Bad Diagnosis Today

[6xcKY]

Been "power lifting" for about 10 months now, far from strong but Ill post numbers so someone can laugh. Bench-300, Squat-405, DL-515.

I have always had lower back problems, probably due to all my jobs have been either window time or desk oriented.

Saturday I bent over to pick something up and heard several pops, and it was non stop pain all weekend, so I decided to get scanned yesterday.

First person to read the study said definite Scoliosis (not extremely horrible, but not good either. Definite S pattern).
Second person to read the study said extreme arthritis, and Spina Bifida Occulta presence.

Im going this friday to see a chiropractor and discuss severity after doing an MRI and other things.

Needless to say Im pretty down about it, I've always tried to have good form when lifting and can't stand to think a year of lifting would have made this big of difference.

Anyone else suffer from these same conditions? Any advice on how to keep doing what I love and not be crippled by the time I am 40?

 

[One1Bravo]

Been "power lifting" for about 10 months now, far from strong but Ill post numbers so someone can laugh. Bench-300, Squat-405, DL-515.

I have always had lower back problems, probably due to all my jobs have been either window time or desk oriented.

Saturday I bent over to pick something up and heard several pops, and it was non stop pain all weekend, so I decided to get scanned yesterday.

First person to read the study said definite Scoliosis (not extremely horrible, but not good either. Definite S pattern).
Second person to read the study said extreme arthritis, and Spina Bifida Occulta presence.

Im going this friday to see a chiropractor and discuss severity after doing an MRI and other things.

Needless to say Im pretty down about it, I've always tried to have good form when lifting and can't stand to think a year of lifting would have made this big of difference.

Anyone else suffer from these same conditions? Any advice on how to keep doing what I love and not be crippled by the time I am 40?

The trick about staying healthy is paying attention to what you do in every day life. It's really easy to pay attention to form when lifting because weights are involved. But most people, including myself, get complacent in every day life and don't pay attention to how they move. Pay attention to your body, rest when you need to. Nutrition is very important to recovery and also staying healthy and uninjured.

 

[240nmc]

Recommend a book by Dr. Kelly Starret, “Becoming A Supple Leopard”. All about movement and mobility . Best read you can get.

 

[footsteps]

Mri should be done with and without contrast for best results... I have 6 screws and 3 rods in my lumbar spine fused from S1- L4.

 

[GatorMD97]

Don’t waste your time with a chiropractor! Get an MRI. Most back issues will resolve on their own but there are some that are dangerous and a chiropractor can make them worse. Surgery will make things better quicker in the short term but not in the long term and usually ends up being a vicious cycle of more surgery. Don’t get cut on unless you have cauda equine syndrome, or significant acute nerve deficits. Get the opinion of a real spine doctor and tell them you don’t want surgery unless it’s an absolute last resort. Sometimes epidural injections can help. I’m a physician and back pain is a huge problem and ultimately none of us really know how to best treat it and you should always err on the noninvasive side if possible. There may be some good chiropractors out there but the majority of it is snake oil.

 

[Derek200]

Spina Bifida and scoliosis aren’t a result of lifting. At least as far as I know. The doc is saying you have scoliosis and Spina Bifida and they just noticed it because of your injury? If that’s the case, your injury should heal and you should be back like you were before injury. Still with scoliosis and Spina Bifida but able to squat.

Right?

 

[ZiaHunter]

After years of lifting and playing sports including logging tens of thousands of miles on a bicycle I started have back issues. One day my back locked up and was in bad shape. Went to an Ortho and had x rays taken. When they put them up in the exam room I asked them who's back was that and they said mine. Degenerative scoliosis in L4 through T12 w 13 degree curvature. Had to quit doing the heavy squats and other lifts that compress the spine. The curvature causes muscle spasms on occasion which are extremely painful and just have to work through it. Still work out and ride and work on core. My Ortho said the same thing Gator states which is surgery is a last resort.

 

[thejeep]

Unless you have mobility restrictions:

Try some pull ups or just hang.

Lay on belly and straighten out lifting chest head arms and legs off ground. Repeat

Fill Nalgene bottle with hot water and lay down on it and roll over the hurt area.

Leg lifts while laying down on back.

 

[davere]

Your numbers are nowhere near weak, man.

Likely, you've just tweaked an erector muscle or something. It hurts like hell. It goes away eventually. Usually, it's because you've got a lack of mobility in some direction, and that muscle is under tension all the time because of it. There are good suggestions above about resources. @smashwerx on IG is a great one, too.

In most cases, spina bifida occulta is a "oh, look at that" type of thing, and doesn't have any symptoms or dangers. What kind of "scan" did you have? I've seen so many radiology techs read something and claim to know what's going on, and be completely wrong, I'd be careful who I believed that way. If it wasn't your doc making the diagnosis, ignore... I have SBO, BTW - no factor for me at all.

 

[brianf]

all joking aside, thats why i stopped dead lifting and squatting heavy.
not 25 years old anymore, was getting afraid of something letting go.
as said before...no to the chiro.
ever notice that everyone that goes to a chiro never stops????

popping sound isnt good but your going pretty heavy/pretty strong.
youd be surprised how strong your back muscles are when they get a spasm.
a few years back i couldnt got off my bed out of my car, fucking mess for about 2 weeks before i went to a spine guy.
i swore i had a bulged disc, wound up being that 2/3 of my back muscles spasm and was overpowering everything.
a few weeks of massage and muscle relaxers and i was back to going heavy again.

 

[amcardon]

Don’t waste your time with a chiropractor! Get an MRI. Most back issues will resolve on their own but there are some that are dangerous and a chiropractor can make them worse. Surgery will make things better quicker in the short term but not in the long term and usually ends up being a vicious cycle of more surgery. Don’t get cut on unless you have cauda equine syndrome, or significant acute nerve deficits. Get the opinion of a real spine doctor and tell them you don’t want surgery unless it’s an absolute last resort. Sometimes epidural injections can help. I’m a physician and back pain is a huge problem and ultimately none of us really know how to best treat it and you should always err on the noninvasive side if possible. There may be some good chiropractors out there but the majority of it is snake oil.

Non invasive... like a Chiropractor?

I am a Chiropractor, I'd be happy to answer any questions you have as far as Chiropractic or what things to look for to find a decent doc. 50% of my patient base is Cross-Fit injuries and about 30% is pregnancy and pediatric. I do treat multiple power lifters and have multiple patients that are serious competitors.

I get hesitation with Chiropractic, I've had bad adjustments for sure, but I've also seen absolute miracles where other docs were saying surgery was the only option which was BS. If you do an MRI and see that there's something that needs repair, figure out if there are other options besides surgery. Sometimes there is, sometimes there isn't.

Just because some Dentists, MDs, PTs, DCs, whatever suck doesn't mean they all do! Regardless of what you choose, good luck man. Back pain sucks.

 

[ZEROGUY]

I had my back go out at 30, same day my first son was born. Like debilitating could not walk or stand for two weeks, constant back spasms, and worst pain of my life. After that incident you could litterally see the curvature in my spine just looking at me standing all cockeyed off to one side.

Not a power lifter I am fit and stay relatively healthy, but I had some chronic lower back pain and went to see a chiropractor, that's when my trouble really started.

To make a long story short, 2 MRI's, 1 x ray and a spine specialist later I was told basically same thing, scoliosis, arthritic discs, sciatica, and to top it off I have an extra lumbar in my back which really screws things up.

Recovery was almost 6-7 months before I felt normal again. Since then I've made it a point to take it easy on my back, no crazy lifting, listen to my body sort of thing. I have also made it a point to stretch and do core exercises 1-2 time a week, even had my wife show me some yoga positions I've been working on. Recently I started lifting wights 2x week with a trainer, which I haven't done since high school, while I still cant even do a proper squat on account of my scoliosis, I'm working up to it. I'm now feeling better than before my incident, I've had 2 small flare ups between now and then but I've learned how to listen to my body and overall I'm in a lot better shape.

But I understand your fear, I had the same feelings when my back when mine went out and became a father in the same day. How am I gonna keep up with this guy in ten years and I cant even pick him up now?

I'd say be patient and hopeful, it can take a while and probably some lifestyle changes but it will get better. Maybe do less lifting and start some yoga. I don't know your workout routine or physiology, but all the muscle mass you've built up could be your biggest determent at this point. Getting the core strength built up in the right areas can help your body cope, while exercising the wrong ones over and over may just make the situation worse.

Might want to work with a physical therapist or experienced trainer before doing any more lifting.

Avoid the pills and surgeries at all costs.

 

[Lionsbreath]

If you weigh under 200lbs yer numbers are pretty impressive man!! I tore a muscle in my back dead-lifting 10 yrs ago ( couldn’t walk out of the gym) or work for 2 wks, and it’s pretty much never been the same.. I feel it every morning, not trying to depress you.. About 3 yrs ago it started goin out on me every so often, finally I said to hell with it and went to a chiropractor for the first time in my life, ( he sucked) wanted me to come back for 24 more visits, then I found a good one that said hey your way outta of alignment and you have a weak core? she threw me up on the table,sans x-rays,and wrenched that bitch back into place like a boss, 1st visit! My back hadn’t felt that good since I was 18.. She said hey look, your lined up come back when you feel like you need too.. Now, I’m married with two kids and don’t feel the need to be huge anymore.. Train smart (which I’m sure you do) It was always numbers for me I didn’t listen to the old veterans back then... But yoga and stretching, core work is where it’s at when your nearing 40.. That’s my 2 cents

 

[Rog2069]

If you weigh under 200lbs yer numbers are pretty impressive man!! I tore a muscle in my back dead-lifting 10 yrs ago ( couldn’t walk out of the gym) or work for 2 wks, and it’s pretty much never been the same.. I feel it every morning, not trying to depress you.. About 3 yrs ago it started goin out on me every so often, finally I said to hell with it and went to a chiropractor for the first time in my life, ( he sucked) wanted me to come back for 24 more visits, then I found a good one that said hey your way outta of alignment and you have a weak core? she threw me up on the table,sans x-rays,and wrenched that bitch back into place like a boss, 1st visit! My back hadn’t felt that good since I was 18.. She said hey look, your lined up come back when you feel like you need too.. Now, I’m married with two kids and don’t feel the need to be huge anymore.. Train smart (which I’m sure you do) It was always numbers for me I didn’t listen to the old veterans back then... But yoga and stretching, core work is where it’s at when your nearing 40.. That’s my 2 cents

I tore a muscle in my back at the gym this past Monday night. Guess I should take the core work and stretching advice too!

 

[beenjammin]

I agree with no Chiropractor if you got disk ruptures, but agree with amc above. not all are bad. Go see you PCP and get a referral to a Physical therapist and take your MRI for an appropriate action plan. Sometimes direct injection of steriods to the disk can alleviate inflammation enough to move back into place without surgery.

 

[agbm]

If you can have someone show you the MRI on a monitor they maybe able to explain and show you if you have any of the conditions in the photo other than normal disk/ vertebrae. Laser Spine Institute helped me out.

 

[FatBoy]

Don’t waste your time with a chiropractor! Get an MRI. Most back issues will resolve on their own but there are some that are dangerous and a chiropractor can make them worse. Surgery will make things better quicker in the short term but not in the long term and usually ends up being a vicious cycle of more surgery. Don’t get cut on unless you have cauda equine syndrome, or significant acute nerve deficits. Get the opinion of a real spine doctor and tell them you don’t want surgery unless it’s an absolute last resort. Sometimes epidural injections can help. I’m a physician and back pain is a huge problem and ultimately none of us really know how to best treat it and you should always err on the noninvasive side if possible. There may be some good chiropractors out there but the majority of it is snake oil.

This is good advice, though I dont know whatclaudia, etc is.

I'm on my 4th lumbar surgery. When my discs pop my body scars them into place for some reason instead of absorbing it. I hurt myself 12 weeks ago getting out of bed to piss, and I work out 5-8 times a week. You never know. 6 weeks of PT and a new 22 minute stretch routine and I'm back at it.

A good manual physical therapist is a gift from God, as is a gifted surgeon.

 

[SSzelong]

I would look into the Schroth method and seek some professional advice. Just picking up a book like the Supple leopard that someone mentioned might give you an idea of what you can do, but if you don’t apply it properly you can end up hurting yourself more than helping. I’ve heard good/bad from different chiros. I hate to tell you it depends, but some I trust and others I don’t. PT goes for same. I’m a PT and I’ve seen good/bad. Our offices incorporate different methods for different individuals. No two people are the same. Don’t always let imaging scare you by doing a google search. Certain pathologies require surgery, but others are manageable with conservative care. Find yourself a respected PT to put you together a program and get you going on it. Follow up once a year or every six months to track progress and modify the program as needed

 

[Tunnuh]

Man, I had something similar discovered at a chiropractor, but I hurt my back running. Same pop and snapping when stretching after I was hurting from a short 2 mile run. I actually got better help from them than the Dr. I went back to lifting based on some advise from the chiropractor and a friend and I'm at 505 on my squats. 325 bench, and deadlifts are only 375 right now, but the important thing is my back feels great. Just ease back into it and listen to your body.