Back Pain

[alophysio]

Hi Justin,

Ok, i don't have long so i might post more later...

Basically it seems you have a lot of different and conflicting opinions. The back exercises sounded like they helped your back but not your pain - it is not good us fixing things if it doesn't solve your problem, right!?

No what the chiro said sounds plausible in that your right sided muscles may be overactive. I am not sure if this is from the genetic thing. However, i do see a lot of people who have overactivity as a problem and it gives them pain.

The most interesting thing you mentioned in the post was that you only get the pain after exercise when you sit.

You see, I am thinking that you have what is classified as Non-specific low back pain (judging by your pictures) with a classification of motor control impairment - active extension. What this al means is that your muscles are way overactive and squashing your ribs, spine, pelvis and hip.

Think of it this way, when you squeeze your hand, especially the knuckles like in a handshake, it doesn't hurt that much right? But if kept squeezing and squeezing all day, by the end of the day, that hand is going to be very sore [sorry - it works better when i am with you in person!!]

The same thing is happening in your back (I am only guessing ok). The muscles that are overactive are putting extra load onto the joints and bones and then the weakest areas start to hurt first.

I asked the questions about motivation because people who are highly motivated tend to have this problem more in my experience because they persist with exercises, even when it hurts whereas people who give up easily have a different type of classification of back pain (again in my experience).

I wonder what happens when you lounge around being like a slob - do you ever do it? How does it feel?

Are you conscious of your posture? When you try to stand up straight, do you feel tired from holding the position? Do you feel good when you slouch? Do you feel bad when you catch yourself slouching?

It will be interesting to see what is wrong...Are you able to post pictures of your posture from side on, the back and the front please?

Thanks!

[Donjman]

I have been a slob for 2-3 weeks, just to try the total rest approach, the pain really was the same when it came to sitting down.

Since the physio back in Jan told me to sort my posture out i have done, when sitting and standing, but i am also carefull to not sit for a great deal of time taking regular standing/walking breaks. Im careful not to stand to straight, not overdo it. I do feel a little bad when i see ive slouched

Chiro said it was an imbalance pattern, imagine looking at me from the back.

Left Glute Overactive, Right Glute Under (Explains why i pull my right ham alot)

Left Lower Back Under, Right Lower Back Over (Explains why i pull my lower back slightly at the drop of a hat)

Right Psoas Over, Left Psoas Under (I guess its near my hip pain)

Another thing that may help with the hip pain diagnosis.

If im sitting, and i bring the left leg up,



Like that, probably not as much as that, but the same motion, the hip pain comes on worse, if i slouch, the hip pain REALLY comes on worse
If i slouch and lift my neck forward and back, it gets really agrivated.

Id think by lifting my leg like that, id be shortening my psoas? But the pains not really where the psoas muscle is....

And i know what you mean about fixing things that arnt the problem, i mean after all this is said and done it would be cool to fix anything outstanding, but for now its good to solve the hip,

Maybe its all linked I dunno, Ive spent the last year reading everything it could be and anything i thought it could be, to see if i could figure it out myself, I have a great interest in health and fitness, I guess it makes sense its an imbalance pattern.

[alophysio]

Hi,

Thanks for that interesting post - about that hip thing - is it possible to have a photo - you don't have to ID your face...it is just that a photo shows many more things than you can describe.

Can you clarify what you meant by "If i slouch and lift my neck forward and back, it gets really agrivated". Do you mean when you slouch and put your chin onto your chest or when you slouch and look up to the ceiling? Photo?

Now is it when you slouch and move your neck only that you get the pain or when you slouch, bend your hip up and then move your neck?

Slouching and lifting your head either forward or backward is not a sign of psoas being a problem. It is usually a sign of spinal cord tissue issues.

By this, i mean the by moving the spinal cord, it is giving you pain. This makes sense if you think of your spinal cord being like an electrical cable in a conduit - it is getting caught so whether you move it at one end (bending the hip up) or move it at the other end (moving the neck), then it will pull/catch/tug the cord and so give you pain.

Do you have any pins and needles or numbness anywhere? Any areas of increased sensation or decreased sensation? Are you more ticklish than before? I am sure there are many other symptoms that indicate possible cord problems. These also include muscle power (think underactive in your case!) or decreased reflexes - can't do those by yourself!!

Anyway, lets see how things go - pictures would be nice!

Thanks