What to do about embarrassingly middle-aged injury

[Anonymous]

I was working out and pulled something in my back; that healed quickly but I've had sciatic-type pain running down the outside of my left hip and leg for over a month. I assume there was some inflammation that led to pressure on a nerve. How long will this take to heal if I do nothing? Would physical therapy accelerate recovery significantly? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Your right Quadratus Laborum is tight pulling hip up & pinching nerve, on left. A condition called high low illium. Think about it a nerve does not move, neither does a bone without a muscle moving it into that position. It will slowly relax. But if you get some muscle work done,cupping, massage or acupuncture, will heal faster. Chiro will try to pull you in for visits 2 - 3 times a week till your visits run out on your insurance. It should not take that long to heal. That muscle is a stabilizer. The first to engage under any body movement, the reason it was the first injured, overworked. To sit @ a desk all day is just as hard as pulling an engine from a car to your back. I have done both jobs. Want to lift your arm? First you have to stabilize. If you are right handed, its one of the most used muscles in the body. This muscle is key to headaches, sciatic, disc herniations, disc bulges, numb feet, low shoulder...and the list goes on and on. To do a full body stretch daily will do wonders. A stretch is protection, the most agile and flexible people in the world stretch before and after a workout. Dancers, martial artists, gymnasts. Its also a test TO SEE IF YOU WILL INJURE YOURSELF DURING WORKOUT. @ this point you will find your range and know your limits first before engaging in activity..Full range of motion in joints gives the body the greatest power, not a short stroke, like we have been taught to believe. Documented by Discovery. I used to be stuck bent over. I was a mechanic for 15 years, I am 40, and now can do a cartwheel into the splits. I went back to martial arts, it helped, the docs did not. BTW, Pain killers tighten every single muscle in your body, IT would cause more problems. As a surgical rehab specialist, I have seen them cause disc herniations, bulges, headaches, and make mds and surgeons and PT department a lot of $. I also work with professional fighters who compete in the UFC. By loosening that one muscle in a now ex-light heavy weight champs back, he gained over 300 psi in his punch. He is also part of the testing done by Discovery. Check it out. A stretch will save you. And YES!! YOUR RIGHT QL is making your LEFT HIP pain. IF they concentrate on left side..they will be milking your wallet. Hit me up for more info and a pdf file stretch routine if you would like. Be glad to help you. Physical therapy will strengthen the muscle that is already so strong, because it holds itself in a short position, stronger. STRONGER?? NO!! I clean up after them all the time. I have had 23 patients of a 5 year span that went to PT for 15 visits each, because they could not raise their arm. PT tried to strengthen them all and failed. I loosened 2 tight muscles they always miss, and in under 5 minutes they cold lift their arms. I used to work in the PT department. [e-mail]