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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Pain And Bruising On Lower Back, After A Fall, Along With Restricted Mobility. Is This Serious?

I fell down some concrete stairs and hit my lower left side of my back. I have a large purple bruise. That was 3 days ago. Today I have pains and it hurts to walk. It is also difficult to sit and turn comfortably. It is not my spine area, but to the left of it. Basically, the fatty area.
Wed, 11 Dec 2013
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Orthopaedic Surgeon, Joint Replacement 's  Response
Hi, thanks for writing to HCM.

From your given description, I suspect that you could have possibly suffered a Lumbar muscle strain due to the fall. Generally, this is not a serious condition and usually resolves within a week.

The general treatment guidelines for this condition is as follows -

- Take Rest and do not do any activities that cause pain till the acute pain subsides
- Apply ice or a cold pack to the painful area for 15 to 20 minutes, 4 times a day for several days. Wrap the ice or cold pack in a towel. Do not apply the ice directly to your skin.
- Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to help relieve pain
- Use heat only when you are returning to physical activity. Then use it before stretching. Gentle heating can help loosen the muscle
- When the acute pain is gone, start gentle stretching exercises. Stay within pain limits. Hold each stretch for about 10 seconds and repeat 6 times.
- Physical therapy may speed up the recovery process. Therapeutic modalities such as Ultrasound, Massaging and specific exercises will be helpful.

If you fail to improve with the above measures, consult an orthopedic surgeon for further evaluation and management.

Hope this information is helpful. Good day
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Pain And Bruising On Lower Back, After A Fall, Along With Restricted Mobility. Is This Serious?

Hi, thanks for writing to HCM. From your given description, I suspect that you could have possibly suffered a Lumbar muscle strain due to the fall. Generally, this is not a serious condition and usually resolves within a week. The general treatment guidelines for this condition is as follows - - Take Rest and do not do any activities that cause pain till the acute pain subsides - Apply ice or a cold pack to the painful area for 15 to 20 minutes, 4 times a day for several days. Wrap the ice or cold pack in a towel. Do not apply the ice directly to your skin. - Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to help relieve pain - Use heat only when you are returning to physical activity. Then use it before stretching. Gentle heating can help loosen the muscle - When the acute pain is gone, start gentle stretching exercises. Stay within pain limits. Hold each stretch for about 10 seconds and repeat 6 times. - Physical therapy may speed up the recovery process. Therapeutic modalities such as Ultrasound, Massaging and specific exercises will be helpful. If you fail to improve with the above measures, consult an orthopedic surgeon for further evaluation and management. Hope this information is helpful. Good day