Spinal Stenosis

[IsaiaJ]

Hello, here is my situation and what I’d like to know:

I am a 19 year old male. I’ve played competitive basketball (nationally and internationally) since the age of 11 before quitting entirely in March 2018. My reason for quitting was an injury after falling and hitting the court with my back. After the fall, I felt the bruising pain of the immediate impact but had a feeling that things would be worse in the morning. Sure enough, the next day I had pretty intense pain in my lower back that radiated down the outer side of my right leg (my left leg is completely fine). This pain has fluctuated so much that sometimes everyday movements are very painful, but on other days I feel completely fine. Generally, the pain has slowly diminished since March 2018, although it is still there today.

Throughout my years of playing, I never paid much attention to stretching or mobility work (and am now paying the consequences for it) so my overall flexibility is very bad already. I cannot sit with my legs stretched out straight in front of me. I cannot hinge at my hips without curving my back. The right side of my lower back appears to bulge out. My hips are also very bad - my right side is hiked up and appears more scrunched if I lunge or try to bring my knee to my chest. I have minimal hip internal rotation in my left leg and cannot bring my right knee to my chest without the knee turning outward (although external rotation for both sides is fine)

I recently had an MRI on my lower back which revealed mild spinal stenosis in my lumbar spine. I was told that it was genetic and that it was just the way my spine was. I’ve accepted this and am planning to work on my overall flexibility and mobility to alleviate my pain. But regarding this, I had a few questions that I’d be very grateful if someone could answer for me:

Do I need to work on my hips before my back, or should I do both at the same time?
What muscles do I need to strengthen my hips/back?
What exercises should I do to strengthen these muscles?

Thank you in advance

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[mmwr715]

I'm not sure the finding of mild spinal stenosis has much to do with your pain unless you find trouble walking any distance unless you are pushing a shopping cart (bending forward with shopping cart opens up spinal space and elevates compression).
You mentioned your right hip is a problem. What you seem unaware of is the right flank -hip area pains. If you pinch the flank is it quite tender there? If you press your lateral hip crest do you find your ribs abut and perhaps descend beneath your hip crest?
If so you probably have some of the following:
Right iliac crest - rib impingement
Right quadratus lumborum spasm

possible associated thoracolumbar pains, gluteal and piriformis spasms
http://posturedirect.com/wp-content/...2017/08/QL.jpg
You will notice from QL pic, the Quadratus lumborum in part goes from 12th rib to iliac crest - so where is it when 12th rib is below iliac crest? - all crunched up and very sore especially more anteriorly below lowermost rib.
The flank tissues become very tender and the cluneal nerves that run through area become very tender.
Leaning forward in a chair can make them rub more.
I am not sure if continued pain down leg is a form of sciatica or coming from the pirifomis muscle.

You could also have other issues like facet and SI joint but you need to see someone to have this sorted out.