Simon – Vertebral disc prolapse

Simon rang the clinic complaining of back pain in the right side of his lower back. Simon also complained of pain in his buttock, hamstring and calf on the same side. When he arrived at the clinic he was obviously in some considerable discomfort, presenting a bent-over and lop-sided walking and standing position.

Tests

We performed several diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of Simon’s condition. His lumbar spine was checked with forward flexion tests and a ‘stork’ test gave us information about hip alignment. We conducted a slump test to check the integrity of the sciatic nerve, and then a quadrant test to check if the pain was disk or facet related. Finally, a neurological test examined Simon’s muscle strength, sensation and reflexes in his lower limbs. This helped me to determine exactly which nerve was irritated.

Diagnosis

The aim when conducting these diagnostic tests is to is to get 2 out of 3 positive indications before we confirm a specific diagnosis. Before long, we had a good idea of what was causing Simon’s problem. The most likely culprit was a prolapsed disk, often erroneously called a ‘slipped disk’. Although the only conclusive ways to diagnose prolapse disk is with MRI scans, however these tests indicate the issue with a significant degree of accuracy. The prolapsed disk was irritating Simon’s sciatic nerve causing referred pain to his other muscles.

Treatment

Treatment for prolapse disks begins with soft tissue massage to release tension and encourage blood flow to the area. From there, a series of gentle and progressive articulations help to lubricate and mobilise the joints. Side bends, rotations and plenty of traction were the key articulations we performed here.

We also worked the joints of the spine, hip and femur to encourage the prolapse to back into place. These movements also encourage the lymphatic system to remove waste products and relieves the inflammation.

Results

After one session Simon’s pain levels had significantly decreased and he was enjoying a much-improved range of movement. After another four treatments over the next four weeks, he was back at the gym and pain free.