Question
Hello,

I have been battling deep glute/hamstring pain for over a year now. The pain surfaced about 30 days after running a 1/2 marathon. (Which I trained for properly under the supervision of a personal trainer.) Below is a time line of my experience:
October 2010- A tight pinching pain in what feels like the "tie" between my upper hamstring and glute muscle. Increasing after running. I practiced RICE, stretching.
Nov 2010- I saw a chiropractor and massage therapist twice weekly for 1 month. The massages were incredibly painful focusing on my glutes, hips and IT band. Minimal improvement.
Feb- 2011- I began physical therapy. During the 12 weeks of therapy the pain became much more "pinching" and less tightness. It began to wrap around the front of my hip. Almost as though a rubber band was placed at the top of my leg. My hamstrings became much tighter. Simple movements such as pulling off my right shoe with my left foot became nearly impossible. I stopped running all together. After 3 different treatment approaches I was told to see an orthopedist.
June 2011- Orthopedist: 2 MRI's one of my lumbar spine and one of my right hip. 2 buldging discs noted, no other diagnosis. Referral to a neurosurgeon. At this point I felt as though I was getting "lost" in the medical community and decided to go back to a different chiropractor.
July 2011- Series of adjustments in my back hips and feet (sesmoids). Lots of tape, and elimination of gluten from my diet. I began to feel improvement. I started running again. The "constant pull" in my hamstrings began to subside. However, I now still have pain after running or strength training my lower body. It seems centered around my coxis and the same glute/hip area traveling down the hamstring. I feel it in BOTH legs now and I have nerve spasms at the end of EVERY day in my glutes, back of my knees, calves, and top of my feet. Also, immediatley after exercise of any kind. My right calf feels like it is cramped, but the muscle is not actually contracted. Almost like an aching feeling.
Oct 2011- 4 weeks of acupuncture. Little relief, increased spasms.
I am wondering if I have piriformis syndrome. The acupuncture MD thinks its an SI thing. "No twisting movement" So I have been following that. But a couple of other details that medical professionals do not think are related: I broke my toe twice #same spot 6 months apart# in 2010. It still hurts after running. Also, after running my bladder is much more sensitive. I have very little "warning" for about 12 hours after a run. Then back to normal the next day.
Thoughts??? Suggestions?
Thank you.

Answer
hi Diane,
First off: i think you should go back to the 2nd chiropractor and bring your MRI's if possible. It is clearly an SI (sacro-iliac) problem or a L5 problem. L5 nerve controls the sensation on top of the foot. it could also be S1 nerve root which controls the calf muscle. Either way, the only person that can remove the pressure off that nerve is your chiropractor.
ps- make sure you have your chiro check your psoas muscle. you never mentioned anyone checking that for you. The ilio-psoas muscle is crucual when relieving sciatica. It's a muscle that connects to your lumbar spine (discs also) and to your pelvis and hip joint and can cause a lot of the symptoms you've described.
pss-the L3 nerve and sacral nerves control messages to your bladder.