Assessing Hip and Back Pain in a Postpartum Female

Overview

An active mom, postpartum was experiencing chronic right hip and low back pain, and had trouble sitting for extended periods of time.

The individual was unable to walk more than 0.75 miles without sharp pain in the described area, and could not lay on their right side during sleep due to hip pain. They were also experiencing tightness in the right glute which was sore to the touch.

Methods of conservative management such as physical therapy, including massage and self-care mechanisms, did not produce the desired results and were not effective at reducing pain over many months of treatment.

The Springbok Scan

The individual wanted a deeper understanding of what was happening with the underlying muscles and got a Springbok Scan. The Springbok Analysis revealed asymmetry and low development scores bilaterally in muscles key for hip stability.

Asymmetry:

There was notable asymmetry in the hip external rotators, hip extensors, and hip adductors; all of which were larger on the left side - contralateral to the right hip pain. The Analysis shows the gluteus maximus as the most asymmetric muscle.

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Development:

There were low development scores bilaterally in the hip flexors, hip adductors, ankle dorsiflexors, and quadriceps muscles. There was also low development in the right gluteus maximus, driving the cause of asymmetry in this muscle.

Additional Supplemental Findings:

There were imbalances in the multifidus. Research has linked multifidi imbalances and underdevelopment to lower back pain.

“Patients with higher lumbar multifidus muscle quality reported lower levels of low back pain-related disability and leg pain intensity, indicating that muscle quality may play a role in the etiology of lumbar spine disorders.”

Recommendations:

The Springbok scan measured right glute asymmetry at a level consistent with poor strength. The left multifidus weakness led the individual's clinician to focus on the left lumbar spine to increase strength and stability. They received a new training program which was adjusted to focus first on lumbar spine stabilization, and then to focus on strengthening the right glute and hip rotator muscles, and finally the entire body.

The Outcome:

The Springbok scan was able to validate the individual's pain and asymmetry by confirming the imbalance between left and right legs, specifically in the gluteus maximus. The Springbok scan provided the patient and clinician with a clearer understanding of the underlying issue and pinpointed the multifidi as a key area to focus on first.