back pain

[newfysteak]

Hi, I was bent over while sitting and then heard a pop in my lower back. i fell forward in pain and i now cannot stand up staright, have difficulty walking and i am in alot of pain. what could this be?

[Prem Pillay, MD]

I would suggest that you see your family doc first. Sometimes this is just a muscle pull that goes away quickly with simple rest and pain meds.
If it persists then you should get an MRI of the lumbar spine.

[catelynnw3]

I can't say for sure, obviously, but a few years ago my daughter was cheerleading and felt and heard a pop in her hip and began having pain and progressive difficulty functioning after that.  She had both back and hip pain that referred down her leg.  An MRI revealed a herniated disc in her back, and then she went through physical therapy and chiropractics.  They only provided very temporary relief.  A surgeon wanted her to have surgery, but I did not want that for her.  In the meantime we discovered that the "pop" was most likely her ligament(s) becoming overstretched which in turn allowed her pelvis to shift as she walked causing a bursitis on the front of her pelvis.  The weakened ligaments also allowed the spine to not be as stable causing the herniated disc to produce more pain on surrounding nerves.  We found a doctor who does prolotherapy, injections of a dextrose solution, which cause the body to strengthen the ligaments naturally.  After her third treatment, she is feeling great.

I suggest you get yourself in for an MRI if you haven't already.  If they don't find anything, consider finding a reputable prolotherapy doctor.  If they do find something, do a lot of research before you commit to doing anything permanent to fix your problem.  Too many people have had surgeries and felt worse after.  I pray your situation is just muscular and temporary.