First time posting on here, my friend suggested it as I have been dealing with lower back issues for many years and he spoke very highly of this forum and the advice he received.
My end goal is to return to a moderate to high level of running as well as moderate weightlifting.
Original injury occurred deadlifting in early 2012 during a cross-fit workout. Felt sharp pain in left side of lower back which i believe was the left SI joint. Spent 11 years in the military after this eventually transitioned away from heavier weightlifting and into a runner starting late 2016 and built up to about 30 miles a week. I still maintained strength training once a week, sticking to compound lifts. This lifestyle change really seemed to help my lower back issues.
One morning in 2021 after a long run i woke up with what felt like burning/soreness down my legs. I rested and eventually built back into my running routine. The back pain and radiating leg pain seemed to go away however I had this persistent calf tightness that never went away. I would roll out the bottom of my feet and would feel it in my calves. Even stopping running the calf tightness never fully disappeared.
In December 2022 i started running again and the body seemed to respond well. I readjusted my approach and limited my running to twice a week with one short and one long run. This seemed to work fine until I went on a run one Friday evening and woke up the next day with that same burning down from my lumbar spine, down the inside of my legs into my calves and bottom of my feet. Additionally, my QL muscles on both sides went into spasm. Finally went to the doctor and did PT, the cramping down the legs subsided but then one day woke up with it again and got an MRI. Results were:
L4-L5: Minimal retrolisthesis. 2 mm central disc herniation. No significant facet abnormality. No significant
spinal or foraminal stenosis.
L5-S1: 2 mm retrolisthesis. Mild disc space narrowing with 2 mm central disc protrusion. Resultant moderate
right and mild left foraminal stenosis. No significant spinal stenosis.
OTHER: 2 mm retrolisthesis. Mild disc space narrowing with 2 mm central disc protrusion. Resultant mild
bilateral foraminal stenosis. No significant spinal stenosis.
CONCLUSION:
- Mild degenerative disc disease with slight retrolisthesis and small central disc protrusion at both L4-5 and L5-
S1.
2. L5-S1 mild bilateral foraminal stenosis.
3. No significant spinal stenosis.
I eventually got two Epidural Steroid injections in summer of 2023 which helped for some time but currently experiencing the tension and cramping down the inside of my legs with significant tailbone discomfort and pain. Feet want to cramp consistently through the arch of my foot and my middle two toes. QL’s are persistently tight and feel tender along the Thoracic spine. Additionally, while dealing with these issues my right hip has developed pain that runs down into the inside of my right knee.
Currently going to schedule another steroid injection but looking for a more permanent solution, if there is one. Ideally, I would like to return to a moderate to high level of distance running, but any running or lower body workouts I can work back up to would be great.
Thank you for taking the time to read.