PT heal thyself

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I decided after three races and several rides where my lower back tightened up to the point of hardly being able to ride that I needed to see someone. And while I have learned everything that the sports PTs know while I was in school, that was a few years ago and I haven't used any of special tests or manual therapy skills since I graduated. Also, with the issue being in the back, I would not be able to do any self manipulations or moblizations even if I remembered them. I just knew that there was something wrong with the mobility and the musculature around my spine and pelvis.

So I went to the PT clinic near my house - trying to act dumb. My self diagnosis based on the pain and movement patterns in my back was pretty close. She did some mobilization and trigger point work on my back and deep hip rotators. Oh man, that hurt. I could tell that the mobility along the vertebra was really affected the minute she started with that. But it helped a lot. My back was not as stiff afterwards. Now I just need to behave myself and do the stretching and strengthening exercises (that I really should have been doing all along) so that this doesn't come back.

Why didn't I go into sports? Because I didn't want to work on people like me! Just because it's not hurting doesn't mean it's better and you can stop with the exercises. And if the PT says 25, doing 50 is  not better!

Comments

  1. RonMay 26, 2010 at 3:09 PM

    Do you know any Mckenzie? It sounds like a lumbar stiffness issue to me!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. TracyMay 26, 2010 at 3:59 PM

    Ron, It's been years since I learned that - that's why I'm seeing someone! But that's actually part of the issue - stiffness in the lumbar region as well as muscle strenght/length imbalances.

    ReplyDelete

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