So, back in November of 2007, I busted my tailbone while refereeing a rollerderby bout. Ouch.
Lately though, in increasing frequency, I’ve been feeling this twinge of pain in my right hip. The trigger is inconsistent, and sometimes it seems to also shoot down my leg, but it’s there. It’s also put a serious damper on my new running initiative.
Well, since reading about it is one thing and actually talking to a professional is entirely another, I saw a doctor yesterday. It would appear that I have sciatica. It’s not severe or a result of a slipped disc, but it’s there. It tends to kick in when I’ve been sitting down for a while (especially if I’ve been slouching), and on the couch we watch tv on, but it could always be worse.
I’ve already started trying to stretch out my hamstrings (they’ve always been super-tight), and I’m also making better notes of my posture. While it wasn’t bad to begin with, it could be better. I’ve started to do that stretch where you lay on your back, and twist your lower body while keeping your back on the ground.
Soon: crunches and lower-back strengthening will be added to the daily routine. The shitty part is that if I stretch or bend a certain way, I’m aware of my tailbone. It’s not that it hurts, but it almost just feels sore.
Stupid compressed nerves. But, if it’s a reason to improve, then I’ll choose to see the bright side of it.
I think this sums up my take on it (and Global Warming / Environmentalism overall) quite nicely:
And yes, I get the irony that this blog is named Prosthetically Hip, and I now have an “hip issue”.
One thing you should pay attention to are your deep 6 lateral rotators. They are 6 very small muscles that hold your femur to your pelvis. In particular, the piriformis muscle can be troublesome with the sciatic nerve, since the sciatic nerve often runs through the muscle. A good massage can loosen it up, and stretching your gluts will help too. With the injury to your tailbone, it’s not surprising that these muscles may have splinted (clenched) in response. The good news is that if it’s not a result of a slipped disc or a structural problem, and simply a result of too tight muscles, you can fully recover from it!