Question
A couple of years ago i was weightlifting and i had the bar over my head when it feel back pulling my upper body straight toward the ground. As soon as i let go of the bar and stood up my lower back felt like someone nailed me with a bat! So i started doing some stretches for my back for the next month but that only made it hurt worse. Since then it hurts to stand, sit, or put even a little weight on my shoulders for awhile. For two years it has been hurting on and off. Then it stopped hurting for about 4 months then started back up again. Now it has been three years and its still hurting! Can you tell me whats wrong with it?

Answer
Dear David,

I cannot tell you what is wrong with your back without having a full history, a functional examination, imaging of the area of complaint (if warranted after physical examination).

What I can tell you is that a trauma such as you described should have been immediately followed-up on.  It is very likely that you tore some of the muscular or fascial structures in your low back, and that the healing process has resulted in abnormal scar formation and chronic pain.  

Other issues are that you could have also created a small fracture, or a compression fracture in your low back that went untreated...I have seen this many times in that past, and often these injuries cause lifelong issues because they were not addressed when they were new.  Disk problems can easily be cased by this mechanism of injury...compression and trauma.  If the disk was injured, it is still injured...they heal poorly especially in the absence of any rehab procedures.

Bottom line is that you need to have a functional examination of the low back to include x-rays, and a possible MRI depending on the examination results.  orthopedic testing should be performed to better identify the offending tissue that are creating the pain.  A chiropractic physician is a great choice to perform the examination, or an orthopedist...and it would help if the doctor has additional training in sports injury.  This has been an issue for too long, it is time to do something about it....make the appointment and have it checked out!

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthcare.net