Back Issues

(I think there might be an endless supply of puns involving the word 'back').

For those of you who care or are at least slightly interested in the continuing medical saga of my back pain, I thought I would post the latest, closest thing to a diagnosis I've received, from a large Swedish chiropractor. I am sending this theory around every expert I know, hoping for some reassurance that the several hundred pounds this will all cost might end up being worth it. If any of you know enough about physiology to tell me if this sounds plausible (although I realise it's a little bit sketchy), I would be hugely grateful for your feedback.

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The chiropractor writes...

"I believe that your problem is essentially one of lack of strength in your spinal supportive musculature. Partly due to chronic deconditioning because of your long term back pain and partly due to the inhibited nerve supply to your lower limb and pelvic musculature. Therefore I do not believe that stretching is useful at this stage - it may even work against you. The more mobile you are - the more your weak muscles will struggle to support you at the end range.

We first need to restore normal mechanics to your spine which should get your nervous system firing again. Then, it is a matter of a fairly intensive rehab regime in order to build your supportive muscles up again.

4-6 treatments in phase 1 should get the mechanics pretty well sorted out and then we switch to phase 2 which is the intensive rehab. Phase 3 is then to increase the 'self-management' and reduce the need for treatment."