Lordosis

[Slash]

So I was confronted by my female gym teacher today who is a extreme health and fitness nut, might as well be a nurse, and after complaining and sitting out of gym most of the year for severe lower back pain she took a look at my back and noticed that there is an extreme inward curve. My mother also noticed this before but never said anything.

Anyways the teacher ran her finger down my spine after she noticed to kinda of get a feel of how bad this curve may be. She asked me if I had lordosis or if I knew anything about it and to get it checked out because of how oddly shaped my spine was. She seemed very concerned and always knows when students reach there limits in class and always try.

Anyways I want to get this looked at but if this is the case and I do have it, would it cause a lot of the back problems I've had over the years, and keep getting worse?

For example, when I got torticollis in my neck, which is a excruciating pain in the back of your neck that causes you to tilt your head to one side. Would this be connected in any way? Or the fact I get very very many pinched nerves under my shoulder blades that literally cause me to break down and scream in pain, to the point I had my mother crying because she just didn't know what to do?

What about lower back pain in my kidney region? That hurts to the point especially after only a few minutes running in class to the point I cannot walk. And the last thing is the fact that it's getting more difficult to walk every day, ankles, legs and knees giving out and resulting in me stumbling and tripping, almost falling over.

This is not normal in an 18 year old and I'm concerned there might be something really wrong. I know you all aren't doctors but I would like some insight.

 

[Michael88]

Go see a doc.

 

[Slash]

Figured I'd get that response.

 

[Leicht]

edit out

 

[Famine]

Figured I'd get that response.

Of the medical question responses you'll get on the internet that don't say "Go see a doctor", 65% will be wrong and 35% will have looked it up on the same Google results and Wikipedia page you already looked on.

The ones that say "Go see a doctor" are right. Following medical advice given on the internet is commonly foolish at best.

 

[Omnis]

Meanwhile, work on your abs and do a lot of hip mobility exercises. I used to have an exaggerated lordosis that gave me low back pain all the time. Once I could open my hips better and got stronger in the trunk, I had relief. Sumo exercises (shiko, stretching) helped out a lot. So did all the lunging and having to hold up all that gear while doing Kendo.

Listen to Stuart McGill:



Don't do any other kind of spine-mangling "core" exercises.

 

[Slash]

Thanks for the advice Omnis. It's good to know that someone else has found a "cure". I'll definitely see a doctor. I didn't realize the condition was so serious.

I'd also like to say that smoetimes just walking or sitting I can experience lower back pain, in the same area, around the kidneys and that after a few minutes of gym or some type of work it feels like my body is flexing far out around the torso but I'm really just standing normally. Is this a symptom?

@Famine

I know it's not good to follow advice for the most part on the internet but right now I'm just trying to gain some background knowledge and things from others that have experienced this.

 

[Omnis]

It's not a cure, and I don't know your situation exactly so I can't tell you what to do to manage your condition. It might just be that the pain is muscle fatigue, but you'd really have to have it checked out for yourself.

 

[Leicht]

Just see your doctor, to be safe.

 

[Slash]

It's not a cure, and I don't know your situation exactly so I can't tell you what to do to manage your condition. It might just be that the pain is muscle fatigue, but you'd really have to have it checked out for yourself.

I plan on getting it checked out especially at the amount of concern displayed today by multiple people. Whenever I had my back check before years ago they said it was fine but maybe this has happened over a while.

If this is muscle fatigue then it's pretty long lasting, this has gotten progressively worse over the last year and a half. I just never really said much about it until today when I realized something might be wrong. :/

EDIT:

Say I have this condition. Is there a cure? What might have cuased it?

 

[Skython]

Hmmmmm... Well, if it's a back curve, and if it's something that's happened over time, why not just heal it with stretches or something over time? If you don't want to do that, well yeah... See a doctor. I've been staring at my rather awkward back structure (quite a big curve which makes my arse stick out) thinking of how to straighten it up, and the internet (the worst place for cures) said something about stretches.

 

[axletramp]

I've had a couple of issues with my back over the years from impact injury to a very mild form of spina bifida which I only found out about 3 years ago when being treated for the injury! Core muscle exercises definitely help, especially if it's already started to hurt. But the best thing I've found for my problems was changing my mattress. I went from a traditional sprung mattress to memory foam and the majority of my pain went almost overnight (excuse the pun). If you can only use a traditional mattress then a softer one is better than hard as when you lie on your back your spine will fall into a more natural shape with your pelvis (butt) behind the line of your spine. Worked for me.

And, oh yeah, see a doctor to get referred to a specialist as these things never get any better on their own, especially if you leave it.

 

[lbsf1]

Go and see a doctor. My dad has a back problem (albeit from weight lifting) and it causes him pain almost daily. Your young(er then my dad) so you will still be growing and thus if their is a problem then it may be much more easily fixable then if you leave it until you are older.

 

[Omnis]

Might also help with your lordosis, which may just be a consequence of chronic anterior pelvic tilt (what I had): http://deansomerset.com/2012/05/24/some-reasons-why-you-should-stop-stretching-your-hip-flexors/

 

[McLaren]

Contact an orthopedic surgeon & go from there. There is no actual cure for what you're describing bc some people recover fine & others are put on medication for the rest of their lives.

At your age, you'll most likely be doing adjustments & physical therapy to correct the issues. In some cases, maybe even wearing a brace that corrects the spine. In a small chance, even surgery. However, these are not fool proof cures & you may still suffer discomfort.

I myself have had back pain for years & was recently diagnosed with thoracic scoliosis as 1 side of my rib cage sits higher than the other & causes my spine to torque. My doctors are not sure the rib cage can be corrected through physical therapy to stop the torquing but perhaps can manipulate the spine to adjust to it.

 

[Slash]

Might also help with your lordosis, which may just be a consequence of chronic anterior pelvic tilt (what I had): http://deansomerset.com/2012/05/24/some-reasons-why-you-should-stop-stretching-your-hip-flexors/

Contact an orthopedic surgeon & go from there. There is no actual cure for what you're describing bc some people recover fine & others are put on medication for the rest of their lives.

At your age, you'll most likely be doing adjustments & physical therapy to correct the issues. In some cases, maybe even wearing a brace that corrects the spine. In a small chance, even surgery. However, these are not fool proof cures & you may still suffer discomfort.

I myself have had back pain for years & was recently diagnosed with thoracic scoliosis as 1 side of my rib cage sits higher than the other & causes my spine to torque. My doctors are not sure the rib cage can be corrected through physical therapy to stop the torquing but perhaps can manipulate the spine to adjust to it.

Thanks for the advice. I've been working on making an appointment to get in soon but they have been really busy.

Thank you everyone it's been really helpful.