Dear Northcott,

[Dr. Cherry Gunn]

I've been working out more lately, starting with the recent fitness challenge on Nothingland, and I've got a problem. My lats have a nice v-shape to them, but the right lat extends about two inches farther than the left lat, leading to an oddly imbalanced look. I've worked out nearly my entire life and never experienced this before.

A couple of months ago I severely strained my lower back at an event, and it's still giving me trouble to this day. Could that strain somehow be causing my lats to look off?

Thanks,

Loopy Lats
Latville, Latvia

[Northcott]

Dear LL,

The excessive lateral tilt you're seeing is likely due to a thick layer of shag rug from the trapezius to the spinal erectors. If you've been sleeping predominantly on one side, chances are you've merely flattened the hair there.

I strongly suggest either regular grooming, or perhaps even waxing -- if the subsequent blood loss presents no true danger.



On the off chance you're being serious... see a doctor. A two inch difference in lateral attachment is remarkable.

[Dr. Cherry Gunn]

I was being serious, unfortunately. Do I need to post pics?! :D

LL

[Northcott]

Two inches is a huge variation, man. To understate: it's probably not a good sign.

Do you have coverage for alternative medical treatments? If so, I'd consider the following:
1) A doctor -- mileage varies, here. Some doctors are amazing, others will diagnose a bulged/herniated disc at the drop of a hat and claim you need surgery.

2) Massage therapist. Find one that practices ART (active release therapy) and is studied up on trigger points. One used to dealing with athletes would be nice. It'll hurt like Hell, but it gets results.

3) Chiropractor. Again, dig around and find the best you can. One who's used to dealing with athletes is the best choice... otherwise you can end up with some crackpot who recommends a sedentary lifestyle. Much like doctors in that regard.


It could be that impingement and/or muscle tightness/knots in the lower back are causing the lats to either fire improperly, or are skewing your posture so that it's creating the visual illusion of that difference. Treat your lower back well: get some heat on it. Make sure to stretch the hamstrings, calves, the muscles around the hip (front and back), the glutes, and the lower back. That's right, the entire posterior chain.

[Dr. Cherry Gunn]

I've been stretching my legs and hips as much as my lower back. In order to play in the tournament all weekend, I basically had to spend all my downtime stretching and massaging. I was amazed at how much massaging my quads along the outside of my left leg was helping alleviate the lower back pain.

I don't think it's a herniated disc, because the pain/stiffness/lack of mobility comes and goes. Some days I wake up and forget I ever had a problem, next day it hurts to sit down for more than a couple minutes at a time. I keep telling myself that if it was a serious problem, the symptoms would be fairly constant.

At the moment I have no insurance, but I should have it soon, and will see what kinds of therapies I can go in for. I've always thought Chiropractors were kooks, so that would be my last choice, but massage therapy would be excellent.

[Northcott]

At the moment I have no insurance, but I should have it soon, and will see what kinds of therapies I can go in for. I've always thought Chiropractors were kooks, so that would be my last choice, but massage therapy would be excellent.

As with all things, the quality of chiropractic care varies wildly. Some are kooks. Some are just there to push people through their offices at maximum speed to earn a quick buck. I've had some crappy chiros over the years, and a couple good ones. To this day the best remains the guy up in Kenora: he was into the whole holistic gig. He disliked pills or medication of any sort; believed that eating right, stretching, etc worked wonders. He started off my treatments with an overall examination of my musculature, seeking where the tightness was throwing my back out of whack, and x-rayed my spine to make sure there were no long-term injuries -- they rarely do that now due to the current opinion of x-rays.

What followed was a course of stretching, chiropractic treatment, and advice on how to keep it limber, fix my posture, etc. At the end of six months a second set of x-rays showed noticeable changes in my spinal alignment, and I was certainly moving better by then, along with being (blessedly) pain free.


I'll have to dig around for my Trigger Point Therapy workbook -- it gives a simple guide to how to find and hit the trigger points on your own body; those areas where the muscle has knotted up to create small lumps under the skin. You can get pain referred to areas that are only remotely connected with the site of the knots, and it sounds like you may have something akin to that.

Got a tennisball or two? Put it on the ground lay on your side so that your thigh is resting on top of the ball, and swivel your body back and forth while the ball grinds into the muscle. Hurts like hell, but it's a wicked massage. Two tennis balls duct-taped together are great for hitting the spinal erectors. Etc.

[Dr. Cherry Gunn]

When my friend went to a chiro last year he was complaining about the $300 tab, but it was mostly due to the x-rays the guy took being the first visit and all. Would you say that x-rays point to a chiro being good then?

[Freedom Canadian]

I've always thought Chiropractors were kooks, so that would be my last choice

If like me you don't like chiropractors, I recommend you see a physical therapist. They will do pretty much the same thing as a chiropractor, but without the mumbo jumbo and becoming a complete lifestyle.

[Northcott]

If like me you don't like chiropractors, I recommend you see a physical therapist. They will do pretty much the same thing as a chiropractor, but without the mumbo jumbo and becoming a complete lifestyle.

Very different practices with a different focus. Some PTs will even recommend chiropractic treatment, and the reverse holds true as well.

Though I'm curious as to what you mean when you say "a complete lifestyle."

[Northcott]

When my friend went to a chiro last year he was complaining about the $300 tab, but it was mostly due to the x-rays the guy took being the first visit and all. Would you say that x-rays point to a chiro being good then?


They can point to one being thorough. Whether or not they're good? Well, it's a start, but some people don't like having their body dosed with radiation, even at low levels.

Referral can help. If you know somebody in the area who sees a chiropractor, you can find out details of treatment from them. Also, chiropractors who are associated with sports medicine clincs, physio treatment centres, etc, will already be of a mindset where they work in cooperation with other professionals.

$300.00's a hefty tab! Less than half that around here.

[Freedom Canadian]

Though I'm curious as to what you mean when you say "a complete lifestyle."

I expected you to question the "mumbo jumbo" part before the lifestyle part. :)

I will now tell the story of the Time Freedom Canadian Had Back Problems And Went To A Chiropractor. :D

When I was a kid, my mother went to a chiropractor a few times a year for neck pain. Once, in high school gym class, I twisted something in my back jumping on the trampoline and found myself in horrible pain. This went on for a few days until we went to my mom's chiro. He twisted my back until my spine was realigned and the pain went away like that.

Fast forward to a few years ago. My back was starting to ache more and more as time went by until after a few months, the pain was unbearable. So, after my good experience with a chiropractor as a child, I went to one (not the same one since I now lived 600 km away). After examining me and taking X-rays, on the second visit, he pronounced my spine pretty much twisted, but recoverable. And then he proposed a plan where he would propose some exercises I'd have to do daily (great !) and I'd have to make visits three times a week (at first, this would go down to twice a week after two months and once a week for a year, then only one maintenance visit a month for the rest of my life). Since I wanted my problem solved and not a switch to "the chiropractor lifestyle", I told him I'd think about it and never called him again.

Instead, I went to a physical therapist. He examined me and said that while my spine was slightly misaligned, it wasn't out of the norm and only a small adjustment was necessary. He said that my real problem was that my back muscles weren't strong enough to support my weight. So he gave me some exercises to do daily to take care of the whole thing. Two visits and a month later, my back problems were completely gone.

As to the mumbo-jumbo, the chiropractor insisted on showing me an informational tape before his consultation were they explained what subluxations were (basically, misalignments in the spine) and how they prevented "life energy" from flowing naturally through the body. And how this would cause illnesses such as diabetes or a cold. They even said that someone once recovered from cancer after having his spine adjusted. Let me tell you, that is not how you win over a guy who has a science background. And that is not a rare viewpoint among chiropractors, either (although the law now prevents them from stating things like "spine adjustments will cure cancer" they are quite free to infer it in endoctrination videos).

Oh, and on my second visit, he would tell me that I'm at risk because I answered yes to the question "have you ever done sports ?" I mean, hello, Phy-Ed. He had all the hallmarks of a con artist, albeit one with a street-side office. I admit that not all Chiropractors are like that, though.

I mean, if you want to change your whole lifestyle around chiropractics, I see nothing wrong with that. But I don't. I had a problem, and I wanted to solve it, that was all. If I wanted to go into an alternative medicine lifestyle, I would much prefer acupuncture. At least it's an interesting conversation topic. :D

[Dr. Cherry Gunn]

I had a problem, and I wanted to solve it,

You should have just let the DJ revolve it!

[Northcott]

I expected you to question the "mumbo jumbo" part before the lifestyle part. :)

Hell, no. :) Like I said before -- there are some nutjobs out there. Some Chiropractors are very good, and some suck. I've had the same experience with doctors; less psycho extreme ('cept one case), but because of their authority in society it carries much more impact.

I mean, if you want to change your whole lifestyle around chiropractics, I see nothing wrong with that. But I don't. I had a problem, and I wanted to solve it, that was all. If I wanted to go into an alternative medicine lifestyle, I would much prefer acupuncture. At least it's an interesting conversation topic. :D

As I regularly squat and deadlift heavy, and then sit at a desk for extended periods of time, I find that periodic adjustments suit me very well. Acupuncture's another odd subject: some are just wackjobs who have done a college course to cash in on a trend, while others are far more. The old guy I saw was a doctor in China, decided not to recertify here, and just runs a little acupuncture place and serves traditional herbal teas. He gets results fast, too.