Quote Originally Posted by KnottedYet View Post
Ask your PT to explain the symptomology of a lumbar anterior derangement to you (in particular how it effects WOMEN), and have her show you the flexion (bending forward) movements to correct it. Once it's corrected, the ham and piri will stop freaking out. The tingling with extension will also go away.

Also, ask her to teach you to stand properly in a neutral pelvic tilt, with knees unlocked and core engaged.
Thanks again, Knotted, for the recommendation.

I've had a couple more PT sessions and I asked about anterior lumbar derangement. She explained what it was and said it's a possibility as is spinal stenosis (walking the dog and leaning back/getting pulled is more painful than pushing a cart in the grocery store), and she put me on some stretches and strengthening exercises for the lower back. I'd been doing piriformis and hamstring exercises for several weeks and they weren't helping much.

Today, I mentioned that I noticed that crouching helps with the spasms and she said that sounds more like psoas muscle. Lying on the table on my back with my left leg hanging off the side was painful in the "spasm" area, lying on my back rotating both legs (knees bent) side to side was painful in the same area (left side) when rotating knees to the right - both of these she said point to the psoas muscle. She sounds very convinced that this is the problem, and since the exercises do pull the sore area I'm a lot more confident we're on the right track now, too. The only doubt I have is that the tingling didn't sound like a psoas symptom, but she did say that everyone is built differently.

Anyway, I hope I'm finally on track to getting this thing settled down. I'll keep doing the exercises and listening to my body. It sure would be a lot easier if body parts didn't blame each other so darned much!