 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been experiencing pain in my lower back for a long time. I believe it to be a Sacro Iliac Joint problem. For the most part I can cope with it and work a lot in my training on maintaining strength and flexibility.
From time to time it gets really bad due to a trauma. Most recently this happened on Friday when I fell off my mountain bike on a rocky decent in the pouring rain onto my side and jarred it. It's very painful. I've managed it with rest ice etc. and have now started with heat after 48 hours.
I know the correct advice would be to see someone but I have no confidence at all in my GP to put me on the right path and I simply can't afford enough private physio to make it worthwhile plus the local recommended sports physios I've seen locally in the past for other problems have never really told me anything I didn't already know.
What I'm seeking is advice for any exercises I could do when this flare up subsides and I can resume my training to help to improve the chronic aspect of the injury and reduce the chances of another of these acute instances. I'm 56 by the way but other than this very fit, training 5 times a week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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kitenski, Thanks for that. I use a roller to help with stiffness but will definitely incorporate these into sessions.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ade57, see your GP, insist on an MRI and keep on insisting until he refers you either to a rheumatologist or for an MRI. I had years of lower back pain that sometimes presented as pain in the spine, sometimes as pain in the SI joint, sometimes in the piriformis muscle, sometimes as throbbing, burning, hot, cold, tingling down the leg or any combination thereof every day for more years than I would care to admit. It turned out to be a herniated disc (L4/L5) that eventually exploded when I was skiing offpiste and landed after getting some air. Part of the disc broke off and went into my spinal cord. Ended up having to have surgery, which could have been prevented if I had had a correct diagnosis and treatment early on.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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maybe try to rest it a little, keep stretching and moving gently and let things calm down a bit.
Have a look at this site http://www.simplebackpain.com/the-worst-abs-exercises.html#axzz2jaoxHAZH
on what abs exercises NOT to do, and the rest of the information.
Are you getting enough rest/recovery time in between your training sessions?
Gets more important as you get older. 
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pam w, Thanks. This is a really interesting read. I've never been aware of the problem with the plank which I do a lot as I do push ups (often on an unstable surface to increase the effort) Fortunately I hate both of them so will happily kick them out of my routines. I intersperse intense days with light days where I address things like balance, stability and mobility.
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| Princess? wrote: |
| Ade57, see your GP, insist on an MRI and keep on insisting until he refers you either to a rheumatologist or for an MRI. I had years of lower back pain that sometimes presented as pain in the spine, sometimes as pain in the SI joint, sometimes in the piriformis muscle, sometimes as throbbing, burning, hot, cold, tingling down the leg or any combination thereof every day for more years than I would care to admit. It turned out to be a herniated disc (L4/L5) that eventually exploded when I was skiing offpiste and landed after getting some air. Part of the disc broke off and went into my spinal cord. Ended up having to have surgery, which could have been prevented if I had had a correct diagnosis and treatment early on. |
+ 1 gazillion. Might have been very permanent in my case. Anything showing as tingling, loss of sensation, muscle weakness, "foot drop" etc take very seriously as could point to the Sciatic nerve being compressed and any compression ultimately may have a permanent effect. All the sensible consultants/GPs I saw wanted a good quality MRI. Sounds like you need a new GP anyway.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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You need a GP you can trust. If that's not the case with your current practice, then change.
As a rule of thumb, training practices (ones that train GPs) have to meet stringent quality standards. Local knowledge may help you find other excellent local practices
Clinical assessment should determine the best approach. FWIW back pain as a result of a fall or trauma always makes me think of an X-ray to exclude a fracture, but you need to see a doctor
I'd longstanding sacro-iliac pain, which turned out to be referred from a T12 muscular trigger point. Cured by one acupuncture needle! Worth checking for low thoracic muscular tender points.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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+1 for acupuncture. For ongoing, grumbly conditions.
I use it on myself on occasions - usually after about 3 days of skiing for my knees!
Ade57 - the information you have given would suggest that you might have a bulging inter-vertebral disc that is putting pressure on a spinal nerve root. Your fall has likely tickled it up a bit.
Been there, done that.
I had grumbly back pain for a few weeks then it (L6/L7, L7/S1?) popped one morning when I sneezed - SERIOUSLY BIG pain, fallen foot & loss of sensation down left leg developed quite soon after. 8 months and 3x MRI later I had the offending bits cut out, still have neuro deficits and weakness down my left leg.
Acupuncture is not appropriate for recent-onset (acute) or severe back pain, however. Your body has a reason for the pain: it is telling you there is something wrong.
Don't be fobbed off with tablets - insist on a prompt referral to a rheumatologist/neurologist (both less inclined to reach for a knife and call for an anaesthetist) and get an MRI. Your condition might yet require surgery but I regret not being sufficiently impatient/insistent back then. Once you get the MRI results you have an answer at the very least
PS: If you REALLY want to fast-track, then claim urinary/faecal incontinence when you see your GP.
My surgeon said (after the surgery): "You were lucky that it was a unilateral prolapse and rupture. If it had been bilateral you would have been doubly incontinent and we would have imaged and operated within 24 hours of the original insult.".
If I'd known that 8 months previously then I would certainly not have tried so hard to 'squeeze' when I had a gratuitous prostate exam (early 30s then).
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Ade57, you have persistent low back pain with occasional flare ups brought on by the odd knock? really doesn't sound like an MRI would be that helpful compared to a good assessment by a clinician who knows their stuff. Unless you have symptoms like HossDoc, or bladder/bowel control problems I would not insist on an mr scan.
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| SERIOUSLY BIG pain, fallen foot & loss of sensation down left leg developed quite soon after |
By the way a Rheumatologist is not the person to see with non inflammatory back pain. If you must then see a neurosurgeon, and not an othopod who does backs. For what it's worth disc bulges (prolapses) happen all the time and are a normal wear and tear feature of the ageing process for someone 40+, normally they self heal - occasional they sequestrate and compress a nerve and may, just may need surgery.
Crikey I must be bored this evening
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pam w, thanks for that 'bad exercises' link. I think that's why I've been getting a sore back lately - too many crunches & planks.
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