I have been battling an issue for many years (it comes and goes)…but just before my first Ironman this year (Redman) the issue kept me from running for a month and I haven’t run since the Ironman (even though I hobbled through the marathon piece in Sept.).
The diagnosis is that my SI joint is the issue and I will have an injection of cortisone and lidocaine into it next week. I have tried Phys. therapy, drugs, chiro, etc;
I am hoping this will give me some relief to begin to work on core/stretching, look at some orthotics, etc;
If anyone has had this procedure and would like to discuss on this thread or email it would be greatly appreciated. Down and out in Mississippi.
Suspenders. I’ve had SI problems since 1969, when I was 18. When I started wearing suspenders, no problema. Well, not NO, but very little. When I wear jeans on the weekend–problem. When my back is bothering me, and I’m going for a long run, I wear my older DeSoto tri-bibs. I started wearing them, because my wife liked how they looked on men. I noticed the first day that my chronic back pain was better. That benefit has persisted.
With back extensions, dead lifts, core exercise–I almost never have back issues any more, except sometimes on the weekends, when I wear pants with belts. Go figure.
What is the specific diagnosis? The cortizone is to reduce inflammation and make it stop hurting - hopefully! But, it will not fix what ails you, unless your issue is due to the pain/spasm/pain cycle. Then breaking that chain might be the ticket. However, if you have SI hypermobility (my numba one guess), you need to tighten that baby up. For that, you will need this: http://www.prolotherapy.com/
I am “fixated” i.e. STUCK…no issue with Hyper, but HYPO. The S.I. Joint isn’t designed to move much but should a little. I am “Stuck” on the left side. The theory, like you said, is to break the piain cycle and work on core/stretching and probably orthodicts (sp…) and let the body heal itself.
This probably flared up (even though it rears it’s head once a year on average for the last 12 or so years) due to an overuse issue (training for an Ironman). But, I need to find relief…and soon.
Open for ideas.
I had a problem with my SI joint going into Boston this year. It took me & my ART/Chiro a while to diagnose it, mainly because I didn’t give him enough info on the symptoms. Once we figured it out, he treated it which ART & some adjustment 2 times per week for about 8 weeks.
After not being able to run 5 steps without crying going into Boston, I ran the fastest IM marathon I’ve ever run at LP 3 months later.
Good luck. Those were the worst 5 months of my life. I hated not loving to run. I was miserable all the time. I think it was caused, like you, by overtraining - or more specifically, trying to run too fast too soon on the dreadmil. Now I’m horrified of the thought of getting back on it this winter.
Wow, sounds familiar…4wks before REDMAN I was “incapacitated” and started going to the chriro, Phys. therapy, and even had a cortisone in the butt shot (Not Fluroscopy). I continued to swim/bike (but went into the taper sooner than I wanted). I thought I might have to walk the Marathon (I did walk the first .25 miles) but, I kept an ice pack on the joint and numerous (14) ibuprofens and I made it…but, since then, rest has not helped. So, I am trying to knock out the pain with this procedure (http://www.spine-surgery.com/53_253_4637314646323033334445433434303942334242363530354442314633423732.htm#SI%20Joint%20Injections)
Do you have any stretches/core excersises / diet or anything that really helped? rest? HELP…I NEED HELP and am looking for any suggestions. Stretching diagrams/core workouts, etc;…tks
I’ve had these problems off and on since 1989. Half my life.
I had the injection way back in 89, didn’t do a thing for me.
I also had a pt last year tell me my sacrum was torqued and needed to be re aligned. That didn’t do a thing either. He then started to say that one side was too tight and the other too losse. At that point I realized he had no idea what the problem was.
It seems ot respond to rest and at other times heals spontaneously. Not to say that I really believe it helas spontaneously through aliens or something, but rather whatever the mechanicsm of pain and healing is, no one knows what it is.
I tried to stretch the areas in my legs (mainly hip flexors & groin area) where I felt the pain, but it didn’t help much. I also relied on ibuprofin (way too much, IMO), but I too was desperate.
Did you mention to our chiro that you think it’s SI? He never even thought of it for me until we were discussing a race walker who had it and he described the symptoms. Then I mentioned that my foot sounded like it was “slapping” when I was running, and he said right away “why didn’t you tell me sooner!” A month later it was gone.
The ART/Chiro did some crazy thing where I layed face down on the table. Then he strapped my legs down, and kinda pulled my legs away from my body, while angling the table down. I have no idea WTF he was doing, but I’ll tell you, it felt really freeking good! I’m not a big fan of medicine if I can avoid it, so I tried everything without resorting to an injection.
both the chiro and PT diagnosed a fixated si joint on the left side (typical test of putting hands on lower back, raising each leg, etc; then lying me down (face first) and pulling up on the leg.
The si joint injection will confirm…
So, we have known it’s an SI issue for awhile.
I am “fixated” i.e. STUCK…no issue with Hyper, but HYPO. The S.I. Joint isn’t designed to move much but should a little. I am “Stuck” on the left side. The theory, like you said, is to break the piain cycle and work on core/stretching and probably orthodicts (sp…) and let the body heal itself.
This probably flared up (even though it rears it’s head once a year on average for the last 12 or so years) due to an overuse issue (training for an Ironman). But, I need to find relief…and soon.
Open for ideas.
How old are you? The SI joint fuses with age, and it’s mobility is next to nothing. Yes, normally it moves a little in younger people, but not appreciably. IMHO, (I’m about to get flamed here), SI joint dysfunction is likely the most overdiagnosed condition of the lumbopelvic complex. Doesn’t mean it’s not the problem though, because they do occasionally make trouble. Good news is, if you have the injection, and the pain is really from there, it will get worse for a short time, then WAY better, and then likely worse again back to normal. At least you’d know you are barking up the right tree. Athletes LOVE to blame the SIJ. Or at least their chiropractors do… another story altogether…
If I were you, I’d find out WHY it’s doing that, not just that IT IS. Muscle balance, relative stiffness problems (most athletes have such strong extremeties that frequently the muscle stiffness, which is DIRECTLY proportional to girth, gets higher than that of the trunk, so the tail starts wagging the dog, so to speak.
39…and this was the best overall productive Tri year until about 4wks before my Ironman. After the Iron I took 3 wks off and it wasn’t getting better…and, I haven’t run in over 5wks.
i second the prolotherapy… had nearly 8months of bilateral hip tendinitis and nothing helped as much as these “sugar water” injections… (i tried acupuncture, PT work, icing stretching etc.) if you interested in more info. do a search on past posts on ST. i’ve mentioned some helpful info some months back
REPORT:
I had the procedure Wednesday. Here is a breakdown.
Remeber, this is the pain management guy, not a pt or chiro, etc;
He made me bend my leg, push, pull, etc; to find the pain (that was easy).
He thinks it may be more in the hip, but he treated it as an SI Joint issue based on what the chiro said.
He then records the level of pain (in my case 6.5 on a 10 schedule)…then, he puts you under, adminsters a numbing agent and shoots you with cortisone.
I “wake up” he then does the same tests…Level of pain…1.0 …from a Diagnostic standpoint that says “maybe” that is the area of concern (but, I may have gotten a 2 for 1…i.e. number the joint and the piriformis)…if I still had pain, then it would not have been the right area.
It was great that day…little to no pain, the next day…sore/pain…but I woke with no stiffness in the joint (1st time in forever)…now, today (2 days later) pain is at a 2 level (not stiffness after sleep…wonderful)…cortison is probably kicking in to heal it.
bottom line, I will continue chiro and PT and probably look at muscle/core imbalance and also look at orthotics…
Opinions welcome.
I want to keep this thread active to get feedback as most runners and/or bikers have experienced some form of this pain.
I am “7 days” post injection…on day 3 I did core/elliptical work, day 4 more elliptical, day 5 chiro adjustment and hard core…day 6…swim, day 7 chiro adjustement and rest).
Pain level:
Before (1-10 with 10…ouch) - 6.5
Day 1- 1
Day 2 -1
Day 3 -2
Day 4 - 2
Day 5 - 3 (sore after core work and adjustment)
Day 6 - 4
Day 7 - 4
The injection was done to break the pain cycle and heal the joint (I feel like that is happening and am pleased). But the issue is finding out how it became inflamed.
But, I have weakness in the left hip and “some” soreness in the s.i. but nowhere near what it used to be.
We believe the hip is not stable due to maybe the root of the issue “gluteus medius” being weak (i.e. I can barely balance myself on that leg. Opinions welcome.
bump for the evening crow.
I am located in Vicksburg, MS…anyone have suggestions (pt, chiro, ortho, etc;) in this area that you would recommend.
PM is fine.
