Ruth a few comments about your posting:
1. My first point is in regard to the term OS “disease” which is used by many doctors in the same manner as “degenerative disk disease”. These are not diseases. If the term OS condition was used, then perhaps that would be a more appropriate term. I have seen true diseases in Africa and these are not diseases. When I was told by a doctor that I had “degenerative disk disease”, and knowing nothing about the body at the time, I imagined my spine crumbling away. This terminology can cause great concern amongst the elderly etc. I have seen old women burst into tears when told this, as they imagined the same thing I did.
2. The second point is regarding my “dogmatic medical advice”. Over the past three years I have been told [ by three orthopaedic surgeons – two in the UK and one in the US , and by a dozen specialists ] that I would be paralyzed and crippled for life. They were all wrong. Through my own efforts, study and determination I’m living my life about 90% normally now. I have great respect for emergency work [ broken backs , cauda equina syndrome etc ] that is carried out by orthopaedic surgeons. However the vast majority of back surgeries for herniated disks, degenerative disk disease etc are another case. If you wish to continue this sub-thread on my postings on back pain in the para reg section, I would be more than glad to continue. I have put a challenge on several web sites for any doctor [ or doctors ] in the world to come on national TV [ FOX TV 13 Tampa Bay ] in the United States and we’ll discuss the TRUE causes of back pain. If you would like to do this, you can contact the producer Kathy Fountain on 1-813-870-9652 [ Tampa Fl ]. As well as discussing back pain, we can talk about hip replacement surgery and knee problems. Let me know if you are prepared to do this. I’ll pay for your flight and three days accommodation.
3. The surgery I mentioned was in relation to heelspurs [ I know because that was what they wanted to do to me when I started walking again and developed them along with plantar fasciitis ], not OS.
4. "There are some other conditions of the knees which can occur in adolescence, completely different, regarding the centring of the patella or a dislocating patella or problems behind the patella - they are nothing to do with Osgood Schlatter's disease". The point I was making was that many times these exact conditions are mis-diagnosed as OS. However, there at least three therapists where I live who treat OS problems by re-balancing muscles and getting the knee cap centered as a first step to treating OS.
5. So “muscular strength “ and “tight muscles” are totally un-related in all forms?
6. My main point was why wait for it to go away ? If tight muscles can be relaxed and re-balanced [ I’m well aware of growth plates by the way ], that pain can be reduced fairly quickly. In some cases [ non-growth plate related ] that pain can last a long time. Sure you can just leave things be and hope that everything will be all right, but why not be pro-active.
7. Why not call Al Meilus [ the therapist who works on me ] on 1-727-547-1233 or
contact@meilus.com [
www.meilus.com ] and have a chat with him. He works with the University of South Florida on bio-robotic engineering. He has treated many, many cases successfully.
8. Without any disrespect, the fact that you are an orthopaedic surgeon means nothing to me. Over the last three weeks I have helped a woman from Jamaica [ who was told by two orthopaedic surgeons that she MUST have her back fused in two places or she would be wheelchair bound ] get back on her feet and living normally . Guess what the problem was ? An anteriorly rotated right inominate which was caused by a tight iliacus muscle. She also had a tight left psoas. The psoas caused an increase in lumbar curvature which put pressure on the intervertebral disks at L5-S1 and L4-L5 with all the subsequent problems that entailed. I can provide contact details of many people who were told they had to get major spinal surgery by orthopaedic surgeons in the UK and US and who are now living normally – zero surgery. The surgery would address symptoms not cause. PM me and I’ll send you contact details of all of them.
9. I know at least ten people in my area who were told that they needed hip replacements by orethopaedic surgeons. The surgeons simnply put it down to "age". It was found that all of them had tight psoas muscles. As you know, the psoas attaches to the lesser trochanter inferiorly and to the vertrebral bodies superiorly. Tight psoas pulled the femur up into the acetabelum. Once the psoas and deep pelvic rotators were released, not one required surgery. One lady went back to her OS to tell him the good news and he said “Oh sometimes these problems just go away on their own”. And him the one who had booked her in for an operation the following week.
10. This could end up going on into the next millennium, so please let me know me know if you would like to discuss this on TV. It’s an open invitation from FOX. Whenever you get leave you could let me know. They would like to have as many doctors on the program as possible. On the other side, there would just be myself and Al.
11. Bye the way, my L5-S1 disk had collapsed to almost nothing. I won’t even tell you how many orthopaedic surgeons said nothing could be done. All were wrong. My disk is now 50% of it’s normal height using the Pettibon System. You can see before and after shots on the para reg photo section. If you want originals, contact Dr. Erik Lerner on 1-407-292-0909.
www.lernerchiropractic.com. I’ve given him permission to release my case history to anyone who calls.
12. In a nutshell why “just let a condition go away on it’s own “ when there are some fairly simple methods that could help relieve pain quicker ? I see at least three kids a week who have been diagnosed with OS [ and who cannot play football, hockey etc ] get back to sports after two or three treatment sessions.
Dave
