Doctors oppinion needed, I broke my leg two months ago, now I have back pain. Related?

Question

I'm 6'4, 330 lbs 31 y/o. I broke my leg, the lobe where the ACL connects on the fibia seperated, soft cast, all better, 2 months ago, that is almost healed completely. 2 weeks ago, I woke up like normal, went to the bathroom like normal, came back, sat on the bed like normal and then the pain started. I could move my limbs but I couldn't twist my back at all without pain. I couldn't get up it was so painful. I have been on vicatin & tylenol since. is this going to get better? are these incidents related? should I skip the hospital and go right to the chiropractor? what does this sound like? TIA, Dave

Answer 1

Sounds like you still may be limping a bit..Will throw off your center of gravity and the spine must make the adaptation to accommodate those changes. Thus, the connection is established and needs to be corrected to prevent the continued aggravating factor to the lower back.

Answer 2

Not sure why you're asking for doctors' opinions on this website, as (1) very few would bother with such sites, and (2) they'd be fools to offer advice via the web, and risk litigation, if not the loss of their license, for practicing medicine without even seeing the patient!

You'd be MUCH better off getting opinions from patients who have been through similar trauma. As such, here's my two cents:

Five years ago, I had a torn lateral meniscus (knee cartilage), which took two weeks for the bandages and stitches to be removed, and then a month of light physical therapy. The doctor said that if I stayed off the tennis courts for an additional month, but kept up light exercise, I would be fine. He was right! An occasional "twinge" reminds me that it is not 100% (and probably never will be), and I can't run around like I used to (though, oddly, I'm still a demon on the tennis court!), but it's liveable!

Two years ago, an injury to the lower side and back of the other knee (I don't have health insurance, now, and got hit badly by the post-9/11 stock market "crash", so I can't afford to get it fixed, and haven't even bothered going to a doctor to find out what it is), couldn't come at a worse time, as I was moving between States! Anyway, now, despite extreme strain from lifting heavy boxes, etc, and even playing tennis (I wrapped and braced the knee) it is mostly "mended", but, every once in a while, I'll move just the wrong way (even when I'm sleeping!), and feel an incredibly sharp pain near the knee, that reminds me that it hasn't healed (and that I'm not Superman!).

Recently, I picked-up my laundry basket, and turned ever so slightly, just barely twisting my back, when I felt excrutiating pain in my lower back! Obviously, I pinched a nerve or caused a muscle spasm. Two days later, the pain was gone (I took only a couple of acetaminophen for the pain, just before bed).

My guess is that you inadvertently put a little too much pressure on the knee, and it "gave", causing a shift in your lower vertebrae, which probably pinched a major nerve, causing the pain (this can happen with or without injury, but, most likely, it was brought on by yours).

I'm not a doctor, but, in similar situations (with or without damaged knees!), I've found that sitting on hard chairs were painful at first, but it forced me to sit upright with both feet on the ground, and to apply my weight evenly to both legs. Slightly tilting the chair relieved the pain (I put the back of the chair near a wall, so that I wouldn't inadvertently fall backward!), and gave my knees the light exercise they needed. The pain disappeared after a few days.

My father had a torn ACL from playing softball catcher; the poor medical treatment he received caused one knee to shift slightly "lower" than the other, thus, over time, causing him to lean, almost imperceptively, to one side, thus shifting his vertebrae, and, eventually, causing such severe damage and pain, that he is almost unable to do anything (surgeons now refuse to operate on him, because he has had many back and leg surgeries, since the initial trauma).

I'm not a fan of chiropractors, and, clearly, you are seeing a doctor, so I don't know why you're considering a hospital (aside from the fact that, even if you were paralyzed, you wouldn't be admitted or operated on without a doctor's approval). It seems to me that 1) you need to give your injury more time to heal, 2) consider losing 30-50 pounds to get the excess weight off your knees and legs, and 3) consult a physician for the pain (if you're seeing a physical therapist, they will see your discomfort, and may kick you out until you get a subsequent visit from your doctor). Also, you shouldn't medicate yourself (I presume you meant "vicodin", which, I presume, was prescribed by your doctor, so, again, why are you asking strangers and laymen about it???) without consulting your doctor; for all you know, the drugs may be thinning the blood or doing something else that may cause you more harm than good. And, finally, sit back, relax, and read a good book; maybe even a good dictionary! Seriously! ;)

Good luck!