Update on back pain

Lani Muelrath · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:37 am

debbie wrote:

Hi there. I havent reported for a while, and I thought I would.

I have isolated my pain to be in the region of the sacral triagle part of my spine, by looking at diagrams on the internet. When I talk of feeling like my hip is dislocated, I dont mean from my thigh bone to the hip socket, I mean from this sacral area with whatever holds or attaches the spine to the hip area. That is where the pain is located. The rest of the pain I feel is a very stiff weak feeling also in that area, from hip to hip across this sacral devide.

I cant lay on my back and pull my knees to my chest, it gives me acute pain in the region of what I feel is dislocated but also the really stiff feeling, kinda like it is pulling.

Anyway, I noticed this while on my treadmill this am. I can jog at 4mph at 0% incline and it hurts, same for walking at 3-3.5mph. However, when I change the incline slowly up to 6%, the higher I get to 6% the less pain I have. In fact when I get to 6, it doesnt hurt although I am aware of the feeling still.

I cant find any thing that would cause this issue for me. I would think if I tore something, the pain would always be there. I do have days where I have little to no pain, it is just very short lived. What do you think about this? And what should I do to stregthen this area. Can you also direct me to a site with what might cause this sort of thing? I think the whole sciatic thing was just a by product of all of this. I do have times where I feel the sciatic nerve, but on my right leg instead of the left, where it started. I get little zings on the inside of my right thigh and also on my knee cap. I have been doing the core challenge from vibrantvegan.com still, a bit modified though, and also major core stuff like standard, rt, lt and reverse crunches. Lying on my belly on the ball and doing reverse situps for my low back, also modified. Also doing planks either with my elbows on the ball or my thighs on the ball and my hands on the floor.

Oh and I forgot one other thing. When I do the right side crunch for the love handle region, anything with my right leg in fact, I get a distinct pop, although I get no relief from this, it is more like a click. I feel that click in the one section of the sacral joint into the hip area. I also get it when I stand up and bring my right knee and have it meet my right elbow, for a warm up. It doesnt hurt however, just clicks.

Thank you for your time.

Debbie,

Thanks for the update and I am sorry to see you continue to experience discomfort.

Scar tissue can seem dormant (no pain) until pushed to a point where its less flexible nature causes discomfort.

Your positioning describes consistency with the shortening of the muscles in your back from the treadmill training, if I recall correctly, that backfired a bit during your 5K event.

This ongoing problem may well warrant being addressed by an orthopedic surgeon. Even with financial constraints, ongoing daily discomfort may we well worth your investment. An appropriately trained hands-on professional may be key for you having more quality of life with regards to this situation and the big picture, don't you think?

Thinking of you,
Lani

slugmom · **Joined:** Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:47 pm **Posts:** 1407

Hey Debbie,

I know how frustrating it can be trying to ask Dr. Google and figure these things out. I went to my doctor, who sent me to physical therapy, and we STILL haven't figured out what's causing my hip issues or how to fix them. I'm waffling now trying to decide whether to just go back to my first instinct to pursue alignment and core strength on my own, rather than pay even more time and money to try and track down the problem and treatment with the "experts" ...

I have a distinct tightness in the area you describe (I think the same area, I admit I haven't done as much research as you have on that) which can cause some minor pain when I do some of the stretching and strength training moves. My PT said it makes sense to feel that tightness because my pelvis/hips are out of alignment ...

her theory is that running on my loosened ligaments (and years of lax core strength after multiple pregnancies) caused something to shift out of alignment.

That would be my guess, too.

What *I* am trying to do (in addition to riding out the physical therapy ride for a few more visits) is work on alignment by:
* doing the exercises in the Pain Free book by Peter Egoscue - the theory being that we're out of alignment which causes pain but if we can get our muscles to relax and release their hold on our joints and bones we can restore proper alignment. And I will admit that his "static back" exercise does seem to help both my hip pain and some mid-to-upper back tension I've been feeling, I think that's the single most effective tool I have right now ...
* using the T-Tapp Basic Workout (which includes a primary back stretch) hoping that it will help my body return to alignment
* doing the core exercises that PT gave me, not so much because I think the core *caused* this, but because I'm sure having a stronger core will help support getting back into proper alignment.

Like you, I have times when my hip and back pop but don't really give me any relief. And like you, I didn't have a *moment* of injury where I thought I tore/broke/hurt something, it kind of crept up on me during one run, and then once it (whatever IT is) was inflamed I wasn't able to run at all.

Anyway, I'm not sure if my rambly reply is any help or not. Seeing a chiropractor might help. I do think that the Pain Free book would be a good easy read, certainly before any doctor convinces you that you need surgery (which, in the end, is what orthopedic surgeons are going to suggest because it's what they know, right?)

Praying you can resolve this. It's a frustrating thing, isn't it, when there's no simple answer? But we can at least be in this together! <3

Kim

Vegankit · **Joined:** Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:18 pm **Posts:** 1382

Hi Debbie, I recently read Dr. Nortin Hadler's book Stabbed in the Back: Confronting Back Pain in an Overtreated Society - I borrowed it from my library, here it is for sale at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Stabbed-Back-Confronting-Overtreated-Society/dp/0807833487/ref=pd_sim_b_2

I found it very helpful and definitely worth reading because it helps put it into perspective. I'm glad you're getting over your back pain - I know when you have back pain, well it's a real pain in the back.

Lani Muelrath · **Posted:** Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:28 am

Deb, thanks for the update and you make such an important point - how critical preventative care is to our well-being.

And Vegankit, thanks for the title referral - new to me!

Lani

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