Question
I am 33 yrs old male, in excellant shape. I play semi pro baseball, and off season I play ice hockey (compatativly)My chiropracter has diagonsed me with iliolumbar sacroiliac syndrome. Because I swing with such torque in my back, I have constant pain before the game, and much worse as the game progresses. I've tried strenghtening my back and abs, but it pursists. Is there anything that can be done besides retiring ?


Thank you very much for all help

Mark

Answer
Dear Mark,

You need to work on stability issues and focus on generating the power in your swing from your abdominal musculature, your legs, and the core, rather than the low back.  In addition, you likely need to have some soft tissue mobilization in the low back to combat the excessive rotational torque created from the swing.

You probably have a significant strain in the sacroiliac joints as well...the ligaments there are to resist motion, are the strongest in the body but can produce incredible amounts of pain when inflamed.

I would recommend that you look into getting some deep tissue massage, and also look for a chiropractor who is certified in sports injuries or strength and conditioning, or an advanced soft tissue technique. I think that your injury, being chronic, needs more than the traditional chiropractic approach.  You probably have more imbalances in the hip and pelvis that should be addressed in addition to the others mentioned above. The credentials you should look for are CCSP, DACBSP, and CSCS.

Some websites for you...hopefully these will help you find a doctor near you who can help.

www.acbsp.com
www.nsca-lift.org
www.grastontechnique.com
www.activerelease.com

Don't give up yet Mark.  You may need to take a season off while working to create a more stable platform in which to perform with, but that it better than retirement any day!

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