Expert: Dr. Paul Newhart - 5/6/2009

Question
I am 43 years old and have known for most of my life that I have SBO which is complicated by bony spurs growing from the inside towards the outside making surgery high improbable.  I am fortunate NOT to have bladder or bowel problems that I can recognise and I gave birth to a healthy daughter over 5 years ago and had relatively no back pain during the pregnancy although low back pain had been a constant feature of my adult life.  This year I decided to get fit and started exercising again after a 5 year gap.  I started with crunches, women's press ups and jogging on a running machine.  I thought I was doing well when suddenly (without any apparent injury) I have severe pains in my legs which make walking extremely painful.  At first the pain was wellknown to me and meant that the muscles at the front of my thighs were painful when I attempted to lift my left e,g, to take a normal step.  I rested for a week, it disappeared. I started jogging again, slower pace, less time, it came back on and off.  Still no bladder/bowel problems.  Now this last week I've had a bad flu (not swine flu I'm sure!) and now the pain is felt severe but on stepping onto the leg the left one in particular.  I can't decide whether I've injured something or whether my exercises have aggrevated the bony spur and therefore I should be seeking medical attention.  The fact I have no bladder or bowel problems is keeping me thinking its an injury.  I think I'm scared to go to my GP incase it means my SBO will now progress and I may become disabled.  Sorry its a lot of information and you will probably tell me rightly to go to my doctor but could it be something else?

Sandra

Answer
I would definitely go to your doctor first and have any problems ruled out, and make sure it is not worsening.  Having SBO may have altered the mechanics of the lower spine, in which case a trip to a good chiropractor should be able to help alleviate the pain and set you up in a good rehab program to help strengthen the spine.