Nearly unbearable lower back pain. (i'm a rower)?!
Question: ive been rowing for 7 years without any injuries. but this fall, my back started hurting when i would angle it forward or backward while standing. it was never too bad. but in mid-october, after a fairly challenging morning practice, i went to Bio class, and was sitting there for a few hours, and the pain in my back suddenly became unbearable. i stood up in order to alleviate it, but it didnt really work.since then, i've had constant pain in the lower right side of my back, right above my butt. i stopped rowing for about 3 months, but the pain never went away. now i'm back to rowing, and it still hurts. alot. however, the pain has moved farther into my butt, but is still in the place it originally started. it hurts when i sleep, sit and angle my back certian ways. but it especially hurts when going from a sitting to standing position.ive been to a chiropractor and doctor, who havent really given me a real diagnosis. any ideas what it could be??
Answers: ive been rowing for 7 years without any injuries. but this fall, my back started hurting when i would angle it forward or backward while standing. it was never too bad. but in mid-october, after a fairly challenging morning practice, i went to Bio class, and was sitting there for a few hours, and the pain in my back suddenly became unbearable. i stood up in order to alleviate it, but it didnt really work.since then, i've had constant pain in the lower right side of my back, right above my butt. i stopped rowing for about 3 months, but the pain never went away. now i'm back to rowing, and it still hurts. alot. however, the pain has moved farther into my butt, but is still in the place it originally started. it hurts when i sleep, sit and angle my back certian ways. but it especially hurts when going from a sitting to standing position.ive been to a chiropractor and doctor, who havent really given me a real diagnosis. any ideas what it could be??
Hi Lauren
What you are describing is Sacro-Iliac joint dysfunction. It is the joint that links your sacrum (the base of your spine) to your pelvis.
The joints doesn't have a disc in it, so if it tightens it swells easily and the pain is quite severe. The pain is usually out towards the buttocks and as the joint tightens the muscles in your buttocks tighten as well - hence more pain into the butt.
The joint is used especially when you come from sitting to standing or lying to standing. The joint when you sit is under more pressure, so rowing may aggravate it.
Most Chiro's and Docotrs won't check it as they usually don't treat it effectively. You need to do a few things at home to train the joint to work better. Bcause you use it all the time, it gets aggravated all day. So a treatment 2 times a week is not enough to correct it.
There are some techniques in the link belowthat should ease things but check out the X-Pain method for a complete fix. Feel free to email me for any advice or help.
All the best
Dr Graeme Teague
This certainly sounds like a herniated disk. I had one at the L4/L5 level of my lower back, and the symptoms are almost exactly as you described. My disk injury happened in college, I think through squats or leg presses in the weight room. But sitting in class is where I first really noticed the pain to an extent I needed to see a doctor. I had an MRI done and I had a pretty serious herniated disk that required surgery to correct. Most can be taken care of through physical therapy, but only a doctor can tell you. Hope this helps, but your symptoms sound almost exactly like mine were. The fact that the pain doesn't go away when you sleep is worrisome, and was also something I dealt with. My pain was awful in the morning, and anytime after sitting. By the way, I am pain free and doing great five years or so after surgery.
regardless, get an MRI.