Mobility issues … any ideas?

RetroEncabulator

I’m in my 30s and I have been putting up with worsening back problems for a long time and didn’t really appreciate or recognise quite how bad things were until recently.

I had been putting it down to injuries, muscle strains and minor things for years, but it has become really bad. I have had bouts be being unable to walk very far at all. I’ve been stuck abroad where I wasn’t able to get to an airport without serious assistance and that’s stopped me travelling on my own. I’ve had times where I’m unable to do the shopping, sometimes can’t even get from the house to the car.

I had an MRI, which shows up 4 disc issues, bulges, protrusions, a couple of bone spurs and stuff impinging on the thecal sac, and nerve exit roots in my lower back. Seems to be coming from a lower back scoliosis issue or my hips being out of line, which I didn’t ever think I had any issue with until now!

Physio has been hugely useful and I’ve a consultant booked, but it’s just a bit frustrating. I’m struggling to do some of the home exercises a lot of the time.

There are various prescribed yoga poses and exercise. Mostly they’re ok but some I just can’t do sometimes. It’s too sore to get down on my knees for example. Everything clicks - My knees, my hips, my feet. I feel like I’m falling apart and I was fit.

I’m also trying to go to the gym and do swimming, but a lot of the time it’s ending up that I’m optimistic but then too sore.

I’ve been thinking back on this and tbh I have had it for years. I’ve just been automatically covering it up. Mostly I have had it in bouts. I sit. I avoid stuff, plan routes, bring a golf umbrella in case I get too sore, I take panadol before I go out sometimes, and been getting into just cold sweats of pain sometimes.

To make matters worse I seem to be allergic to NSAIDs… so I don’t take anything much.

I’m working remotely, just didn’t quite realise why I’ve slipped into this mode of doing things. Plans are getting cancelled, I’m not getting to do what I want to do anymore and haven’t been for ages. I’ve all sorts of things I want to do, including postgrad research and I just never seem to have the time or the energy anymore. I keep starting things with loads of optimism and then getting stuck and parking them indefinitely and I think people are just seeing me as flakey or uncommitted things.

Sorry if this is a bit of a long post. I’m just wondering if anyone has experienced similar and if they’ve any advice. I’m getting to the medical side of it but I’m just wondering about the practicalities. I can’t just keep hobbling around like this, or maybe I might just have to.

Strumms

Speak to the physio to see if hydrotherapy is an option.

Hydrotherapy is used to treat many conditions where mobility issues and chronic pain is a symptom.

the waiting list with the Mater I have been told is about 6-7 months however maybe depending on the severity of the symptoms you could be bumped up.

Alternatively you could try and procure privately….

https://kiltipperwoods.ie/rehabilitation-convalescent-care/hydrotherapy/

also you could try Alter-G technology

https://alterg.com/

https://alterg.com/treadmill-training-rehab/alterg-treadmill/banish-low-back-pain-with-alterg#:~:text=Our%20Anti%2DGravity%20Treadmill%E2%84%A2,issues%2C%20including%20low%20back%20pain.

ive used the one at my gym for rehab but it’s not accessible to non members unfortunately.

unfortunately, in your request for assistance you haven’t said where you are based so I’m sorry opinion these options are too Dublin centric.

http://www.themuscleclinic.ie/?page_id=2682

RetroEncabulator

I can get access to Alter G and hydrotherapy, but I’m waiting on a consultation with a neurosurgeon (just for an opinion) and a rheumatologist just to rule out anything first.

Even on with private coverage it’s taking months.

I got the MRI quickly but getting it interpreted by anyone other than a GP is taking ages and that’s holding back starting anything complicated.

Also VHI seems to only cover €50 per physio session to a maximum of I think 15 sessions per 12 months or something like that, so I’ll have to ration the sessions and start doing more just based on the exercise plans.

They’ve been offering an online physio but the only thing that’s been helping has been deep tissue massages.

I’ll just have to see what the budgets stretch to.