Topic: Want to get into serious lifting but back injury is stopping me

[Dan Ewas]

I've been having back problems for about two years now and it has caused me to quit martial arts and explosive activities such as sprinting and heavy lifting. I've been to a chiropractor and physio and they didn't provide a long term fix or solution. I think what I may have is an imbalanced pelvis, bulged disk, possible scar tissue that hasn't healed yet, or pain from lordosis which I know I do have. I can barely squat anything and I don't have any access to a coach but I want to start learning technique on the lifts by myself through videos and tutorials. Unfortunately I've been trying and it's a painful and depressing experience when I know my legs are capable of developing more strength when my back makes me cringe with pain if I do try. Could any experienced people with back injuries please help me with finding a solution on how to fix my back problem?

[Tom Sherwood]

is it low back pain?

[Tom Banister]

It sounds like you have seen inadequate health care "professionals".  (if they are professionals, why are they practicing medicine?  )  I would seek out an Active Release Technique (ART) practitioner.  They tend to be high grade chiropractors and are worth their weight in gold.  If they determine your problem requires a physician of some sort, they won't hesitate to say so. But, ART can solve an amazing range of physical problems. I have "sent" 9 personal friends to ART practitioners and all 9 are extremely happy with the results. That includes two that had seen many physicians and chiropractors and had given up hope. You can search for practitioners in your area at:  http://www.activerelease.com

Good luck and I hope you soon find a real solution to your problem.

[Matt Rupiper]

Here is a good discussion about ART

http://www.somasimple.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3173&highlight=talk+ART

This is an evidence based discussion with PT's talking (occasionally chiros jump in, which usually get tossed due to not backing up of their methods).  Lots of good links about the subject.

Did your chiro or PT ever diagnose you with a problem?

[Dan Ewas]

Did your chiro or PT ever diagnose you with a problem?

Yes. My physio did and the treatment actually helped for the most part but when I was done it just slowly started to hurt again. He diagnosed me with imbalanced hips or pelvis(can't remember which one) and some scar tissue. When I went to my chiropractor after finishing physio, I told him the diagnosis and he just did the thing where they put suction cups on your back that produce electric therapy or whatever it's called. He also did some back cracks which felt good. After a while I still continued some martial arts but I think that may have stressed my lower back too much and a disc might be bulged. And I also think that lordosis added to the problems and is making it worse.

[Jim Hooper]

You don't even have a reliable diagnosis yet.  "Scar tissue" and "imbalance" don't explain your debilitating symptoms, much less indicate a treatment.

For God's sakes, turn off the computer, pick up the phone, and go see an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in the spine.  Tell them the problem.  They will image your lumbar spine (x-rays and CT if necessary).   He or she probably will be able to tell you very quickly what the cause of the pain is and what your treatment options are.

Anything that involves suction cups, hot stones, magic crystals, or a shaman waving chicken feathers is a total waste of your money -- and lifetime.

[Dan Ewas]

You don't even have a reliable diagnosis yet.  "Scar tissue" and "imbalance" don't explain your debilitating symptoms, much less indicate a treatment.

For God's sakes, turn off the computer, pick up the phone, and go see an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in the spine.  Tell them the problem.  They will image your lumbar spine (x-rays and CT if necessary).   He or she probably will be able to tell you very quickly what the cause of the pain is and what your treatment options are.

Anything that involves suction cups, hot stones, magic crystals, or a shaman waving chicken feathers is a total waste of your money -- and lifetime.

I made an appointment like a month ago and I have a ct scan appointment on the 16th of march. I've been doing some research myself and when I go for the image assessment, I will ask them about seeing a kinesiologist(someone recommended a thymo kinesiologist if I could find one), an osteopath, or whatever they recommend. How do I know if they're decision or diagnosis will be adequete and not just send me to some therapist who says stuff like "don't squat below parallel", or "____ exercise is bad"?

[Jim Hooper]

Because a good diagnosis will contain a pathological explanation for the symptoms you are experiencing -- the description of what is wrong with your body, and probably the underlying cause, of your pain, and some evidence to back it up -- not just some useless hocus about do this, or don't do that -- I suspect the pain itself is already telling you loud and clear not to do that stuff.

The point is to solve the underlying problem and regain health and function.  The first step in solving a problem is to identify the problem, and do so accurately.

Based on your description, it sounds like you might have a herniated disc or similar condition (bone spur, etc.) that is impinging (pressing) on a nerve, and it appears to be more than something that your body can heal on its own.  Until you get some treatment that corrects the underlying problem, any relief you get will be temporary or pain-masking at best.  The important thing is to get a competent health care professional to look at it (with images that show them what the heck they are looking at).  A qualified medical spine specialist or chiropractor will image your problem as about Step 2 after an office examination.  The image will often make the root cause of the problem obvious.  In some cases, the precise cause may not be crystal clear, but then at least they can start working through the possible causes. 

And what's with all the non-physician folks you are seeing?  Are you in a country with limited access to actual medical doctors? 

Good luck to you.  Not much is worse than serious back pain.  Be assured that many, many people do get much, much better with appropriate treatment.