTM