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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Severe Pain After A Fall, Restricted Movement. Has A Lumbar Facet Joint With Hypertrophy. Could It Be The Cause?

I slipped and fell on my right side. I did not know I had a lumbar l5 facet joint with hypertrophy . I had never had pain there before the fall. Right after I fell, my right lumbar area was extremely painful, and my range of motion was very limited...like bending forward or side to side, or arching my back backward. Since I didn t have any pain there before the fall, could the fall have caused more damage or jarred the facet joint causing this pain? I also have numbness down my entire right leg to my outer toes. Thank you
Tue, 23 Jul 2013
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Orthopaedic Surgeon, Joint Replacement 's  Response
Hi, thanks for writing to HCM.

It seems from your description that might have sustained a traumatic rupture of the lumbar intervertebral disc causing compression of the nerve root resulting in radicular symptoms (tingling and numbness) in your entire right leg.

The initial management of your problem will be as follows -

* avoid lifting heavy weights
* avoid forward bending activities
* Use a lumbosacral back support
* Intermittent pelvic traction which causes a regression of the protruded disc
* Maintain optimum body weight,if you are obese
* Physiotherapy to strengthen your back muscles. Physiotherapy has to be done only after the acute pain has subsided.
* Judicious use of analgesics and muscle relaxants.

If you fail to have any improvement in your symptoms, then an MRI scan of Lumbar spine is needed to diagnose the exact problem.

Consult an orthopedic surgeon and follow his advice.

Hope this information is helpful. Good day
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Severe Pain After A Fall, Restricted Movement. Has A Lumbar Facet Joint With Hypertrophy. Could It Be The Cause?

Hi, thanks for writing to HCM. It seems from your description that might have sustained a traumatic rupture of the lumbar intervertebral disc causing compression of the nerve root resulting in radicular symptoms (tingling and numbness) in your entire right leg. The initial management of your problem will be as follows - * avoid lifting heavy weights * avoid forward bending activities * Use a lumbosacral back support * Intermittent pelvic traction which causes a regression of the protruded disc * Maintain optimum body weight,if you are obese * Physiotherapy to strengthen your back muscles. Physiotherapy has to be done only after the acute pain has subsided. * Judicious use of analgesics and muscle relaxants. If you fail to have any improvement in your symptoms, then an MRI scan of Lumbar spine is needed to diagnose the exact problem. Consult an orthopedic surgeon and follow his advice. Hope this information is helpful. Good day