Lower back problem - JP Fitness Forums

pjb923 · 01-04-2007, 07:06 PM

I have already decided that it's time to see a dr. about this problem, but I thought I would come here to get some advice in the meantime.

Who would be the best person to see about this?
An Orthopedist, Chiro, Art practitioner?

1. The pain began tonight while working out.
2. After finishing the set of db decline bench press, I got up off the bench and somehow managed to tweak my back lower back in a really bad way. When I stood up I became light-headed, saw stars, and my ears started to ring. I really felt like I was going to black out for a minute, but I sat down and recovered in a few minutes.
3. The pain is located very low in my lumbar spine, off slightly to the left side.
4. The pain was shooting at first, and subsided to a dull pain after a few minutes.
5. There is a constant very dull pain, but moving the wrong way causes the shooting pain to come back.
6. Bending forward and rounding my lower back causes the pain to come back while getting into that position. Once I get past the point of pain I am able to stay comfortably in a bent over position. The pain only seems to occur during the actual movement.
7. As long as I am not moving, the pain is not bad at all.
8. The pain does not radiate to any other parts of my body.
9. Bending over without pain.
10. My main concern is the fact that my ears were ringing and I felt like I was going to pass out.
11. This happened to me once before a few years ago during a set of heavy bent over rows when I let my form break down and rounded my back. The intense pain goes away very quickly and within a few days I am seemingly back to normal. I have also noticed in the past that if I do something that decompresses my spine, like hanging leg raises, when I come down and re-apply weight very quickly I can get a pain very similar to what I experienced tonight, but normally not this intense and without the other symptoms. Tonight, while on the decline bench I was in a position that was decompressing my spine. While in that position, everything is fine, it's getting back up that causes the problem.
12. The last time this happened, the pain got better with time. After a few days everything seemed fine again.

Mike D · 01-05-2007, 04:53 AM

Sounds like an anterior disc herniation . .as you say, when you flex the spine as in a situp or rounding the back, there it is- locally . .

I'd get an MRI or X-ray as referred by a chiro for now . .tread cautiously

UConnJulie · 01-05-2007, 03:43 PM

Could be one of several things but things I would be concerned about are ...
1. Disc herniation (or annular bulge)
2. Ligamentous/muscular tear

Either should be addressed by a competent medical professional. My preference would be an orthopedist or an osteopath who specializes in sports medicine (This is who I see ... they are great, and there are links on their website to help you find someone similar local to you).

Bill Hartman · 01-05-2007, 05:04 PM

Um, anterior disc herniations are usually incidental findings on MRI and occur primarily in the upper lumbar spine. The symptoms, if any, are diffuse types of back pain, so I think we can put that on the back burner for now.

PJB, probably a low grade strain/sprain since there's a larger mechanical component (hurts with movement) than chemical (chemical pain hurts all the time. Bigger chemical release,bigger pain). RICE it for now and add in some OTC anti-inflammatories. Your little spell afterward may have been a simply drop in BP from the change in position or a little reaction to the pain. If it happens again, call a doc

If the pain expands or starts referring down your leg, go see a doc. Otherwise, see how it is in a couple days. If it seems really worrisome, see the doc tomorrow.

Bill

pjb923 · 01-05-2007, 07:32 PM

Thanks for the responses. I made an appointment to see an Orthopedist next Wednesday.

The pain is almost completely gone today, but the fact that I have had almost this exact same problem before makes me want to get it checked out. I can reproduce the pain very easily by hanging from a chin up bar and relaxing the muscles in my lower back. If I just jump down and there will be pain just about every time. I have become aware of this and can prevent it by remaining tight and getting down slowly. It may not be anything serious, but I can remember having similar, but less intense pain as far back as 10 years ago while doing hanging leg raises. It always goes away quickly and I'm back to normal in a day or 2. This last episode was by far the worst one yet and I think it's finally time to get checked out just to be safe.

I'll post an update here after my dr. visit.

pjb923 · 01-11-2007, 07:25 AM

I had my visit with the orthopedist yesterday and discovered the cause of my back pain. He first asked me the usual round of questions that would indicate a disc problem and checked my leg strength. We talked for 5 minutes and he said it sounded like a muscle strain, but he wanted to take a few x-rays just to make sure there were no bone problems.

He took a normal front and side x-ray of my lumbar spine, came back in 5 minutes and said he thought he saw something and wanted a few more x-rays. Back to the other room, where I had to stand a different angles, lean forward, bend back, etc.. A total of about 8 x-rays were taken.

What he discovered was Spondylolysis (or Pars Defect) on the left side of L5-S1. http://www.pediatric-orthopedics.com...ndylolysis.htm This is basically a fracture of the Pars Interarticularis. This offers a perfect explanation of why I feel the pain on my left side after stretching out my spine.

The good news is, there was no sign of Spondylolisthesis, or slipage, which would be a more serious condition. I have the option of going to physical therapy to help strengthen my back muscles, but I can also just work on it by myself. I may go for 1 or 2 sessions just to get some ideas and then continue on my own.

Bill, do you have any suggested exercises to help this condition?

Bill Hartman · 01-11-2007, 01:24 PM

go to PT and get set up on a good stabilization progression.

Thing about spondylo is that you don't know if it's new or if it was congenital.

Bill

LisaS · 01-11-2007, 01:51 PM

i have Spondylolisthesis - as long as I keep up on my exercises (and maintain proper pelvic tilt) I have no pain or other symptoms - that and keeping piriformis issues under control -
good luck at the PT

Q. · 01-14-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaS

i have Spondylolisthesis - as long as I keep up on my exercises (and maintain proper pelvic tilt) I have no pain or other symptoms - that and keeping piriformis issues under control -
good luck at the PT

I've never been diagnosed with this although I have had lower back problems since I was in high school and, currently, have been nursing an L5 nagging owie. In reading about the symptoms, what I've experiences sound similar but it could be common to a lot of back issues, I don't know. This most recent problem started a few months ago with major back spasms and then the familiar gimpy "can't walk upright or sit up in bed without rolling over" symptoms. I've just been doing a lot more swimming since and a lot less weight lifting.

I noticed that if I force my pelvis to counter an anterior tilt, it sure feels better and I've been working on more ab work to hopefully try to fix this. Are there other exercises that I can do for this?

MANY years ago, I had a PT tell me about lying on my back with my legs pulled up (feet closer to butt) and rolling my legs from side to side which is like a self-adjustment, chiro style. It works well for temporary relief of discomfort. I've even done this behind clothes racks at the mall

when I had to walk around too long and my back would start bothering me. Hey, I'm not proud! Luckily, my wife hates to shop so that's rarely a problem.

Ian Kay · 01-14-2007, 10:21 AM

Glad to hear your problem is discovered and controllable, Paul! Credit to you for being proactive and not giving up on lifting or "playing through the pain" ad nauseum.

Q: Hmmm... at the mall, eh? That rings a bell:

Me: Hey there, sexy thing.
Hot Young Gal: Back off, or my dad will kick your ass.
Me: Ha! Your dad? Where is he?
Hot Young Gal: He's the guy rolling around on the floor behind the bras.
Me: Oh... uh... *cough*... I think I heard my friend calling me... bye!

Q. · 01-14-2007, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Kay

Q: Hmmm... at the mall, eh? That rings a bell:

Me: Hey there, sexy thing.
Hot Young Gal: Back off, or my dad will kick your ass.
Me: Ha! Your dad? Where is he?
Hot Young Gal: He's the guy rolling around on the floor behind the bras.
Me: Oh... uh... *cough*... I think I heard my friend calling me... bye!

At least I wasn't rolling around in the bras!

UConnJulie · 01-15-2007, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Q.

I've never been diagnosed with this although I have had lower back problems since I was in high school and, currently, have been nursing an L5 nagging owie. In reading about the symptoms, what I've experiences sound similar but it could be common to a lot of back issues, I don't know. This most recent problem started a few months ago with major back spasms and then the familiar gimpy "can't walk upright or sit up in bed without rolling over" symptoms. I've just been doing a lot more swimming since and a lot less weight lifting.

I noticed that if I force my pelvis to counter an anterior tilt, it sure feels better and I've been working on more ab work to hopefully try to fix this. Are there other exercises that I can do for this?

MANY years ago, I had a PT tell me about lying on my back with my legs pulled up (feet closer to butt) and rolling my legs from side to side which is like a self-adjustment, chiro style. It works well for temporary relief of discomfort. I've even done this behind clothes racks at the mall

when I had to walk around too long and my back would start bothering me. Hey, I'm not proud! Luckily, my wife hates to shop so that's rarely a problem.

No way to know for sure without an xray ...

pjb923 · 01-15-2007, 01:12 PM

Thanks everyone.
I am going to make an appt. for PT this week and see what kind of program they give me. For now I am going to avoid bent over rows, which seem to put the most stress on my back. I'll let you guys know what they recommend in PT.

Q. I agree with Julie. Go get an x-ray, you never know what they will find. There are so many back problems that result in similar symptoms.

I feel better just knowing what my problem is.