Chronic Back Pain - Triathlon Training - Help

[Dr Damien]

Dear SigMik

I agree with you Sigmik, for one his age puts him in the category of people who tend to have disc problems, and the positive half of the slump test suggests so, i however doubt if this disc is fully herniated by virtue of the anatomy of the thoracic vertebrae (limited space within) and disc issues are less likely (not to say they dont happen). Perhaps the disc is herniated centrally and pushing on posterior structures (i.e) the dura matter...this would support the multisegmental referral pattern he gets (pain moving up his neck) when he adds the rotation. The non capsular presentation he gets now also supports a discy hypothesis...

Dear Dekkly, I definitely agree with my colleague, you probably have a disc problem...may be cause by torn ligaments supporting the vertebrae/ or by virtue of age your spine and previous sporting life your spine was prone to trauma weakened by denegeration, considering you might be arthritic in places u dont know about ....

Fill us in on the results of the slump test as suggested by SigMik...also can you tell us what the chiropractor did for this problem? Just wondering why you havent gotten any joy from Chiro..

Cheers

[drekkly]

Sigmik/Damien

Firstly can i thank for taking interest in my case. I have got so much more out of these few communications then I have ever got from chiro/physio.

So results of th tests:

"After slumping your upper body and lower back, with the chin flexed towards your chest, the discomfort is likely to increase, as you already told us"

Yes this happens

I'd advice you to stop the slumping at that point where you just feel the discomfort starts to increase and then proceed with the next movement in the test. The main component here is when your STRAIGHTEN OUT either of your knees and dorsiflex your ankles, does the discomfort between your shoulder blades INCREASE?

I would say not noticeably with individual rises. The pain comes initially when I lower the chin but doesn't seem to increase greatly when I dorsiflex the ankles (on single rises) - the increase is most marked when I raise both legs together and THEN flex the ankles. If I lower them and flex again it is not the same.

I must say I am doing this alone at the moment and it is difficult to keep the level of slump constant - I will replicate with my wife and see if I can be more consistant.