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Long Term Hip/Lower Back Injury

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I’m after some advice for a long term hip/lower back injury.

Just to give you a little bit of background on myself I am aged 30, working as an officer in HM Forces (currently serving in Germany). I am about 5ft 11″ high and weigh approx 12st. I have been unable to fully participate in a normal military fitness or indeed my own personal training, specifically running for the past 3 yrs.

My current (had these for past 3 yrs) symptoms are extremely tight hip/buttock muscles and lower back pain on my RHS. I have tried stretching, RICE, seen chiropractors, physios, remedial massage therapists, GPs, neurologist, rheumotologist, had facet joint injections and spent a small period of time at the Army’s rehab centre – all to no avail, hence I am at my wits end!

The initial symptoms of my injury appeared in Feb 2002. Unfortunately there is no specific fall/bump/accident that I can think of that took place during this period. The only incidents/activities that I can possibly relate to around this time are:

a. A skiing trip whereby I took a numerous amount of awkward falls although never to the extent where I was writhing in pain or had to stop.
b. A slight twinge in the lower RHS of my back/top of RHS buttock when doing a bar curl in gym one day – last rep and cheated a bit by leaning back (on mentioning this to some people they have suggested I have a hyper extension injury).

Initially I ignored the injury and did the worst thing possible, ie tried to run through it. This clearly just made it all a lot worst, hence here I am today. Also on occasions I have kiddedd myself that it will disappear if I go back to trying to start doing normal physical activities – each time I have been wrong and no doubt made the injured areas worst.

As mentioned above the outcomes of each of my encounters with the various specialists have made no significant improvement although some of their findings which may be relevant are detailed below:

– Chiropractor: Said my pelvis was tilted. Got me to stand on 2 sets of scales, a foot on each which showed that 9 kilos extra weight was going over my right side. After a couple of appts this is down to 2-4 kilos but my hip/buttock muscle tightness seems as bad as ever and is anything it has got worst.

– Rheumotologist: Suggested I had a facet joint problem, due to hyper extension injury and recommended me for fact joint injections – didn’t work though.

– Remedial Massage Therapist: Found number of tight spots mentioned in areas above. Both them and me have worked extensively on easing the tightness but each time I go back to running they seem to re-tighten (vicious circle!). I have been doing a great deal of my own massage (using hard rubber ball) and have experienced some benefit, ie muscles are less tender to massage but still give me a real niggling sensation and still feel so tight. I’m not even sure if it is scar tissue I am feeling (as sometimes the pain is so nice and almost enjoyable!) or just tight muscles. Whichever I just can’t seem to get rid. It feels as though I have two balls of knotted up, ‘steel-rope-like’ muscle at the top of each thigh where they join the hip.

– Podiatrist. I saw one of these years ago prior to this injury appearing and was diagnosed as a slight pronator on left foot (collapsed arch) and was given some orthotics, although not convinced these are any longer useful, due to wear & tear etc. I have partly convinced myself that my problem has something to do with my gait/posture/bio mechanics as something just doesn’t feel right with the way I hold myself. If I am standing for a long time I get a real dull ache down the RHS of my lower back. It’s almost as though my right leg is having to do most of the work in holding me up.

Other points that I have picked up over the duration of the injury is that if I try and stretch my glutes (lay on back, pulling crossed knee up to chest) I get real pain on the inside of my knee. My groin muscles are also really tight and it just generally seems as the whole of my hip/buttock/groin area is tied up in knots. The outside of my thigh on the right leg is also really tender and feels dead tight.

Anyone out there, pllllease if you have any useful advice and points of contacts please can you get back to me

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2 comments

    Avatar

    9 10

    I have a couple of questions…
    -What do you do to reduce the pain?
    -What is the position that is most comfortable to sleep?
    -How is your digestion? Any issues with constipation? (presure from the inside)
    -Is the outside of your thigh tender to agressive touch?

    Some of what you write might lead me to work on the following
    1) IT Band
    2) Adductor magnus
    3) Biceps femoris

    Has anyone mentioned these?
    Have you considered trying an Osteopath? Look for someone who has 20+ years of experience.
    Let me know if you wish to chat more…by answering the questions in as great of descriptive detail as possible.
    Hasta Lumbago, Taum

    On 2005-02-27 17:44, richquinsey wrote:
    I’m after some advice for a long term hip/lower back injury.

    Just to give you a little bit of background on myself I am aged 30, working as an officer in HM Forces (currently serving in Germany). I am about 5ft 11″ high and weigh approx 12st. I have been unable to fully participate in a normal military fitness or indeed my own personal training, specifically running for the past 3 yrs.

    My current (had these for past 3 yrs) symptoms are extremely tight hip/buttock muscles and lower back pain on my RHS. I have tried stretching, RICE, seen chiropractors, physios, remedial massage therapists, GPs, neurologist, rheumotologist, had facet joint injections and spent a small period of time at the Army’s rehab centre – all to no avail, hence I am at my wits end!

    The initial symptoms of my injury appeared in Feb 2002. Unfortunately there is no specific fall/bump/accident that I can think of that took place during this period. The only incidents/activities that I can possibly relate to around this time are:

    a. A skiing trip whereby I took a numerous amount of awkward falls although never to the extent where I was writhing in pain or had to stop.
    b. A slight twinge in the lower RHS of my back/top of RHS buttock when doing a bar curl in gym one day – last rep and cheated a bit by leaning back (on mentioning this to some people they have suggested I have a hyper extension injury).

    Initially I ignored the injury and did the worst thing possible, ie tried to run through it. This clearly just made it all a lot worst, hence here I am today. Also on occasions I have kiddedd myself that it will disappear if I go back to trying to start doing normal physical activities – each time I have been wrong and no doubt made the injured areas worst.

    As mentioned above the outcomes of each of my encounters with the various specialists have made no significant improvement although some of their findings which may be relevant are detailed below:

    – Chiropractor: Said my pelvis was tilted. Got me to stand on 2 sets of scales, a foot on each which showed that 9 kilos extra weight was going over my right side. After a couple of appts this is down to 2-4 kilos but my hip/buttock muscle tightness seems as bad as ever and is anything it has got worst.

    – Rheumotologist: Suggested I had a facet joint problem, due to hyper extension injury and recommended me for fact joint injections – didn’t work though.

    – Remedial Massage Therapist: Found number of tight spots mentioned in areas above. Both them and me have worked extensively on easing the tightness but each time I go back to running they seem to re-tighten (vicious circle!). I have been doing a great deal of my own massage (using hard rubber ball) and have experienced some benefit, ie muscles are less tender to massage but still give me a real niggling sensation and still feel so tight. I’m not even sure if it is scar tissue I am feeling (as sometimes the pain is so nice and almost enjoyable!) or just tight muscles. Whichever I just can’t seem to get rid. It feels as though I have two balls of knotted up, ‘steel-rope-like’ muscle at the top of each thigh where they join the hip.

    – Podiatrist. I saw one of these years ago prior to this injury appearing and was diagnosed as a slight pronator on left foot (collapsed arch) and was given some orthotics, although not convinced these are any longer useful, due to wear & tear etc. I have partly convinced myself that my problem has something to do with my gait/posture/bio mechanics as something just doesn’t feel right with the way I hold myself. If I am standing for a long time I get a real dull ache down the RHS of my lower back. It’s almost as though my right leg is having to do most of the work in holding me up.

    Other points that I have picked up over the duration of the injury is that if I try and stretch my glutes (lay on back, pulling crossed knee up to chest) I get real pain on the inside of my knee. My groin muscles are also really tight and it just generally seems as the whole of my hip/buttock/groin area is tied up in knots. The outside of my thigh on the right leg is also really tender and feels dead tight.

    Anyone out there, pllllease if you have any useful advice and points of contacts please can you get back to me  Ill be eternally grateful if I can shake of this damn thing.

    [/quote]

    Avatar

    9 10

    Hello, just recently joined myself and had a gander at the virtual therapist (at the top), after clicking on the lower back region there is info on a symptom called Piriformis syndrome. Its worth having a look if havent done so already. I have had a history of recurring back problems and this too has affected my physical activities (bleep test!!) I opted for an Osteopath. Some say its just as good a chiro but again its worth a try. The forces view this as alternative medicine so i doubt the queen will foot the bill. It costs around 28 for 30 mins, maybe cheaper in Germany?
    Good luck
    Dougie

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