Latest on the back injury

[Kamal Singh]

Hi,

Here's the latest on my disk bulge injury.

I had injured my L4-L5 disk in Nov 2006. Went through PT for about two months. Found a PauL Chek certified rehab trainer, worked on hip flexor flexibility, hip and back extensions, abdominal stability etc. Seemed to be geting better.

But for the last three weeks or so, I have pain when I sit for a while in the tail bone area, from the sacrum to coccyx to be specific. I can feel the pain also in both theglutes. I talked to the PT, he felt it could be coccydynia(sp?) but could not really figure it out.

Any suggestions or should I be seeing an ortho surgeon?

Let me add, I have not been hitting the weights or running or doing martial arts for the last 8 months. So can't really figure out how I have aggravated the injury. Hell, I haven't even done bodyweight squats or lunges.

Thanks

Kamal

[UConnJulie]

Refresh my memory ... was the bulge something confirmed upon imaging?

[Kamal Singh]

Hi Julie,

I hurt my back while deadlifting off the floor. I had pain and stiffness in the right lower back, just above the belt line as picked up the weight. Pain would flare up if I bent over. Sitting for a while would lead to pain in the right lower back and in the right glute. No radiculopathy.

The MRI showed a mild annular bulge with mild nerve root impingement at L4-L5.

Kamal

[UConnJulie]

I assume that you mean that you have been doing a McKenzie extension program when you state that you have been doing back extensions ... although this type of program is not ideal for every situation, you would benefit greatly from it.

If you have been doing them, and still seem to be worsening, then it might be time to see the ortho. Coccydynia is just a fancy way of saying that your tailbone hurts ... it doesn't indicate the source of the pain (just like sciatica is just a term meaning pain down the leg ... doesn't matter whether it comes from a herniated disk or an inflammed facet joint).