I think my back problems came from an injury that happened in May of 2008. I work at a college in PA and was taking the trash outside to a dumpster. Next to the dumpster is a grate for water drainage. When I stepped on the grate my foot hit an open spot and caused my ankle to turn, I went down hit my opposite knee and then fell back on my tailbone on the macadam. The college sent me to their doctor. Visual observation showed a badly sprained ankle. I also complained about my hip hurting which they did an exray of but found nothing. At the time my back really didn't feel to bad. I was out of work for a few weeks on workmens comp due to the ankle. The pain in my hip would come and go until recently. The pain has progressed into my buttocks down my leg into the knee and at times into the ankle. One day on my way to work I decided to stop at the emergency room cause the pain had worsened. They concluded that it could be a pinched sciatica. Recently have gone for an mri and waiting results. If it turns out that the pinched nerve could be from the fall in 2008 can the workmens comp case be reopened?
yes the prior claim can be reopened.
whether the carrier will be willing to provide benefits on it is another question. It'll depend on the credibility of the medical evidence supporting such a finding. it may require a court decision.
It will take stong medical evidence to support your claim of the back injury, but it can be done.
Mine was an injury 2005, bilateral knees. I was lifting a 50 lb struggling child in my arms when I was injured. The altered gait caused problems with the back.
My attorney filed in court to add the back to the claim with medical evidence supporting the claim. I was sent to 2 IME doctors and both doctors connect the back injury to the original injury of 2005.
I have a hearing scheduled this week to try and get treatment for the back.
I wish you luck!
Got the mri results and it turns out that I have a buldging disc. From what I'm reading about it, it seems as though there are numerous causes including aging. I am 53 and started menopause at the age of 35 which sometimes causes bones to deteriorate so I'm thinking maybe I will have a hard sell trying to convince them it's from the lifting I do at work. I no nothing more, at this point, as to any details of the buldging disc. Unfortunately, my family doctor doesn't seem to think it's that important, he had his "clinical staff" call. The only thing she had to say was that it was a buldging disc and continue to take my meds (I am done with the medrol pak prescribed by the er) and they'll see me next appointment(4 weeks from now). Time for a new doctor! Good luck with your claim!
It really is unlikely that the disc has anything to do with the problem you are experiencing as discogenic pain is rarely associated with sciatica. Almost certainly there is a functional problem ( which may or may not be related to your fall) but only a good Physiatrist or PT will be able to sort it out. Dr.s are generally not interested in that sort of thinking behavior / problem solving.
I'll be picking up the CD of the MRI today that will explain a little more in detail as to what's going on with the disc but I have no idea as to who I should be seeing about it. Like I said, I don't have an appointment with my family doctor until 4 weeks from now. Should I go see the work doctor?
Cycler would you give us some examples of functional problems. I think this would be interesting to a few people. I persoanlly suffer from sciatica pretty regularly. Sometimes I can get rid of it myself and other times my PM doesnt a trigger point and that works almost immediately. I have bulges from the L1 down and chronic nerve root irritation. My back rarely hurts unless I am in a position for too long that I shouldn't be in. Thanks for any info you supply. I've always been curious about this. You are right . I haven't met a Dr. yet who has had any interest in explaining this phenomena to me.
After walking for a half hour or so I get pain in the buttocks, down the back of the leg, in the calf, in the ankle, and warm sensations in the foot.
seb, that certainly fits the description of sciatica. There may be more on the MRI than first reported but either way a lumbar stabilization rehab program is generally helpful and if not then epidural steroid injections quiet it down. Establishing a work injury this far out will be difficult but that's up to a Dr. to make the connection. As far as which Dr. to see, a PM&R Dr. is generally the best first choice, or a chiropractor.
It wold be a long explanation...
Here is a great place to start though:
http://www.lasportsandspine.com/faqs.html
Liebenson is one of the most important writers in the field of spine problems and his books
http://books.google.com/books?id=mLMLFOl...q=&f=false
should be in every physicians library as they are a distillation of all the best non-surgical thinking over the past 40 years.
You should also Google the; Sport Study and reading some of those articles about it would tell you more than you would ever want to know I imagine.
capricorn Wrote:Cycler would you give us some examples of functional problems. I think this would be interesting to a few people. I persoanlly suffer from sciatica pretty regularly. Sometimes I can get rid of it myself and other times my PM doesnt a trigger point and that works almost immediately. I have bulges from the L1 down and chronic nerve root irritation. My back rarely hurts unless I am in a position for too long that I shouldn't be in. Thanks for any info you supply. I've always been curious about this. You are right . I haven't met a Dr. yet who has had any interest in explaining this phenomena to me.