Question
about 2 months ago i was doing back handsprings in gymnastics (I've been going since November 2006) & usually i'm fine when i do them, but this time i havent been doing my backbends so after doing so many back handsprings in one day i REALLY hurt my lower back & the muscles in it...soo i went to the hospital & they recommended physical therapy. Well, i just waited for my back to get better before i went. & it got better within a few days. BUT, i decided to go to physical therapy after that anyway, when my back pain was rated like 2 on a 1-10 scale, 10 being the most painful. Well, the therapist taught me some exercises to make the muscles stronger, and ive been doing them, but for some reason my back never seems to get better. And i am getting soo sick of my lower back hurting like this. I just don't know what to do anymore, I'm tired of cancelling my gymnastics lessons every so often because of my hurting back.
I've also tried using BioFreeze, which takes away 1/3 of the pain for like only an hour or two, but i cant really depend on it.

And about my right leg...it just started hurting a few days ago, and i have no idea why. I think it might be from doing soo many toe touches or maybe im stretching too much or never enough. But it hurts so bad that I can't even stretch it. It hurts all the way from the back of the knee to the right side of my butt...

what can i do about these problems?

Answer
Hi Sarah,

It sounds like you have done just about everything you can with the muscles. The one thing you haven't mentioned is manipulation therapy. This works fast for facet and biomechanical problems. Make an appointment with a Chiropractor that comes highly recommended and you'll probably see results in a week or less. There can be an infinite amount of underlying issues that cause pain such as short leg, muscle imbalance, inflammation, ect. Going to a specialist like a D.C. is the best option.

Good Luck!

Dr. Timothy Durnin
drs.chiroweb.com