Success with Prolotherapy?
Hello,
I injured my lower back 6 years ago by carelessly squatting a large amount of weight and then collapsing under it. I was in acute pain for a month thereafter.
However, I continued lifting and sported a lumbar support for the next 4 years. In the last 2 years, I stopped lifting, but continued to wear a lumbar brace and have noticed an increase in lower back pain, particularly where the ligaments attach to the SI Joints and everywhere in between.
I was in such pain for these last 6 months, that I researched every therapy out there and then decided to try prolotherapy before anything else. Believing that prolotherapy would regenerate my ligaments, I did notice improvement initially for about 6-8 weeks with 3 sessions of injections in this time. After about 5-6 sessions, after a period of 3 months, I am back to where I was originally and my pain has relapsed and gotten worse.
Anyone have a similar story? Thanks.
Sorry about the problem. First thing is get rid of the brace. More harm was done wearing that thing than any support it gave you. The back is lined with multiple layers of muscle and it is the deepest ones that are the most effected by injuries. They are short and only go one or two vertebrae at most. They need to be strengthened. The most damage was done in an area that few people recognize let alone treat. That is the Transverse Abdominal muscles. They are the functioning pelvic girdle. By wearing that brace you have stopped or limited their function. That creates a problem for stabilization of the pelvis. Instability there allows the ilio-lumbar ligament to loose its tautness and thereby generate pain. The prolotherapy may initially tighten that ligament but it doesn’t stop the reason that it is happening. What I am going to give is a few exercises to help stabilize the pelvis using the transverse abdominal muscles. You will need to get a referral to a physical therapist that understands the role and importance of this muscle. I am going to assume that you have no equipment at home so these can be done without any. Assume a Plank position. That is like a push up except that you are on the elbows instead of the hands. You must keep the lower back straight. Any bowing means that the transverse abdominal muscles are not up to this position yet. Move to a modified plank, that is where you are on the elbows and knees. Again do not let the lower back bow in any direction. Hold that posture for ten seconds and relax. Do that movement five times if possible. Lie on your back with the buttocks against a wall. Place the legs straight up on the wall. The body will now be in an L position. Slowly attempt to lift the legs and hips off the floor. If there is pain or it is just too difficult then stop and wait until there is enough strength generated from the first position. If you are able to that five times. For the lower back, lie on the stomach with the leg of the painful side brought up in a frog position. Stay in that position for five minutes. At the end of that time roll on the side away from the pain and curl both knees up to the chest. Slowly get up from that position. Try this last movement but if there is any hint of reproduction of the pain stop until the lower back is strong enough. Stand up straight and then bend forward so that the hips are bent about 30 degrees. Bend the knees slightly and remember to keep the lower back straight. Start doing small oscilations of the lower back. Stop when you feel the lower back getting tired or getting sore. This will help to stabilize the lower back. With these few movements there should be an improvement but see a physical therapist. Interview them until you find one that understands the relavence of the transverse abdominals and why these exercises are being done.