Pain when walkkng

[Scotty7]

Hi, i hope someone can help.in the last 5 weeks i get excruciating pain in my lower back, thighs, occasionally my left knee ,i am trying to taper the steroids and i am.down to 6mg, i am reluctant to.increase them due to the weight gain, my neck/shoulders & arms are under control . Could the lower back pain still be pmr ?

[SheffieldJane]

That sounds like sciatica, my OH has similar symptoms, our Pilates teacher helps him with gentle stretches. Gentle yoga can help too. Pred can weaken muscles making us more prone to these conditions. It is agony though, very disabling. You can try a little extra Pred and I hear you about the weight gain. 1 mg extra turns me into the honey monster.

[Scotty7 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Hi. No its not sciatic, i had that when i was pregnant over 30 years ago. Thanks anyway

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It could still be PMR or it could be a condition related to PMR, either myofascial pain syndrome or piriformis syndrome. Both can lead to tight back muscles which irritate nearby nerves and, in your case, cause sciatica. The sciatic nerve passes through the piriformis muscle so if it is in spasm it pinches the nerve. Myofascial pain syndrome affects more of the back so can sometimes affect other nerves as well.

I had similar symptoms some years ago after a whiplash injury and was told by an orthopaedic doctor it was wear and tear (aka OA) in the low back and I'd have to live with it. I could only stand or walk for about 15mins before the pain became intolerable. A couple of years later my entire back went into spasm and I was admitted to hospital for pain control - luckily they were better at muscle problems and got the cause right! Their quick fix caused another problem but I was switched to their slower option with the pain clinic who have helped keep it at bay since. It still happens but never as bad -as then and I can just about manage it myself now in an emergency.

I had a dose a couple of weeks ago: 800mg ibuprofen for the pain and the rest of the day sitting against a hot water bottle (which didn't work without the ibuprofen by the way) got me most of the way there, 400mg ibuprofen the next day and the hot water bottle and it is OK. The Pain Clinic will have another attack next week.

That may work for you at present - but it may need muscle relaxants from the GP. I also have therapeutic massage every so often which keeps the surrounding muscles fairly soft but the sessions are limited unfortunately - nowhere near enough physiotherapists in the system. I would pay but I need to be sure I get someone who gets it right!

[Longtimer in reply to PMRpro]

This seems to be such a problem, getting the right physio for our problem, do you think sports physios have more knowledge of these problems with us?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Longtimer]

I think they may - but again, you have to try and see if they suit you. I had 2 superb physios in the NHS - but it was because they had had a similar problem themselves.

[Longtimer in reply to PMRpro]

Ok, thanks for that....will see what the MR I shows, and take it from there...I know one thing, the GPs tend to give us a card to ring our local smaller hospital for physio...myself in the past and my sister were handed a sheet of exercises to do....I wish!.......

Thank you...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Longtimer]

That is a result of the lack of physios in the NHS - and the person who needs something more hands on slips through the net. Doesn't happen here but we have to wait for ages - anything up to a year if it isn't urgent. Last time I got the ohone call asking "Do you still need physio?" - so I said "I need it again ...!" There are loads of private ones locally though.

[Constance13 in reply to PMRpro]

It's difficult to find private ones round here (something to do with their insurance). The AOK will pay for six sessions (which you can get within two weeks) but it's not really enough.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Constance13]

No, I get up to 12 - but because I have to wait so long that isn't enough either!

[Constance13 in reply to PMRpro]

What do you pay privately? It's only €30 - €40 here ( if you could find one). At least I would then take double my doctor is allowed to prescribe.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Constance13]

No idea at all!

[Hidden in reply to Longtimer]

I was finally referred to physio a few months ago as they are the ones who decide about mri's. The woman who assessed me and sent me for mri was great but I was allocated a physio who did an impression of how I walked and sat down. He then said if I followed his plan I would be running a half marathon in 12 to 18months because He was that good. He gave me 2 useful exercises to add to my daily routine, but implied I didn't ordinarily stretch. Let's just say I have not seen him again. I couldn't run long distances in my exercise obsessed 20s!

[Longtimer in reply to Hidden]

Exactly, pathetic isn't it.....big headed with it!.....

[Hidden in reply to Longtimer]

😂🤣😂

[Constance13 in reply to Hidden]

Had to laugh! I never liked running (even at school) but I was good in the gym so usually got good marks in sport.

I never liked walking either - and I still don't and everyone I meet says you MUST walk. The daft thing is I can move my body far better than all of them!!

[Hidden in reply to Constance13]

You certainly did not look decrepit in your sporty photo.,😁😉

[Constance13 in reply to Hidden]

Not bad for 80, eh?😂😂

[Hidden in reply to Constance13]

You took the photo off! I Googled Constance13 Pmr sport.... But no photo!

[Constance13 in reply to Hidden]

I was fed up with seeing my mug on here for so many days - didn't want to frighten the newbies.😂😂

[Hidden in reply to Constance13]

, 😂🤣😂

[Highlandtiger in reply to Constance13]

It was inspirational!!

[Scotty7 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you

[keeptalking]

Hi Scotty. The same happened to me when getting to 2/3. Pred. Lower back and legs were not only painful but felt like they’d collapse from under me. A blood test has shown my ESR is up from 6 to 21so have gone back to 5mgs. and can now get out of bed and walk a lot better. Seems to suggest to me that it is the PMR. Hope you soon recover.

[Scotty7]

Thank you