Andrew Trem

Hey Amanda. Thanks for reaching out. I would say if the pain continues to linger for a couple more days, then go for it. It certainly can’t hurt to get some professional help, and most of the time nipping it in the bud is the best thing you can do.

Definitely!

Tell your doctor. There is probably a simple fix that could be done by a PT, but most likely it wil clear up in its own.

This could be coming from a multitude of reasons, all of which can most likely be treatable conservatively (without surgery). In all probability it is due to a strain or impingement in a shoulder muscle, or it is radiating from an irritated nerve in your neck. In most cases it will go away on its own. If it doesn’t within a couple weeks or worsens, see your doctor or a physical therapist. It is difficult to say what it is coming from without evaluating you.

I wouldn’t go to the ER unless you are having sudden balance or walking issues. But you need to see someone as soon as possible. Significant atrophy indicates pretty significant nerve interference. I would get in to see yiur doctor and should probably see a neurosurgeon who specializes in spine. Good luck! You’ll be ok, but you need to take the right steps.

Hello and happy thanksgiving.
I appreciate you reaching out - you have taken the first step, which can go a long way. It is difficult to try to answer with a simple response. There are a lot of questions regarding your back pain, such as what type of pathology is actually causing the pain, what your age is, what typically makes it better or worse, what you do for a living, etc.

For starters, try not to sit in a slumped posture - this can go a very, very long way. If you are on a couch, don’t sit back and “slide” into the couch, putting your back in a bend. Sit with your butt to the back of any seat you are in. If you need to rest, lie down. Do this with your knees bent, on your back or one side. Avoid a lot of activities that require repetitive or prolonged bending (especially bending forward). Lastly, be confident in your body and get moving! Try to do a lot of walking and other forms of mild exercise where your spine is in a fairly neutral position. Our bodies like blood as it clears out waste and brings oxygen and other healthy nutrients to tissue. The way to bring a lot of new blood is to move. If you are developing severe pain, stop, as you don’t want to overdo and set yourself back. But feel free to push through mild to moderate levels of pain.

Many people think they “need rest.” So, they sit slumped on the couch and stop moving. They’re in a bent position and they’re not getting any blood moving or muscle activation. We have our bodies so that they can move us, and that’s what they are made to do. So do it! See a physical therapist. Someone who really knows how to treat a chronic back. You CAN do this.
Good luck.

Good afternoon,

It sounds like that may be a problem that is coming down from your low back. Otherwise, it would most likely not travel into your legs. I would try to see a physical therapist sooner rather than later. When you jump on these things quickly, they are easy to fix! The longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes to treat. Do yourself and favor and get on it quickly so that you can fix it and move on living your life to the best you can.

Hello!

The problems you are describing are very common. My first advice would be that if you are resting, make sure that it is not in a sitting position, especially if you are slumped, like in a couch. We all do this naturally, so it’s likely that this is happening if you are not deliberately focusing on maintaining a backward curve in your low back. You may feel like you are resting, however sitting in a forward curved position is much more aggravating than being up and moving around. You really should see a physical therapist, and specifically someone who is good at treating spine. In general, you need to do exercises focused on behind your spine backwards rather than forward. However, if you do this too quickly, it can make pain worse. If you are a reader, I would buy “Treat Your Own Back” by Robin McKenzie and he will walk you through how to do this. I would at least ask your doctor, however, for a referral to PT and see if you can find someone who is good at treating low back. This is your best bet.
Hope this helps! I know this can be excruciating, but you are going to be okay. Our bodies are designed to heal! Best of luck.

This answer to this question depends on specifically what type of knee surgery you are having. Some surgeons will not even prescribe PT after a surgery done with a scope (such as a meniscectomy or “clean up”). The PT will be minimal if you do have it- likely 4 weeks at 1-2x/week to build strength. If you are having a more invasive surgery like a total knee replacement or an ACL repair, the PT will be very extensive. Most likely about 3-6 months of aggressive range of motion stretching, strengthening, and activity training like hopping or jumping (if you are an athlete).
Hope this helps.

Hi and thank you for reaching out!

Yes, it is very typical for this to last months. Sometimes it can resolve in days and sometimes it can last for years. It can be different depending on the severity of what is causing it and what you do to address it. Often, these nerve pains resolve themselves, as our body is designed to heal and repair naturally. Other times, when these things linger, there is typically a cause that you may be doing and not realizing, such as repetitively bending in a certain direction on a daily basis. I can promise you that this is treatable, but I would try to get help at this point. When these things linger, they become harder to treat. This is not to scare you - your problem is absolutely treatable. You should try to reach out to your doctor and see if you can get a referral for physical therapy with someone who is good with spine. I would say at this point at least try to be proactive. The earlier you start treating things, the more easily they resolve. Do yourself the favor of getting it looked at sooner rather than later :-)