Have you had physical therapy for lower back problems? ?

Question

Has anyone had physical therapy for lower back problems or after spinal surgery and told that the source of your problems was that one side or the other of your pelvis is out of place? For example one side of your pelvis is rotated backwards for forwards. If so, what did they tell you about it and what did they do for it? Thanks for your answers and have a great day.

Answer 1

I have never had physical therapy for low or other back problems but I have friends who have and one of them found that they had issues with their pelvis being out of normal position.  I don't know what the end result as to what they did for her situation but I can try to find out for you whenever I talk to her next.

Answer 2

Not a patient, but am a therapist.  "Sacroiliac" dysfunctions become the hot topic in the late 90's and many though this was a source of signficant low back pain. However, recent research contradicts:

A. The incidence as to how often this occurs

B. Whether it is clinically relevant

C. How accurately it can be assessed

D. Whether or not it can be "corrected."

In other words, more recent, critical research has shown that we cannot agree on whether a pelvis is "rotated" or not, that the tests used to detect it are not reliable, that we cannot "move it" with manual techniques and that presense of a pelvic misalignment is not necessarily an indicator of symptoms.  

I remain highly skeptical of "sacroiliac issues"....only when 3-4 out of 5-6 pain provoking tests has this shown any hope of reliability.  It's going to take PTs, DCs, and DOs many years to "unlearn" what were we taught in school.  Placebo effect cannot be denied in the treatment of SIJ dysfunctions.

Answer 3

I have always had PT as I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scoliosis and do a lot of walking. Therefore my hamstrings get tight, which pulls the pelvis forward and leads to back problems. Last time I went to PT, they sorted out the problem and then sent me to Pilate's Class. One hour per week for nine months, where I learned how to isolate the muscle groups, how to exercise those groups, build on my core strength and tone up. I also lost weight, a bonus? While at Pilate's I had a MRI, to find out I had a prolapsed disc, but it did not stop me from attending Pilate's but a few exercises I was not allowed to do, namely use the Pilate's Ball. The reason why the pelvis goes out of alignment is due in part to tight muscles. People who walk or run a lot tend to have tight hamstrings, which pull the pelvis out of position. However, Pilate's teaches you how all this fits together and how to avoid the problem in the first place. Best of Luck