chronic lower back and hamstring injury

[netsirk]

Hey
For the past 9 months i have been experiencing lower back and hamstring pain. This injury has greatly effected my ablility to participate in any sports. (mainly soccer, cross country, and track). As a result, i have visited several doctors (family doctor, chiropracter, physical therapist, physiologist, and an orthopedic surgeon). All seem to agree that i have a muscle imbalance which is affecting my sacro-illiac joint, and causing severe hamstring pain. Therefore, I have gone through physical therapy several times, however my injury is not improving. With the track season already beginning I am still not doing any better, and I no longer know what specialists to see or what I should be doing to get better.
Thanks

[RCheesley]

Hi Netsirk,

Have you considered seeing a sports therapist or a physiotherapist who specialises in rehabilitating athletes? I'm sure the people here can recommend you someone, which might help you possibly? Did the physio's you've seen suggest any kind of ongoing rehabilitation or taping techniques to assist with the muscle imbalance? Do you have stretches that you were given to do for the diagnosed muscle imbalance?

This kind of imbalance can sometimes take quite a lot of perseverance to resolve, and although you did not mention your age, in young people - particularly during growth spurt periods - it may not resolve until you finish growing. The bones grow faster than the muscles in some people so you can imagine this makes for tight muscles, which can cause problems.

Have you also considered your footwear? Perhaps if you could get someone to assess your feet and see whether the use of any orthotics might be indicated?

I hope this gives you some ideas of where to go next!

[netsirk]

Cheesly,
Thank you for you response to my post!
I am now currently scheduled for another session of physical therapy. Apparently the doctor i am now seeing is planning on more extensive rehab than what i have been used to doing. However, i would like to know what you meant by taping techniques.
Also, I still do not know what might have triggered such an imbalance. At the time i first started having problems (age 16), i did not recenly have a growth spurt. However, four months prior to having problems, i broke my foot. I do not know if this has anything to do with it, but i don't know what else could have caused this injury.
Thanks again!
netsirk