Question
I was snowboarding the other day and took a nice fall off a jump. I am not quite sure how I landed, but when I came to my senses I was a little winded. It is about day three after my fall and I am feeling soreness on the lower left side of my back. There is a clicking sensation that you can actually feel from the outside when I bend down and to the right. The clicking is about in. above the waist line. I cant not do any type of bouncing up or down, it will cause pain. I haven't tried lifting anything either. I have iced/heated for the past 3 days all day. What could I have possibly done? Also, what else is there to do about it?

Answer
Dear Jerry,

When you have an impact and there is not only pain but also noise from the tissue that can be reproduced with motion a few immediate causes come to mind...full thickness muscle or tendon tear, which is rare in the lower back; a fracture of the vertebra or rib which can either be stable or unstable; or significant ligament or joint capsule disruption that allows for excessive motion, and can lead to a dislocation of the rib and the vertebra.

All of these options can be checked with a simple examination of the are of complaint, and x-ray of the spine, and possible MRI if nothing can be found.  Any doctor can do this, but you are likely to get the best examination from a chiropractic physician or an orthopedist due to the fact that this is a musculoskeletal injury/issue.

You need to schedule an appointment to have it checked out to make sure what the real cause is.  I the mean time do not use heat anymore as it will actually increase the amount of inflammation you have and likely increase the pain as well.  Ice is the best option for the reduction of pain, swelling, and inflammation.  Apply for 20 minutes on the tissue, and 1 hour off.  repeat as necessary.  In addition if you use an ice water solution in a bag, you can place it directly on the skin, but if you are using a frozen ice pack, I would place a thin layer of toweling between the ice and the skin.

Bottom Line, get to the doctor and get an exam...get the x-ray as well.

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