CASE OF THE WEEK
Teenage chronic low back pain finally solved. Imagine you are 19 years old and have played baseball you entire life, dreaming of playing in the big leagues one day. Now imagine that dream being taken away from you by an injury caused by playing the sport you love so much incorrectly. The emotions start with anger and eventually turn into depression. This college baseball player presented to our office complaining of chronic low back pain. The patient has seen chiropractors, an orthopedic surgeon and a physical therapist prior to consulting with me. The patient had no complaints of pain in his legs but complains of pain with prolonged standing or sitting and is unable to play baseball without pain. His low back pain started several years ago while trying to hone his baseball swing. He practiced for hours with improper mechanics and played in constant pain. His x-rays were inconclusive but suggested a possible stress fracture in his lower back that is common in young athletes.
These fractures are called pars fractures. We ordered an MRI to confirm our suspicions. The MRI revealed a stress fracture on both sides of his low back, explaining his chronic unresolved lower back pain.
Now you are asking, how do we treat a patient like this. Core stability is important here to prevent further stress from developing at the old fracture site. In order for this athlete to compete at a high level, he may also need surgery to stabilize the fractures. There is a surgical procedure in which a bone paste can be inserted into the fracture site and assist the site in closing. This would stabilize the lower back and with the proper core training and movement pattern changes, the patient will be able to return to college baseball and make his run at the big leagues.
This players pain all started with incorrect repetitive mechanics at a young age. In order for us to help him play baseball again, we are going to video tape him hitting a baseball in 3D and determine how efficient he is with his movements. Once we find the flaws in his movement patterns, we will be able to design specific exercise protocols to correct his mechanics and stop him from putting further stress on his spine.
Stay tuned as we chart the progress of this athlete. Will be sharing his test results from the 3D motion analysis and his training progress and we prepare him to return to the sport he loves. If you know someone who is looking to get to the next level in their particular sport, give us a call at South West Health and we will get them on the right path.
| ||||||
Related Articles:
New treatment for neck pain Costa MesaMore articles by this author
Best Pillow for side and back sleepersNew treatment for neck pain Costa MesaShare this Article
South West Health
