Just a fast note to update my last post re: physical therapy. As I noted before I've gone back to the same physical therapist I saw some years back that specializes in and is certified for spine/back problems. Her initial evaluation was detailed and thorough after which she determined that my pain does NOT originate from the foraminal narrowing given that extension relieves it and flexion aggravates it. Thus far we've taken a very conservative approach using moist heat, some simple extension exercises that I do many times/day and some pretty firm back manipulations, not chiropractic.

All in all this seems to be helping since the sciatica pain has been reduced substantially although I have found that my inane and foolish attempts to do yard work, gardening, garage clean-ups and the like can and will bring on a bout very quickly so I'm by no means "cured" but certainly going in the right direction.

That said she just instituted hamstring stretches this week and found 1 - that my hamstrings are tight enough to endanger her with snapback and 2 - the order in which I do the exercises matters greatly, i.e. if the hamstring stretches are the last thing she does before I leave, driving home is more unpleasant than if she does them immediately after the moist heat. So I'm sure this PT plan/program will have its blind alleys and corners while we figure out what to do and when. I can say that my flexion has improved just in the 3 weeks that I've been doing PT both in terms of the amount of pain and how far I can bend even with the tight hamstrings.

That's it for now, I've got to interrupt the program for a necessary trip to see the wizard for thyroid surgery Monday AM. I'll post back once I've started up PT again.


Alkymst