Back injury, trying to figure out wtf I did.

[chronic]

Last saturday I was riding with a couple of buddies at our little trials park.
I was warming up fooling around, and I went to do a little hook on one of out pallet stunts.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/1chronicpls/PICT2010.jpg
This unit here. Now what happened was I was running up to it and I got my foot timing wrong. So rather than just riding straight into it pushing my face into my bars, I bunny hoped it so my front tire at least hit the top.

But something weird happened, I hit this thing straight on basically, compressed my body(Like you would doing a drop) and bounced off. Landed on my feet and walked away to do something else. But as I was walking away I got sharp shooting pains in my lower back. And within ten minutes I felt like shit. I kind of rode around for a bit more thinking I just pulled something but it didn't go away or get worse so I just bummed around.

Four days later I've been leaving work early as being bent over a lathe all day has been killing me. I dont know what I did. I mean, I didn't hit this thing hard really. If I had to guess I think maybe a facet joint is inflammed and I perhaps pulled a muscle. All on the left side of my spine.

I dont think I was applying enough force to cause a compression fracture or a slipped disk. But I guess I dont know for sure. Like I said, as I read I figure I probably aggetated a facet joint and ripped a muscle. But I am just looking for tips or ideas.
I think I'll skip work and go to the doctor tomorrow.
But yeah, any ideas are appreciated.

Thanks guys.

[va_tick]

Just rest good for a couple days, hot showers and what not if you still hurt go see the ol medicine man.......reefer!!!hahaha

[chronic]

Haven't seen that guy in a while, lately its been good ol' cheap ass R&R whiskey.

Yeah I will rest. Pain in the ass though, like I said is I work on a metal lathe. And being a 6' 3" lurch bastard, sucks. hunched over all day. Taking a hit on the bank account and staying home tomorrow.
Try and get rich on ebay instead haha.

[templarbond]

Does the pain go down your legs?
What decreases the pain?
Where on your back does it hurt? ie Tailbone, lowback, high back?

[Patrick]

Sorry to hear it man. I'm goin through the same thing right now. Haven't ridden trials since halloween, but I hope to within 2-3 weeks.

read this thread I started
http://www.observedtrials.net/vb/showthread.php?t=25227

[chronic]

No, I dont think its a sciatic nerve problem. Thankfully...Legs seem fine, my crotch, my ass...all those places dont seem to be effected. Its just the one area, kind of above my pelvis, to the left of my spine.

One of my vertabrae feels sore(right by the region I am talking about). It was alot worse a couple days ago, seems to be getting better.
A muscle right above my pelvis is pretty stiff and sore. It doesn't seem to run any further than half way up my back.

As for decreasing the pain. Not sure what gets rid of it, But when I wake up in the morning I am sore as fuck. But after moving around, getting ready for work and getting to work. I usually feel better for a couple of hours and dont really notice it. Then by about lunch time/after lunch after standing in ...pretty well the same position all day I get soo fucken painful I usually leave an hour/couple hours after.

Pat I will definitely take a look at your thread.

[stinkybastard]

Go see a chiroprator? some people hate em, some likem.....Ive had pretty good results. And the sounds your joints make is sweet.

[TheGhost]

psoas major would be my guess... does it hurt to lift your legs/bending over? what i would do is rest a little more then start to strech it... http://www.hathayogalesson.com/armlegraiseG.gif this is one way to do it... i personally would go to a doc or a PT.. or a really good massage therapist.

-Colin B

[Patrick]

Guys, back pain is the #1 reason people visit doctors in the US. It is poorly understood, and the only effective treatments seem to be exercising your core and keep doing what you're doing. Massages and chiropracters can almost be grouped with palm readers and snake charmers.

If you want a definitive answer as to what is causing the pain, you will need a $1000 MRI. If you have a little patience and wait a while, you will almost certainly see improvement. You are too young (i'm guessing) to have a split disc.

[chronic]

That is what I figured. The more I read I realized there is no way I did that. plus I can move around, I would presume anything severe like that would leave me bed ridden.
I am young too, 21. I'll just stay home, relax have a drink and watch the tube.

[templarbond]

I think you put you left SI joint out.
I may be wrong, just sounds that way to me.
There are some exercises to put back, but if you did do this, it will probably relocate by itself, just be sore for a while.

[chronic]

Si joint? explain?

[templarbond]

First part from Wikipedia.

The sacroiliac joint is the joint between the sacrum, at the base of the spine and the ilium of the pelvis, which are joined by ligaments. It is a strong, weightbearing synovial joint with irregular elevations and depressions that produce interlocking of the bones. Inflammation of this joint is known as sacroilitis, one cause of disabling low backpain.




This bit from me.

The SI joint does have very limited movement, especially in younger people, but fuses as we age.
The joint can "Slip" or be forced to move beyond it normal parameters with a sudden impact. The movement is usually only very slight and can return to normal quickly. However, pain can follow shortly after. This will go eventually if you haven't damaged it too much.
Pain is usually in the low back, same side, and to touch over the SI joint area.

A common injury scenario would be, falling onto a straight leg without flexing the knee.
Or a forced impact on a well bent knee, often followed by a clicking type feeling in the low back, sort of like a knuckle popping, but deeper.
(Some people will do this by stepping off a curb or step that they aren't expecting to be there).

The problem should go away with time and Advil.

However, I may be totally wrong about you.

[lucky13]

Guys, back pain is the #1 reason people visit doctors in the US. It is poorly understood, and the only effective treatments seem to be exercising your core and keep doing what you're doing. Massages and chiropracters can almost be grouped with palm readers and snake charmers.

If you want a definitive answer as to what is causing the pain, you will need a $1000 MRI. If you have a little patience and wait a while, you will almost certainly see improvement. You are too young (i'm guessing) to have a split disc.

WRONG

Massage and Chiropractic that is medically based is the only way to relieve tension and pain. Core work is how you maintain good posture to avoid injury.

MRI, MD, and Drugs are the real voodoo.

[trauma100]

Opioid Narcotics FTW....I'll bring the Narcan for safe measure

[chronic]

Trauma I'll give you my address and a paypal payment if you send the oxycontin ;)

[gplung]

Find someone that has a hot-tub and do stretches for about a week, then start working your core muscles and slowly get back into it.

[greyghost]

Guys, back pain is the #1 reason people visit doctors in the US. It is poorly understood, and the only effective treatments seem to be exercising your core and keep doing what you're doing. Massages and chiropracters can almost be grouped with palm readers and snake charmers.

If you want a definitive answer as to what is causing the pain, you will need a $1000 MRI. If you have a little patience and wait a while, you will almost certainly see improvement. You are too young (i'm guessing) to have a split disc.

He's certainly not too young. I've got three disc bulges and one protrusion, and I'm 23, they happened years ago from mogul skiing.

70% of the population has an unresolved disc bulge. Sharp shooting pain down the leg usually means disc problems.

An MRI can see if you have a disc bulge or a crack in th facet joint, but it won't do much else. Back pain is usually so vague that doctors can only give pain meds or anti-inflammatory drugs. Usually its from poor posture distorting your spine for too long a time, or relative weakness in your core musculature, or segmental instability in parts of your spine that lead to pain.

You say you work at a metal lathe all day? If your hunched over all day, you will begin to flatten out your lumbar spine, and your trials mishap could've been the straw that broke the camels back. You most likely need to strengthen some muscle groups in your back so you can keep a straight spine at your job.

It could be SI joint too, but you can't diagnose that online, it takes a lot of manual investigation from a skilled therapist.

Good luck

[TheGhost]

dont tell me that massage therapist know nothing.... yeah goto a spa and they'll just do little stuff but we can do ALOT of stuff you wouldn't think about.. just because culture says we just give happy ending's doesn't mean anything..

-Colin B

[mekanic305]

Go see a chiroprator? some people hate em, some likem.....Ive had pretty good results. And the sounds your joints make is sweet.

indeed, I always feel much better after having been to one. Need to go now actually as I've been having a weird pinching feeling in my lower back when I bend backward.


Originally Posted by Patrick http://www.observedtrials.net/vb/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.observedtrials.net/vb/showthread.php?p=346267#post346267)
Guys, back pain is the #1 reason people visit doctors in the US. It is poorly understood, and the only effective treatments seem to be exercising your core and keep doing what you're doing. Massages and chiropracters can almost be grouped with palm readers and snake charmers.

If you want a definitive answer as to what is causing the pain, you will need a $1000 MRI. If you have a little patience and wait a while, you will almost certainly see improvement. You are too young (i'm guessing) to have a split disc. Originally Posted by lucky13
WRONG

Massage and Chiropractic that is medically based is the only way to relieve tension and pain. Core work is how you maintain good posture to avoid injury.

MRI, MD, and Drugs are the real voodoo.

Well said

[lucky13]

Patrick and I can argue over beer sometime, but it's just been my personal experiance that manual adjustments, stretching, and muscle physical therapy (massage) are easy tune ups for the body that actually condition and prepare for more activity.

Drugs, knives, and funky exrays piss me off. :dunno:

[aki]

I agree with Joel, my lower back pain that put me down on my knees one day came from stiff right thigh muscles. Constantly pulls on my back & if I don't stretch it, I'm fucked. No chiropractor could tell me (two) until I went to see a physical therapist. Don't waste your money on MRI unless they can't figure out what the exact problem is & you're still in pain. Get an X-Ray, get some deep tissue massage and stretch & strengthen your core muscles.

And don't ignore the pain, go see a doc. Especially if you're young, it's going to affect your body rest of your life if not taken care of properly :)

[Patrick]

I went riding around a couple of nights ago on my SS while others rode trials. It was my first time on two wheels in about 3 months. I found that what causes my pain is the motion you do when pulling back into a manual, bunnyhop, or pedal up--sticking your ass out and then straightening quickly or with force. It really sucks. There is not much fun to be had on a bike without doing that move.

And Joel, you're right. I was mostly talking about preventative. What's done is done. If you're worried about pain, get drunk and high! Nothing will HEAL the injury, but what y'all are describing will definitely provide RELIEF of pain.

[Edge]

If you're worried about pain, get drunk and high!

Best Advice yet Dr. McNally.

[lucky13]

I havn't been to my chiro in a while. I just do stretches and general self adjustments to stay flexible. The one spot I can't do is my S.I. joint. I think that might be your thrust problem Patrick?

It's so hard to find a good sports therapist that provides chiro, massage, and stretching/physio aid.

Guess I'm lucky to be in Seattle where there are a LOT more health conscious people. Texas must be hell.

[Patrick]

Hahaa!! yeah, my therapist just punched me in the back and made me eat cheeseburgers to get better

[beastoftheeast]

I found that what causes my pain is the motion you do when pulling back into a manual, bunnyhop, or pedal up--sticking your ass out and then straightening quickly or with force. It really sucks. There is not much fun to be had on a bike without doing that move.


i messed mine up and not been the same and i hurt mine 7 months ago. i can ride now but what hurts mine is pedal ups and big pedal kicks... sticking the ass out... do you get really tight hamstrings? when my backs really hurting my hamstrings are crazy tight. im 18.

[Patrick]

Calvin, yes my hamstrings are abnormally tight. And after my back hurts, they DO seem even tighter.. STrange. I've been trying to stretch my hammies, but they just don't seem to budge.

[beastoftheeast]

i probably know how you feel then. i hurt the back is aug 06. doing the strech where you keep you legs strait i couldnt get my hamstrings back to flexiblity they had till abot octoberish i think. when my back was really sore i couldnt even reach the middle of my shins. a strech i like to do is lay on your back and then put you leg against the wall and keep it strait and move closer to wall the looser you are. i think mines a lot more muscular then anything though? be really careful riding. in sept i went out for a ride kinda messed it up again but it was just really sore for a few days. its wierd when i mess it up riding or something it doesnt really hurt when im riding till i tighten up afterwards and then it kills.

[greyghost]

Calvin, yes my hamstrings are abnormally tight. And after my back hurts, they DO seem even tighter.. STrange. I've been trying to stretch my hammies, but they just don't seem to budge.

There's a reason they don't budge, hamstrings usually get tight to decompress the lumbar spine, it's the minds way of dealing with the injury. That or your nerve is glued to the sheath down through your hamstring.

Until you fix your back, those hammy's aren't going to loosen up.

Probably the same thing with you Beastoftheeast, a lot of times a crack in the facet joint ( very common) can lead to tight hamstrings.

[TheGhost]

again psoas major... this muscle pulls your knee's to your chest your hammies are fighting against this so you dont touch your toes all day

-Colin B

[chronic]

Thankfully I dont think I have any of those problems. I feel better today then I have all week. Been stretching, icing and heating the bastard up. Seems to be helping alot. So hopefully its all good.
Fucken hate back problems. I welcome a shinny from brand new pedals to both legs before this crap again.

[beastoftheeast]

again psoas major... this muscle pulls your knee's to your chest your hammies are fighting against this so you dont touch your toes all day

-Colin B

i don't. i just strech them good before i do stuff cause then i feel loads better.

[pete]

Go to the MD/RMT/PT/Chiro (most effectively athletic therapist), go directly to one of the above, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
You can fuck yourself up even at that age.
Get real help or get your intertron athletic therapist degree here.

This advice is straight from a massage therapist who has a lot of experience rehabilitating people from serious accidents.
*No offense to those who made good suggestions, TheGhost, Lucky13 etc. *