lower backache!!!!!

I have a similar problem to AWeiss and msgrupp. I was told that there was nothing wrong with my back after x-rays and MRI. So I took the x-rays to my shoulder Dr., and he saw the stress fracture. He told me it probably occurred when I was younger and was asympotmatic until I moved about 10 years ago and aggravated it. It was misdisagnosed as a herniated disk for many years. Gymnasts and football players are the most common suffers. In addition to swimming, I did gymnasts, ballet and acrobatics for years when I was younger. My back tends to hurt after standing or sitting for long periods, after practice and moreso during long course training. That is because as I get tired, my muscles in my core get tired and I start to sag in the middle as I am swimming (hence hyperextending my back). **No smart comments about sagging middles please;-) It is also tender and sore to the touch a lot. I am doing pilates and some core stengthening which seems to help, and I go to PT when I have major flare ups because it is hard to break the pain cycle once it happens. Also causes pain in other places too (leg, hip). I try to limit the things that hurt, but am not always as smart as I should be. I agree with AWeiss' recommendation. I also would make sure that the Orthopedic Dr. looks at the x-rays and not just the report from the radiologist. I would also suggest that you try and find someone who knows the sport of swimming. Explaining to a Dr. who knows nothing about the sport that it hurts when you do certain things but not others will mean more to a swimmer. Perhaps one of your team mates is a Dr.? Also, core strengthening will help your swimming and might help your back too. Just don't do anything that hurts! I was told my condition is called spondylolysis. I think this is just the stress fracture part with a little misalignment when healing occurred. I think from reading information on www.back.com, AWeiss' condition is when the stress fracture causes the vertibrae to slip (different from a slipped disk, which might be another reason for your pain). AWeiss good luck with surgery and keep me posted as to your progress.

I have a similar problem to AWeiss and msgrupp. I was told that there was nothing wrong with my back after x-rays and MRI. So I took the x-rays to my shoulder Dr., and he saw the stress fracture. He told me it probably occurred when I was younger and was asympotmatic until I moved about 10 years ago and aggravated it. It was misdisagnosed as a herniated disk for many years. Gymnasts and football players are the most common suffers. In addition to swimming, I did gymnasts, ballet and acrobatics for years when I was younger. My back tends to hurt after standing or sitting for long periods, after practice and moreso during long course training. That is because as I get tired, my muscles in my core get tired and I start to sag in the middle as I am swimming (hence hyperextending my back). **No smart comments about sagging middles please;-) It is also tender and sore to the touch a lot. I am doing pilates and some core stengthening which seems to help, and I go to PT when I have major flare ups because it is hard to break the pain cycle once it happens. Also causes pain in other places too (leg, hip). I try to limit the things that hurt, but am not always as smart as I should be. I agree with AWeiss' recommendation. I also would make sure that the Orthopedic Dr. looks at the x-rays and not just the report from the radiologist. I would also suggest that you try and find someone who knows the sport of swimming. Explaining to a Dr. who knows nothing about the sport that it hurts when you do certain things but not others will mean more to a swimmer. Perhaps one of your team mates is a Dr.? Also, core strengthening will help your swimming and might help your back too. Just don't do anything that hurts! I was told my condition is called spondylolysis. I think this is just the stress fracture part with a little misalignment when healing occurred. I think from reading information on www.back.com, AWeiss' condition is when the stress fracture causes the vertibrae to slip (different from a slipped disk, which might be another reason for your pain). AWeiss good luck with surgery and keep me posted as to your progress.