Quick question...injured back powerlifting... (chiropractor vs. orthopedic surgeons)

[beer]

Do I need to see a chiropractor or just an orthopeadic(sp?) surgeon?

What's the difference? I am in my first semester at college, my primary care physician is 200 miles away and, while I would normally consult him for where to go, I wouldn't get any referrals.

It sucks living in a new city where I don't really know anyone.

My coach wanted me to go to a chiropractor who was a former powerlifter (mainly so I don't get yelled at for powerlifting, since most of them hate powerlifters as much as dermotologists hate people who tan).

 

[bmacd]

if you can't switch primary care physicians, take your coach's advice.

-=bmacd=-

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: bmacd
if you can't switch primary care physicians, take your coach's advice.

-=bmacd=-

I can't. He's not covered on my HMO.

I sent her an email but I won't get a response till later, and she wanted me to see someone immediately.

 

[vi edit]

[/quote]Do I need to see a chiropractor or just an orthopeadic(sp?) surgeon?

What's the difference?[/quote]


Uhhhh about 8 years of schooling for one. You said coach. Are you on a team of sorts? If so, and you are in season, many colleges/universities have special arrangements made that you get free medical services for your spors related injuries at local doctors offices/practices. See if your school has any such service available and go visit a local family doctor. Have him look you over and see if he recommmends anyone local for specialized services.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Do you know what you did to your back?

Chiropractor- not yet

Surgery? WTF? No not yet

There are physicians who treat sports injuries. Calling your local medical board can put you in touch with them. My 2 cents.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: vi_editDo I need to see a chiropractor or just an orthopeadic(sp?) surgeon?

What's the difference?

Uhhhh about 8 years of schooling for one. You said coach. Are you on a team of sorts? If so, and you are in season, many colleges/universities have special arrangements made that you get free medical services for your spors related injuries at local doctors offices/practices. See if your school has any such service available and go visit a local family doctor. Have him look you over and see if he recommmends anyone local for specialized services.

I am on a 20-man intramural powerlifting team. Just about about the samllest intramural activity there is. If there was such an arrangement, she would have told me about it.

Do you know what you did to your back?

My coach (Kinesology major) said that more than likely it's a strain in my right SI joint, which connects my pelvis to my lower back...exactly where I put pressure at on deadlifting.

Chiropractor- not yet

Surgery? WTF? No not yet

An orthopedic surgeon doesn't necessarily have to do surgery but specializes in joints and muscles, no?

 

[tontod]

Go to an orthopedist, not an orthopedic surgeon. I found out yesterday from the orthopedist that I have a herniated disc in the lower back which probably happened from using a squat machine improperly in the gym. He wants me to do an MRI.

 

[vi edit]

Nearly all schools should have an athletic trainer available for free for students. I would check with him/her for council.

 

[nord1899]

Visit an orthopedist, particularly one that specializes in "Sports Medicine" rather than say old folks (hip injuries and the like). Find out what it is wrong with you. If they say you need surgery, then get a second opinion. Maybe from a chiro, maybe not.

Most likely, they will recommend some physical therapy to repair and rebuild the muscle damaged. They might also recommend a chiro to make sure the spine doesn't get out of whack.

I visit a chiro regularly due to neck and lower back pain. Well I used to have that pain anyway, not since visiting the chiro. But I also recently had a partial tear in my right calf muscle. Physical therapy was awesome for that.

 

[beer]

Unfortunately, when trying to locate a doctor on my insurance's web site, 'orthopedist' and 'sports medicine' are not entries.

Since I'm an engineer and not a doctor, maybe one of these is a synonym for something else?

ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
ANESTHESIOLOGY
CARDIOLOGY
CHIROPRACTIC MEDICINE
CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
DERMATOLOGY
EAR, NOSE AND THROAT (ENT)
ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM
FAMILY PRACTICE
GASTROENTEROLOGY
GENERAL PRACTICE
GERIATRIC MEDICINE
HEMATOLOGY
HOMEOPATHY
INFECTIOUS DISEASE MEDICINE
INTERNAL MEDICINE
MASSAGE THERAPY
NEPHROLOGY
NEUROLOGY
NURSE MIDWIFERY
NURSES
NUTRITION SERVICES
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE
ONCOLOGY
OPHTHALMOLOGY
OPTOMETRY
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
OSTEOPATHY
OTOLARYNGOLOGY (ENT)
PAIN MANAGEMENT
PEDIATRICS
PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
PHYSICAL THERAPY
PODIATRY
PULMONARY MEDICINE
RADIOLOGY
RHEUMATOLOGY
SPEECH THERAPY
SURGERY
UROLOGY

BTW
They think it's just a strain. It better not be anything serious since I have a meet in like six weeks, and need to work on getting my squat up at least 30 or 40 more lbs. They = my two coaches, since this is a very common strain since it puts so much pressure on your lower back.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Elemental007
an orthopeadic(sp?) surgeon?

What's the difference?

an orthopaedic doctor is a REAL doctor

your back is too valuable, don't take any chances, see a REAL doctor, that went to a REAL medical school

see the orthopaedic surgeon/doctor

that's this one on your list -> ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY , just becuase they are listed as a surgeon doesn't mean they will cut you open on your first visit

 

[beer]

OK I just made an appt with a university health services doctor (general practice). It's a start at least, in the meantime I'll continue to evaluate my options. Maybe when I go tomorrow they can tell me where to go next.

The nurse on the phone said I should start applying heat to it, and not ice. Is this true? I was always told ICE ICE ICE = good, heat = bad for muscle strains (prevents removal of lactic acid)

 

[nord1899]

Well I'll tell you my experience with physical therapy and the partial tear. They never put ice on it. They always applied heat. The treatment was hydrotherapy, then electrical stimulation with heat, then ultrasound (deep-heat), and massage along with some light exercise.

I think the orthopedist specifically mentioned no ice, but I can't confirm that.

BTW, the reason I say visit a sports oriented orthopedist is because they are better experienced at handling your type of injury. A general ortho, or one specializing in old folks, will commonly misdiagnose the problem. My experience with visiting one of these types with my injury was seeing the doc for 10 minutes and him telling me it was an ankle sprain. Two weeks later, I went to get a second opinion and the doc confirmed a partial tear slightly above the ankle.

 

[FoBoT]

i had a problem (ok , i still have the problem, but it wasn't getting better) with my knee and went to physical therapy for several weeks. the physical therapist iced it every morning, but that wasn't for a muscle problem, it was some other part of my knee, not the muscles

i would think a nurse would know the right answer

i think the right answer is "both" , but it depends on when, ice immediately, then heat later

check this linky

 

[Mister T]

how much you weigh?
how much were you lifting?
what is your max?
where exactly in the lift did the strain occur?
where you wearing a belt?

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: Mister T
how much you weigh?

172 or so...goal to compete in 165

how much were you lifting?

This actually occured on my squat set of 225. But it had been bothering me all weekend after deadlifting (conventional) 355 for about six sets last thursday. Usually the soreness is gone saturday morning, but it bothered me all the way until practice monday. I didn't think anything of it until I almost fell forward.

what is your max?

Squat...don't have one yet (haven't actually practiced with a suit or wraps, I'm new to powerlifting, been lifting for 2 yrs though).
Deadlift max...425? Something around there.

where exactly in the lift did the strain occur?

I had an awfully hard time trying to break parallel yesterday. Finally I just decided that I was going to descend to parallel then just drop my ass and come up. That's when I fell forward.

where you wearing a belt?

An $80 one. No wraps or suit.

 

[PG]

Originally posted by: Mister T
how much you weigh?
how much were you lifting?
what is your max?
where exactly in the lift did the strain occur?
where you wearing a belt?

Good questions.
Also, how bad is it? Can you walk OK? How about things like bending over? Can you lift at all? If you can do deadlifts, but only with very small weights then maybe it's not too bad.

 

[Spamela]

my 2 cents:

i've injured my back powerlifting more than once.

most minor injuries heal within a couple of weeks. you have to lay off during that time & lift light for a few weeks subsequently.

if it doesn't heal within a month, then trying physical therapy is a good idea. surgery should be your last resort. i wouldn't see a chiropractor unless my physician recommended it.

i had an excruciating back injury for 9 months - i finally went to physical therapy & now deadlift/squat on a regular schedule with no problems.

 

[Mister T]

355 for about six sets

you might be overdoing it... back in the day when I used to lift, I would be toast after about 3 "heavy" sets of deadlifting, whereas with squatting I could double the "heavy" volume. I would lay off the lifting for at least a week and make sure you are sleeping on a nice firm bed and see if it improves....

good luck!

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: PG

Originally posted by: Mister T
how much you weigh?
how much were you lifting?
what is your max?
where exactly in the lift did the strain occur?
where you wearing a belt?

Good questions.
Also, how bad is it? Can you walk OK? How about things like bending over? Can you lift at all? If you can do deadlifts, but only with very small weights then maybe it's not too bad.

Walking is fine. Bending over to brush my teeth or put on shoes is just...extrutiating.

I haven't tried lifting at all, and I won't until next week. I might do chest/tris/delts/bis, but that's only about half my workout rotation (mostly legs/deadlift is what I like and can't do)

 

[PG]

I had an awfully hard time trying to break parallel yesterday. Finally I just decided that I was going to descend to parallel then just drop my ass and come up. That's when I fell forward.

There's the problem. You did a hip tuck and rounded your back to get deeper. That's always a bad thing. You'll need to work on flexibility and form so that you never round again. Of course you seem like you know what you did wrong.

edit: You probably know this too, but sometimes a change of your stance will allow you to go deeper.