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Any physios willing to give any advice on what's up with my leg/back? And better yet what I can do to get it better? Basically have had on/off pain in my left leg since Christmas, from lower back/pelvis all the way down to my ankle. It's not painfull all the time (thankfully) but I can't bend over without bending my left knee or it's very painful - right leg is fine. Lying down I can raise my right leg in a straight position until it's vertical. My left leg I can raise about 12" and it becomes painful all down the leg and my knee automatically bends. Is it sciatica? Tight hamstring? I've been putting off going to the docs as sometimes is lessens and I think it's going away but then it comes back again so any advice on what I can do to help it heal properly and avoid it coming back would be appreciated.
I had similar pains and a few sports physio sessions. Didn’t help at all.
Turns out I have a slipped disc. It might be worth going to the GP and getting it checked out.
Yep, I've almost convinced myself to go, just wondering if there's anything I can do in the meantime as I expect a long wait for an actual physio referral.
What was the treatment for a slipped disc out of interest?
I don't think it's sciatica - the pain from that moves around (in my experience anyway). When I was troubled by it a couple of years ago I would have tingling in my right glut one day, pins and needles in my left foot the next (all just referred pain).
could be a number of things but try googling Sacroilliac Joint (SIJ). It's where the Sacrum (Sacro) joins the Pelvis (lllium). The pain in your leg is probably caused by the sciatic nerve getting trapped. could that your pelvis has tilted slightly or it could be a sticking/locked facet joint causing it. Get it checked, if you end up spraining your SIJ ligaments like I did you'll experience some pain like you've never felt before in your life!
Waiting!
Pain started Aug 17.
Private sports physio until Oct 17.
GP referral to NHS Physio Oct-Dec. 1st person I saw didn't diagnose disc issues and gave lots of exercises that made it hurt more. 2nd physio was astounded by 1st physio's stupidity and spotted it was a disc straight away.
Sent for MRI to confirm...that didn't happen until March 18!
In the meantime physios wouldn't do anything so GP gave me Amytriptiline as a nerve pain killer which has helped a bit.
MRI results were defo disc so put on spinal surgeon waiting list in May 18.
Got my letter for preliminary surgeon appointment last week for appt at the end of this month.
So it'll be 16 months from initial pain (no idea what caused it BTW, it just started hurting one morning) to seeing a spinal expert...and that's with a bit of a hurry up as I have a pre-existing spinal problem.
Get to the GP ASAP and get the ball rolling!
Hmm thanks Lister, and thats why I'm asking on here and been reluctant to see the GP!
Could be a number of things - a slipped disc is just one of many things that could be an outcome of the actual issue
IANAPys / doc but have had numerous sessions over the years to keep my pelvis / hips from locking up. Original root cause was a broken collarbone that led to various bits locking up. When loosened off - and the core not strengthened- it then led to more issues
pelvis position/core strength/ diaphragm exercising and lots of standing as opposed to sitting all help keep it in check but a lacrosse ball for keeping glutes from matting and breathing exercises are the most effective thing I’ve found
chiro to reset the position then rehab exercise to sort it out (with more chiro) and then just good old fashioned painful stretching / yoga stuff
Why would you not simply go and see your GP and progress it from there? You always have the option of seeing a sports physio privately if that seems like the quickest way forward.
Also may be worth looking into possibility of private MRI, I had one (10+ years ago now) in Cheltenham @ the cobalt Unit cost about £250 as I recall, of course it may be more expensive now.
For what it's worth mine was similar pain and it was Sciatica, pain was from knee to ankle + aching lower back. Couldn't stand up without pain for more than 2 or 3 minutes, sitting was ok. Turned out I had a bulging disc (probably related to heavy squats, basketball, football, take your pick).
My lower back (bum cheek actually) and leg started properly hurting about 10 days ago.
Went to an osteopath yesterday who said it was Sacroilliac Joint disfunction.
Had 30 mins of manipulation and acupuncture and tidy it feels considerably better. Going back for one more session next week and that should be it.
£90 well spent.
(Edit: he said it's hard to distinguish ftom sciatica, but with the latter the pain goes down the back of your leg while with SJ it goes down the side/front).
I'd bypass the GP and go straight to a professional.
Just go private and suck up the cost. You've probably got it spot on, but NHS physio is like finding the golden egg in Halo, i.e. it's not there.
I busted my spine 3 years ago - all the NHS physio's were 'allowed' to do was give me stretches. Frustrating for them too (I work in HE that trains Physios - I'm not medical though).
NHS couldn't do anything for me as a middle aged person fit, but badly damaged back. OK if I was OLD.
I went Private, and my Physio had to contact my NHS spinal specialist before she could treat me properly. The result was I was back working within a few months, wouldn't have aver happened under what the NHS has available.
Move on three years, I've just got some NHS physio appointments through, but I'll only be going into see what they can advise to enable me to strengthen my lower lumber spine - I'm working full time, but on big doses of pain killers, and still riding, but only once a week. The NHS won't do hands on, so I need specific advice. I've paid loads privately for sorts massage and physio to get me going. The NHS can't afford that.
Most NHS physio folk are trying to get old folk out of expensive hospital beds into better care.
If you can get some NHS physio, take it, but it takes months - I had private immediately, but he NHS has taken about 5 months to get an appointment. The private appointments got beyond affordable very quickly.