Patient Success Story Plymouth Runner Returns to Running After Back Pain Heather came in with a deep, sharp pain on the left side of her low back that had been building for three and a half months and getting worse, not better. She had already been through physical therapy and talked with an orthopedic surgeon, and she still could not run. She is 46, lives in Plymouth, and had been a steady runner for years before the pain pushed her off the road for more than a year. Most of her workday is spent sitting at a desk, and the pain spiked when she ran, sat too long, stood up from sitting, bent, or twisted. She rated it a 7 out of 10 and described it as aching, throbbing, and stabbing. By the time I saw her, she had largely accepted it as her new normal. Key Takeaways THE CHALLENGEMonths of worsening left-sided low back pain, a failed round of stretching-and-exercise advice, and a hard cap of about 20 insurance-covered visits. THE CARE PLANTwo to three visits a week up front, pairing pelvic blocking with Graston instrument work, cupping, and corrective exercise for the glutes, QL, and hip flexors. THE RESULTHer pain dropped from a 7 out of 10 to a consistent 2, her range of motion improved, and she returned to regular 2- to 3-mile runs. Heather's exam told a clear story: globally limited range of motion, a positive Minor's sign, and a positive Nachlas test, pointing toward sacroiliac involvement along with lumbar nerve root irritation. Stretching and exercise help some people with this picture, but they had not helped her, which is why we treated the joint restriction and the soft tissue together instead of one or the other. We also had to be honest about the clock, because she wanted to use her health insurance for the whole course of care, and that meant roughly 20 visits to do the most good. I told her we could do it the way her insurance wanted it done, or we could do it the right way, and she chose the right way. Our focus was back pain relief that would actually hold. Project Summary Patient Profile: Heather, a 46-year-old runner and full-time desk worker Project Location: Plymouth, Minnesota (West Metro, Twin Cities) Primary Objective: Reduce left-sided low back pain and radiating discomfort so she could run again, with targeted sciatic nerve relief for the irritated lumbar nerve root Care Plan: Pelvic blocking, Graston instrument-assisted soft tissue work, and cupping of the glutes, QL, and hip flexors, plus stretching and corrective exercise — details on our chiropractic techniques Key Outcome: Pain from 7 out of 10 down to 2, improved range of motion, and a return to regular 2- to 3-mile runs Finding the Real Pain Source Heather's first visit started with history and a full examination, including range of motion, orthopedic testing, and neurological testing. Her motion was limited in essentially every direction, which told me this was not one angry muscle but a pelvis and low back that had stopped sharing the work. Her positive Minor's sign and positive Nachlas test pointed to the sacroiliac joint and a lumbar nerve root that was getting crowded. That combination explains why running, sitting, and the move from sitting to standing all lit her up, and why advice to simply stretch and exercise had not moved the needle. We treat the root cause, not just the symptom, and in her case the cause was mechanical: joints that were not tracking, surrounded by soft tissue that had locked down to protect them. Pelvic Blocking, Graston and Cupping The first three to four weeks ran at twice weekly, which is about eight visits and roughly a third of her covered care. That front-loaded stretch has one job: bring down pain severity and frequency. We used pelvic blocking to restore motion through the sacroiliac joints, then worked the glutes, QL, and hip flexors with Graston instruments and cupping to free up the soft tissue adhesion that was limiting her. Once pain settled, we layered in stability work and core strengthening, and that is where things really started to take off. "We try our best to work with the patient's insurance provider ." - (Dr. Bomberg, Bomberg Chiropractic) Table time was only half of it. We went through her sleep posture, her desk setup, how she was walking, and how she was running, because those habits were feeding the problem between visits — the same coaching I give patients on our desk worker chiropractic plans. I also showed her how to use therapy balls at home so she could take the edge off tight tissue on her own, the way I would with any runner coming through sports injury chiropractor care. Doing the work at home matters; coming in to get adjusted and nothing else does not heal anyone completely. Back to Regular Plymouth Runs By the end of her visits, Heather's pain had dropped from a 7 out of 10 to a consistent 2, with the worst of it in the morning and after a run depending on whether she held her mechanics. Her range of motion increased noticeably, and the radiating pain quieted down. She was back to regular 2- to 3-mile runs after more than a year off the road. I will not call that perfect, and I did not promise her perfect. She is not 15 anymore, and we got her to a place where she can move and do what she loves on a regular basis. We did eventually max out her allowed visits for the year and picked up a few more when the new plan year started, which is a real-world limit a lot of patients hit. For patients who want to keep that progress going past their benefits, we have flexible pricing options so care does not have to stop cold. Low Back Pain Keeping You Off the Road? We see a lot of Plymouth runners and desk workers with this exact pattern: a low back that aches all day at work and bites hardest on a run. Here at Bomberg Chiropractic, we look at the whole picture — joint motion, soft tissue, desk setup, sleep posture, and running mechanics — before we build a plan. Dealing with low back pain or a running injury in Plymouth? Take the first step toward a healthier, pain-free life and let us take a look. Bomberg Chiropractic 15600 35th Ave. N #101, Plymouth, MN 55447 Call (763) 450-1755 or Schedule Online Frequently Asked Questions Can a Plymouth chiropractor help low back pain after physical therapy failed? Often, yes. Stretching and exercise programs help many people, but they do not restore motion to a joint that has stopped tracking, which is what we address with adjustments and soft tissue work. Heather had already been through physical therapy and an orthopedic consult before we started, and her pain still dropped from a 7 out of 10 to a 2. I will not tell anyone they are going to be fine, but we will do our best to get you feeling your best. When can a runner start running again during treatment? Usually sooner than people expect, as long as we build slowly. The first thing we talk about is mechanics, because most runners never think about how they are moving. From there we add about 10% mileage per week and keep it pain-free, which keeps the area from getting inflamed again. Jumping straight back to your old mileage because you feel good is the quickest way to restart the problem. What happens when my insurance visits run out? Insurance is helpful for acute, crisis care, and it generally stops being helpful once you move into wellness and maintenance. We will help verify your benefits up front so there are no billing surprises, and when coverage runs out we have cash and wellness options to keep care affordable. The home work matters just as much — stretching, corrective exercise, and the posture changes we go over together are what hold your progress between visits.