Chronic Muscle Stiffness - Think Prolotherapy - Confessions of a Prolotherapy Physician
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Chronic Muscle Stiffness...Think Prolotherapy...
Confessions of a Prolotherapy Physician
Ross A. Hauser, M.D.
I had a good year of training. I was able to complete three marathons, with two of them being in my personal bests. I finished my first three triathlons. So I should expect some chronic muscle stiffness, but the stiffness in my groin it just wouldnt go away. I was always stretching my right hamstring and adductor muscles, assuming that tightness in these structures was what was causing the pain.
I started getting aggressive physiotherapy for the chronic groin/muscle tightness. Physiotherapy sessions cost about $250/session. At the end of their recommended 10 sessions, I had the same pain that I started with.
After several months of this right groin muscle tightness not going away I decided to receive Prolotherapy. Did the Prolotherapy injections hurt? You bet it hurt. I had 24 shots into the attachment of the adductor/hamstring muscles onto the pubis and ischial tuberosity injections, as well as my sacrotuberous ligament on that side injected. However, when I jumped off of the table, the chronic muscle tightness was gone, which showed that the Prolotherapy doctor injected the exact site of my pain. Like most of the athlete patients I treat, I was able to get back to exercising right away. Two days later, I biked for 2 hours followed by a 9.5 mile run. Throughout the training my right groin felt great. It still feels great!
When faced with chronic muscle tightness it is almost always because an underlying structure or joint is weakened. Stretching the structures will not strengthen them. Prolotherapy will. Most likely I suffered from a sacrotuberous ligament sprain. I could do physical therapy that ligament for years and it will still be weakened. But with only one session of Prolotherapy, the pain was gone!
Remember when a person has chronic neck or low back muscle stiffness, stretching or massaging the muscles is almost always just a temporary fix. The muscles are tight to stabilize the underlying vertebral joints. Prolotherapy to stabilize the joints is a long-lasting solution because once the vertebral segments are strong, there is not need for muscle stabilization. The muscles relax, and so does the patient.
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