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Chris Soileau
Mar 17, 2008 - 1:58AM
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sciatica
Hello,
So I've been suffering from sciatica for about a month now. I first encountered this after doing sqauts in the gym about 7-8 months ago. While doing the exercise i felt soreness in my lower back area so i stopped. Well it ached after that and it slowly got worse. I stopped lifting as it was unbearable to walk straight. I was hunched over as my lower back was super tight. After about a couple weeks it slowly healed. At the end i felt some soreness down my leg but was more sore in the lower back.
Recently it reaccured in the gym. Doing lighter smith machine sqauts as I've tried to do normal sqauts and i felt the soreness in my lower back. After about 3 sets my lower back got sore but i finished the set.
That night my lower back was really tight and through the week it got tighter and my left leg could extend all the way making me limp a bit due to the pain. It was sore in my butt which made me constantly rub it. After about a week of stretching it got a tad better but not much. Sometimes it felt like stretching was making it worse. I was trying to touch toe stretches. The next week like an idiot i did leg press and it felt fine to do that which was a bad idea. That night it was super tight in my lower back area. Well a buddy of mine suggested a chiropractor that worked wonders for him. I went to see him after about 1 and half weeks of throbbing leg.He had me grab door handle and some other feeling test and diagnosed me with being out of alignment, i didn't ask any questions really. He laid me on the bed face down and put heating pads on my back and left the room. The pain was soo bad laying flat i had to support my self get on my knees on the bed and pick my self up and hold it there with the heating pads still on me. He came back after 15 minutes and started to crack my neck and back. He had me lay on my side with my thigh hanging over and cracked some things and it didn't actually hurt which i thought it was going to. He said he would fix me and that i would see him that Wednesday. He said drink lots of water and take ibuprofen. It was pretty quick apt and didn't explain much but would give another chance. That night it got pretty sore deep in my butt but i felt like my lower back was a starting to loosen up. The pain was still there and the aching was still there. That Wednesday i went to see him and again he had me lay there flat with heating pads. Again i couldn't stand laying flat i picked my self up to ease the pain. He came back and adjusted me again and said Friday i want to see you again. I'll fix you and we will see less of each other. Well i was still limping and it felt like it was getting worse so my finance referred me to one of her high school buddies who just started about 6 months ago and works under another chiropractor. I met with him on Friday and i told him everything. He said that i don't have a herniated disc just seeing me walk around which i kinda limped a bit. He said the my sciatic nerve is being pinched and explained to me everything that was going on. He told me that the other chiro could of inflamed it which can happen. He had me lay on the table which still hurt to lay flat. He adjust the table so it was on a arch to relieve some of the pain. His table had a raising part that would raise my lower back and he pushed down to crack lower back. IT wasn't cracking so he put me another room with those electrode and massaged area for about 15 minutes. Came back and hand massaged that area with a comb and his hands which felt really good. He told me sometimes adjustments are useless if the muscle is tight sometimes. I had apt with him on Monday and Wednesday which i had to reschedule for Friday that following week. during that week it slowly got better with the throbbing and the aching. Yet i was still limping because of small cramps in my calf. Last Friday march 14th he saw me for about 20 minutes. During our time he laid me down on bed which i could now do with very little aches. He lifted middle part and tried to push down on lower back as table dropped. He tried 2-3 times and i didn't feel any cracks. He popped middle back and had me lay on my side with thigh hanging over and crack left which didn't hurt but was sore. Right side didn't crack i don't think. Well that night i felt sore again. I'm extremely confused... It's been pretty much a month and my injury is just like a roller coaster. I don't think i will continue seeing a chiropractor as i think its inflaming the area more. I honestly felt better on Friday then i do today.. I don't have the throbbing but I'm leaning forward more and i cant straighten my back while standing. I need some advice if this program is what i need and not a chiropractor?? Sorry about grammar as i am horrible :P
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Weight Training Paul
Mar 17, 2008 - 1:55PM
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Re: sciatica
Hi mate
How long have you been training ?
When you were doing squats how much were you bending forward ?
If your lower back got really sore after, you were probably not flexible enough to squat down ?
How deep were you squatting ?
Are you over 6 foot tall ?
Having flexible calfs is important as well hamstrings
The LTBP program is the best thing I'm done for my disc problem, I wish I had this information much earlier
As someone who lifts weights I think you would be very wise to try this
Paul
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JEFF C
Mar 18, 2008 - 1:32PM
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Re: sciatica
Neither Chiro did an Xray on your back?????....they shouldnt even touch you until they do an Xray.....I would go see a good Physical Therapist to start
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JEFF C
Mar 18, 2008 - 1:34PM
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Re: sciatica
I found squatting on one of those slanted sleds was waty better then a Smith Machine......With the Smith you cant adjust your postion at all and thats a good way to get hurt...Good luck
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Adam Derr, D.C.
Mar 18, 2008 - 7:02PM
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Re: sciatica
Hello there,
Sorry you had such a bad chiro experience. I am a chiro and feel that there are too many bad ones that don't know how to do an examination. Are you feeling any weakness, numbness, tingling, or sharp burning pains in the leg? Loss or reflexes at the patellar, medial hamstring, and achilles tendon. Where exactly does the leg pain go? If it goes below the knee, it is very likely it is a disc or some other form of nerve root compression. While lying on your back and raising your leg without bending your knee do you get increased pain? There are many orthopedic tests that chiro's and MD's can perform to make a differential diagnosis followed by x-ray's or MRI to really make sure. If you can't find a good chiro. I agree that you would benefit from PT, but be careful because most PT's don't diagnosis, they treat from a prescription that was given to them by a MD who didn't do a thorough examination and is usually giving prescriptions and ordering PT because the PT clinic is in the hospital.
A second opinion from a neurologist, orthopedist or a trustworthy chiro that does a thorough exam or orders diagnostic tests before treating is what I would recommend.
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chris soileau
Mar 18, 2008 - 7:46PM
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Re: sciatica
Thank you guys for all the feedback!
Ok, so during the intense pain week i did feel it below the knee but more cramping and aching. It would throb all the way down my leg. My reflexes were fine i do feel my foot goes knumb sometimes but not bad. It is doing better however it is still hard to walk without limping. I'm really surprised they didnt do an Xray and i didnt ask because i thought they knew best.. I work soo much and have already taken time off to go see the chiropractors. I know that sounds silly but me missing work means less money to pay bills and mortgage :P I dont know what i should do.. It is getting better since last friday but its such a slow healing process i really dont know. I was going to wait a week and see how i do and if it gets worse then go see a doctor and get an MRI. BOth chiros said it wasnt a herniated disc and that i didnt need an MRI because i have fine reflexes. Now its only sore when i walk in my hamstring and cramps in my calf. Thanks alot guys!
When i hurt myself sqauting it was shifting of my pelvic area not so much bending of the back
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chris soileau
Mar 18, 2008 - 7:56PM
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Re: sciatica
So should i start with going to see my doctor and ask to see a neuro or orth? I really have faith in chiro i just dont want for it to get worse again.
again if i take it easy can i wait a week to see how i heal? or negative.
Too much time out of the gym, im shrinking!!!
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Weight Training Paul
Mar 19, 2008 - 2:33PM
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Re: sciatica
To be honest I would want a MRI
The doc told me my reflexes were fine, in fact I got the impression he thought I was wasting his time, finally got my MRI and it's my S1 which is bulging or herniated some say, I now believe it's a bulging because that's what the laser spine people in the US told me
The pain I get is an aching feeling down my leg to my knee now, but it was right down to my foot many months ago
Good luck mate
Paul
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Dave Hutchieson
Mar 19, 2008 - 9:21PM
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Re: sciatica
Chris
Absolutely no weights until you can find out exactly what is wrong with you.
When I had my back pain, a whole bunch of doctors told me that it was just muscle spasms.
I had to insist on an MRI.
It revealed a 12mm herniation at L4-L5 and a an L5-S1 disk which had completely collapsed at one end.
I was later told that had I done the exercises that the doctors wanted me to do, I would probably be paralyzed today.
You have the rest of your life for weights, but if you don't get this checked out properly, there could be serious consequences.
I don't mean to scare you, but better safe than sorry.
If you can't get an MRI, try getting a side view x-ray of lumbar spine. That can actually reveal a lot [ disk spacing, certain bone spurs etc ].
Good Luck
Dave Hutchieson
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chris soileau
Mar 21, 2008 - 5:31PM
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Re: sciatica
Thanks so much for your guys feedback. It has now been 10-11 days since anyone has cracked or pushed on my lower back. I still try and ice for 15 and heat the next hour for 15, well at least i try. It has gottin alot better. Im standing straight and walking pretty good. Every day gets better for me. I was going to wait till monday and see how my healing has done before i go get an MRI. I'm just soo busy with work its soo hard to take off. After i heal should i start stretching like sitting down and touching toes? Or just simple stretches? SHould i just wait another week before stretching? I know i probably had a bulging disc but it is getting better. I will do any excercises that are good just let me know?
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Dave Hutchieson
Mar 21, 2008 - 6:37PM
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Re: sciatica
Chris
Try the Lose The Back Pain system. Do not try touching your toes [ very bad, as tight hamstrings etc can cause a lot of pulling on your lower back ].
Touching toes should only be done once you are completely healed, and flexible.
Try getting a good massage and using epsom salts in the bath.
As you are a body-builder, I would strongly advise you to get an MRI or x-ray.
Better safe than sorry.
Dave
