Discover the Most Misdiagnosed Back Pain

Discover the Most Misdiagnosed Back Pain
Lined up at our tent after a half marathon are about 10 women of all ages. One complains of back pain that started at mile 4, another groin pain that is aggravated after every race. Some report tight IT bands or aggravating hip pain that kept coming up during training. Would you assume these women all have different problems? Not so. Everyone of these women came to us with a SI (sacroiliac) joint problem. The two sacroiliac joints connect the tail bone to the pelvic bone. It’s job is to bear and transfer weight from the upper body to your lower body. There is not a lot of movement in this joint, only a few millimeters, but it’s critical to proper functioning of the spine and hips. It is located at the main nerve center of the body causing low back or radiating leg pain. The SI joint problem can result from too much movement (hypermobility) or too little movement (hypomobility) resulting in misalignment. Causes of SI joint dysfunction include: Trauma such as a fall or car accident causing misalignment Sports of overuse injury causing a ligament strain Leg length difference causing an imbalance between the joints Pregnancy resulting hypermobility from the hormone relaxin At our running event, most of the women had hypermobility, some from recent pregnancy. They complained of increased pain as they increased running distance and when running up hill. They reported tightness in their hamstrings, hip flexors, and IT band. Clients report they have to change positions frequently to remain comfortable. Complaints associated with SI joint dysfunction include: Low back pain Buttock pain Hip or groin pain Radiating pain down the leg (even into the knee) These pain symptoms are frequently misdiagnosed as coming from the back. As much as 25% of low back pain reported to a physician is actually as a result of a problem in the SI joint. One reason is that the problem doesn’t usually show up on an Xray, MRI, or CT scan. So people are being treated instead for: Herniated disc Arthritis of the spine Degenerative disc disease Sciatica If you are receiving treatment for any of these conditions and not seeing improvement by treatments addressing your back, ask your clinician to assess your SI joint. Unfortunately, despite research supporting the need, it is frequently overlooked. If you have a problem with your SI joint, yoga and Pilates can be helpful due to their focus on muscle stretching, balance, and core stability. It’s also important to use good body mechanics to ease stress on the joint. This could include: Avoiding postures that put uneven weight on one side Standing with equal weight on both legs Not crossing your legs Not bending at the waist to pick up children or objects Not carrying children or heavy objects on one hip Avoiding walking on steep inclines Exercise ball (swiss ball) exercises can also help develop muscle strength in the core, back, and pelvis. These muscles improve spinal stability. Try using the ball to do wall squats or bridges. While sitting on the ball perform slow, controlled movement of your pelvis forward/backward, side to side, and in a circular motion. If pain continues, seek attention by a certified manual physical therapist. Treatment should include: Mobilization of the joint to restore correct alignment Stretching of tight muscles causing imbalances Strengthening of the surrounding muscles to provide stabilization Body mechanic training to avoid improper strain on the joint Temporary use of a a belt or taping technique to provide support All of these treatments are appropriate even during pregnancy to decrease prenatal and postpartum pain. If you have any further questions about your particular problem or possible misdiagnosed back pain give us a call today at 901-316-5456. If you are a runner, with low back, hip, or knee joint pain limiting your performance and training regimen, click HERE to download our FREE E-Book “8 Proven Ways for Runners to Stop Hip and Knee Pain“. Original article and pictures take http://www.peakpotentialpt.com/2016/08/22/discover-misdiagnosed-back-pain/ site