Hurt my bum a week ago, and it still hurts.

Patrick Donnelly · 02-16-2009, 09:14 AM

Short Version: I slipped. Now my bum hurts, and has been for a week, mostly whenever I contract the glutes, which is during pretty much any barbell lift. This sucks. Help?

More Details:
So, last Tuesday, I slipped and hit my bum pretty hard on the edge of some stairs. Almost immediately, it hurt just to walk, or go from standing to sitting. This continued on through Tuesday. On Wednesday, it hurt a little bit for squats and deadlifts, though not enough to hold me back. Thursday and Friday were rest days, so I didn't feel anything. Saturday, any contracting of the glutes hurt, as did leaning back while sitting. I've been icing occasionally since then (my icepack only stays cold for about 20 minutes and takes forever to refreeze). This morning, after icing, I went to do my lifting. Turkish get-ups were fine, though sitting down on the floor to get the weight in position was a little bit of a pain. Tried a windmill, but it was excruciating, and dropped the weight immediately. Gave a shot at my first set of snatches, but that also hurt very badly.

There was never any bruise on the skin. It feels like I simply may have bruised my coccyx. I wouldn't say it was broken, because then I would be in much greater pain consistently.

It's very hard to get any bloodflow to the area, since any muscle activity that would increase the bloodflow also causes pain. Generally, I'm against taking pain medications, since it simply makes you feel better (note the new Tylenol slogan) without actually making you better, so you can injure yourself even more without feeling it. I liken it to slamming your hand with a hammer while overdosing on morphine. You're still hurting yourself, you just don't feel it... Yet.

What can I do to help the condition improve? This is a serious pain in the ass, pun fully intended.

George Mounce · 02-16-2009, 11:20 AM

I'd say your best bet would be to rest the injured area and let it heal. I know that isn't the answer you are looking for but, what would you do if you tripped and rolled your ankle? You'd rest it, ice like you are doing as well. Take a hot bath that can help too.

Patrick Donnelly · 02-16-2009, 02:31 PM

Yeah, I skipped today's workout after the first snatch to let it heal, but I hope this doesn't take very long to recover. At least I have rings/p-bars to work on inthe meanwhile.

Steven Low · 02-16-2009, 05:50 PM

Sounds like you probably slipped an SI joint. Is it below your iliac crest (iliac crest = L4-L5 ish) and off to one side? If so, probably slipped SI joint. See a physical therapist..

Patrick Donnelly · 02-16-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Low

Sounds like you probably slipped an SI joint. Is it below your iliac crest (iliac crest = L4-L5 ish) and off to one side? If so, probably slipped SI joint. See a physical therapist..

If you follow the butt crack up to the top where it begins to fade off, there's a bony structure. That's where it hurts (especially when going from seated to lying supine, as in getting to the start position of a TGU). The pain is smack dab in the middle, and not off to either side.

George Mounce · 02-17-2009, 03:42 PM

Ah, man I know exactly what you are talking about.

When I was a kid I feel backwards playing hockey and landed my ass in the same location on the front of another kids skate. It hurt for at least 2 months (I was 6 at the time, so thats like 25 years ago!) and I hated having to go take a crap, as it was horribly painful to move.

Rest, rest, rest!

Garrett Smith · 02-17-2009, 04:50 PM

Let's hope you don't end up needing to get your coccyx adjusted....

Patrick Donnelly · 02-17-2009, 07:06 PM

Anyone have any opinions on the use of anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen in situations like this, or is my general attitude against them just fine?

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Mounce

Rest, rest, rest!

Yeah, that seems to be the only solution. Hopefully, my injury is less severe though, and won't require as great of a recovery time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Let's hope you don't end up needing to get your coccyx adjusted....

Dude, that's even less cool than Steven nearly recommending that I go see a physical therapist. If it were that bad, then I would hardly be able to walk right now. Please stop suggesting **** like that which can do nothing but cause me to worry, or next time you come up with a sniffle my response will be "Let's hope it's not pneumonia contracted because of an immune system weakened by AIDS."

Steven Low · 02-17-2009, 07:56 PM

Well, massage is generally good for everything. But I don't know if you want to massage that, haha.

Anti-inflams would be good if there's swelling. If not well.. don't bother. If you're taking fish oil anyway it should be ok.

Garrett Smith · 02-18-2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Dude, that's even less cool than Steven nearly recommending that I go see a physical therapist. If it were that bad, then I would hardly be able to walk right now. Please stop suggesting **** like that which can do nothing but cause me to worry, or next time you come up with a sniffle my response will be "Let's hope it's not pneumonia contracted because of an immune system weakened by AIDS."

Relax...it's not anything to worry about. Neither is physical therapy! I was joking.

The thing to watch for is the pain not improving over time. Then go to more intensive means of correcting the issue.

If it is just a bruised coccyx, no worries. If you really need an adjustment, that's the only thing that would help. The negative anticipation of it and any perceived slights on your masculinity from having to go through it would be the worst parts--and those would both be by your own choice.

You'll end up getting a prostate exam at some point in your life (if you're smart), the coccyx adjustment is no worse (it actually takes less time).

Every joke has some truth in it, but my intention not to worry you. Hope it feels better soon.