ow! back hurts

[mimitabby]

my back has not been quite right for 2 weeks now. Below the waist
soreness in core muscles that seem to attach at tops of hips.
I also notice a lot of tightness in the muscle that goes from pubes out to knee on the inside left. My normal twist exercise is VERY lopsided because of this stiffness. the only other exercise
that i am having trouble doing is the bicycle crunch. but it's been "talking"
to me for days and days.
Anyone suggest an exercise/stretch that might start calming that area?
(might even be the sacroiliac again.?)

[Wahine]

my back has not been quite right for 2 weeks now. Below the waist
soreness in core muscles that seem to attach at tops of hips.
I also notice a lot of tightness in the muscle that goes from pubes out to knee on the inside left. My normal twist exercise is VERY lopsided because of this stiffness. the only other exercise
that i am having trouble doing is the bicycle crunch. but it's been "talking"
to me for days and days.
Anyone suggest an exercise/stretch that might start calming that area?
(might even be the sacroiliac again.?)

Sounds like SI pain to me.

Do you have any old exercises from having this problem before?

I don't have time for a long post right now, but there's a link that I like that discusses hip girdle and pelvis problems. I'll try to find it when I get home tonight.

[mimitabby]

Knot gave me some but I FORGET WHAT THEY WERE!

Thanks, I will check back tonight.

[AuntieK]

Sound exactly like what I'm experiencing. Let me know if you find a good exercise/stretch to help.
I do know that a trip to the chiropractor usually helps me. Maybe you could give that a try?

[mimitabby]

I have found that basic stretching exercises do wonders for me when I can remember what they are.
I try to stay away from Dr's and Chiro's unless i am completely incapacitated.
I believe strongly in your body's ability to heal itself.

thanks though

[Wahine]

OK, so I found the link.

http://www.elitesportperformance.com/seminar/Hip%20and%20Pelvis%20Rehabilitation.pdf

I would read the whole thing through and try any of the exercises that sound familiar to what Knott told you previously. At a glance I'd say that you wnat to try #5 on pg 3, #8 on pg 4, everything on pg 5 and the ab exercises on pages 8 to 9.

I also like this link:

http://www.jaxmed.com/massage/pirformis_stretches.htm

It has many of the same stretches, but I like this piriformis stretch better and it gives a good example of a psoas stretch. If you try the psoas or quad stretches, be very careful to keep your lower abdomen engaged to prevent your low back from arching during the stretch.

Hope that helps.

[KnottedYet]

Mimi - I don't remember what all I gave you, either! (and you even sent me Scharffen Berger chocolate in thanks!)

I think I at least gave you the self-correction "excercise". (the Shotgun Muscle Energy Technique) Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor. Be very relaxed. Put a pillow between your knees. Gently, barely, tiny, squeeze the pillow for 10 seconds. Release for 10 seconds. Do 20 times, or until you are bored silly.

Does that one sound familiar?

[Wahine]

Thread Hijack.

Knott - you know why it's called the Shotgun Technique? When you do the manipulation after the MET, it sounds like a shotgun when the symphasis pubis gaps. It's really creepy.

OK - back to our normal programming.

[KnottedYet]

But I was taught to do it very very softly, so that you don't train the stabilizers to be overwhelmed. Same effect, just slower. And not as noisy!

We kept the name the same, just told folks that "like a shotgun, it hits lots of targets". Cuz it'll get things moving whether you've got inflare/outflare/upslip/downslip/ant rotation etc.

I had the traditional shotgun done on me once when I was out of whack. It was incredibly painful and I was in agony for weeks. I've never used the hard version, just because of that.

[Wahine]

You had to do the aggressive manip in the practical exam to get your advanced manual therapy certification. I've only done it 2x to patients, both big guys that I couldn't get moving using a milder approach. Worked like a charm. I like the "hitting many targets" bit.

[KnottedYet]

Hee hee! The tough ones I gave to the OCS to fix! :D (sometimes it really pays to be a lowly assistant!:p )

I knew a D.O. who said that everyone doing finals in her group kept a Lifesaver in their mouth so they could crunch it duing manips, cuz the examiner wanted to HEAR it.

I do like giving the soft shotgun to women to use to fix themselves, so often it really helps.

[mimitabby]

yes, KNot, that was it. . . And... I hope i don't hear any noises!


Wahine, thanks for the links!

[songlady]

What is the purpose behind the Shotgun Muscle Energy Technique? What should you feel when you are performing this exercise correctly?
Wahine, thanks for the links you posted to Mimi, they were excellent!
Mimi, thanks for posting on this topic!!!!!

[mimitabby]

The rest of the story: Last autumn, I was planning a trip to Italy.
Right before i left, less than 3 days from my departure, my back went out.
I had no time to get an appt with a dr or chiro, so I posted here on TE.
Knot came up with this exercise (you guys have to tell me how you do the "hard" version, I'm idly curious (ie I don't want to do it but i wanna know))
which I was able to do every day, and by my 3rd day in Italy WITH a really really bad bed (hammock shaped mattress) I was improving thanks to her.

[KnottedYet]

What is the purpose behind the Shotgun Muscle Energy Technique? What should you feel when you are performing this exercise correctly?
Wahine, thanks for the links you posted to Mimi, they were excellent!
Mimi, thanks for posting on this topic!!!!!

With the soft version, you shouldn't feel much of anything. It's a correction technique, that might let your grumpy muscles relax and give any pelvic bones that might be hanging out in an awkward ("out of alignment") position a chance to gradually squirm their way back to where they belong.

It's dull and boring, like rocking a baby.

What you'll feel (if anything) is that after the soft shotgun your back might not be as sore, or your grumpy muscles might have relaxed.

[songlady]

Knotted, thanks for the clarification :)

[KnottedYet]

I luuuuuuuuurve the shotgun MET, it can help with so many grumpy things!

I usually recommend doing it morning (before getting out of bed) and night (before falling asleep) for a week or two to give it a chance. See if it works.

It's way cool when it does work!

(groovy cosmic PT)

[mimitabby]

Hee hee! The tough ones I gave to the OCS to fix! :D (sometimes it really pays to be a lowly assistant!:p )

I knew a D.O. who said that everyone doing finals in her group kept a Lifesaver in their mouth so they could crunch it duing manips, cuz the examiner wanted to HEAR it.

I do like giving the soft shotgun to women to use to fix themselves, so often it really helps.

it sounds like a livesaver crunching in your mouth? REALLY??

[Wahine]

Mimi - The aggressive technique is a manipulation that has to be done by a certified individual. It uses the same squeezing motion that the exercise Knott posted, but the resistance is porvided by the practitioner instead of a pillow and after each contraction the practitioner repositions the knees farther out as appropriate. After repeating this a few times, the practitioner will then perform a quick thrust out on the knees while the client resists. This causes a gapping athe pubic symphasis and can allow things to realign themselves. It is often startling because of the noise that comes with the manipulation, but ideally it is not painful. This technique carries a lot of risk if done improperly or on the wrong type of clients. So there are a lot of techniques that a practioner should choose first, like the exercise Knott posted, because they carry less risk. It's one of those things you do when nothing else seems to be doing the trick.

From what I can gather Mimi, you would most likely fall into the wrong kind of patient for the full manipulation. I almost never use it and I've been certified to do manipultions for 7 years.

Edited for spelling to add - it sounds like a single clean, loud crack on a lifesaver. But it comes from your pubic area, so it's really kinda creepy.

[mimitabby]

uh, Wahine, I'm going to do that exercise twice a day until the pain is gone.
I have no interest in the full meal deal. i was merely curious.
eeek.
I should continue to do that exercise after i am healed. Somehow one part of me is too strong for another part, which is what makes this occur in the first place.