Pinching sensation in lower back

[oldsoccerplayer]

For the last several weeks I've been working on rebuilding leg and body strength and stamina so that I won't make a complete fool of myself when I get back to soccer.
At  4 months post op I think I'm at the dangerous phase where in general I feel almost back to normal so it's tempting to start doing more, but have to wait for the 6 month milestone before I can start doing anything that involves impact on the leg.
I have noticed that certain moves like elliptical with a steep slope or crouching with a kettlebell cause a pinching sensation in my lower back on the op side similar to what I felt when I had a herniated disk on that side and later as a symptom of the hip arthritis. It goes away anywhere between a few minutes later to the next morning.
I'm telling myself that the biggest threat now is fracturing the femur and if that happened I'd know about it! This pinching and other things like occasional lower back spasms, soreness around the scar area, are probably normal readjustment but I'd like to hear if others had similar experiences at this phase and how they handled it.
I'm also trying to distinguish between 'good' and 'bad' pain. Other than trusting my instincts I don't know how else to do that.
Any words of wisdom (or just sympathy) welcome.

[hernanu]

Well you get definite sympathy, but also.. one of the muscle groups most affected by our recovery is the IT band area.

We feel its impact mostly in the thigh, the groin, but it also passes through to the lower back. It may be what's acting on you here.

From what I've heard, you would know if you had a femoral fracture. At four months, you are on the back end of the failure curve, so you are near the point of diminishing issues with it.

I think you're the best judge of what good and bad pain are, but we all have suffered setbacks of different sorts. Mine were mostly tied to scar tissue and overdoing it.

As you can see in the attachment, the part of the IT band that passes to the lower back is in blue. So even though we had our hips done, our lower back is also in play. It's pretty normal to have it be affected, but it sounds like it's not a continuous issue, maybe just when you push it.

Old joke... "Doctor it hurts when I do this... !!! "   ... Doctor - "Don't do that!"

[Reno]

Hi Oldsoccerplayer and Hern-

At 3 months now post-THR, oldsoccerplayer, I can commiserate with you regarding the pinching in your lower back. Mine, does not stop there. On the side of my surgery I have constant muscle spasms and pain in my butt when sitting or laying down. And, I have been getting horrible stinging/stabbing pain in my thigh, just left of my scar, which seems to exacerbate with movement.  I know, Hern, stop moving...  :-)  My PT says it is probably the IT band, the muscles covering my sciatic nerve...

I finally called my surgeon and he suggested it is likely the herniated discs in my lower back and that (because I cannot take anti-inflammatory meds), perhaps I should have another epidural in my lower back, which did not help before. And, I am not so sure about doing it again, but I am at my wits end...

I hope you find a solution soon, oldsoccerplayer.  Or, as my doctor also suggested, perhaps the discomfort will just go away on its own.  :-(

Thanks, Hern, for your thoughtful input, as usual.

Take care!

[hernanu]

Reno, have you checked on whether it's scar tissue? (the thigh pain, that is)

David, one of our Amazing Hippies has used Active Release Technique treatments and swears by it to deal with scar tissue.

Here's their link in case it's a possibility:

http://www.activerelease.com/

[Reno]

Hern, my PT, who I trust explicitly, believes it is my bursa. She reminded me that I had a lot of tenderness in that area. We are working on it in therapy and I am icing and stretching for relief. We will see...

Take care.

[hernanu]

I'm glad you're both on it. Hope that works, Reno.

[oldsoccerplayer]

Update on my original post. The pinching sensation came a couple of weeks ago after I did a yoga class Wednesday and kettlebells Friday. The pinching was intermittent over the weekend and into the beginning of this week.
I did those classes again this week but being careful with the more extreme bends and lifts (my machoism ends where the pain begins) and it's a lot better this week. There was some discomfort but not as much as last week and it didn't persist beyond Friday afternoon.

Hern ... back at you;
Patient: Doctor it hurts when I touch my head, it hurts when I touch my arm, it hurts when I touch my leg, it hurts when I touch my chest. What do you think is wrong?
Doctor: I think you've broken your finger.

[hernanu]

Hilarious.