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Some people here are clueless about physical therapy. They are also clueless about osteoarthritis, which the OP probably has in his back, hip and knees.
PT only addresses the injury it does not solve the problem that caused it.
You need to rebuild your body. And I mean that in a balancing way. Find a pilates studio that works with older adults on the Reformer (it's the resistance machine) or has someone who knows gyrotonic (sp). The movement in pilates is strength and flexibilty for the entire body. Most offer a free consult so you can see if you would like it. Instructors have to study anatomy and movement, they aren't just instructors who think it's fun. They are trained in body mechanics and can help restore the imbalances in strength and flexibilty that are causing your problems. Call around.
I had a disc/lower back issue and after 3 sessions of pilates, the difference is incredible. I highly, HIGHLY recommended.
And swimming is wonderful. Good luck.
Pilates instructors basically have gone through a few months of part time training being trained in a method that was developed in the early 1900's by a guy who had no training of his own and used hospital beds for his therapy (this was the origin of the reformer).
Physical therapists generally have the equivalent education of a Ph.D. They have intensive training in addressing injuries, as well well as treating the underlying cause (this is one of the basics of PT). PT will allow someone to progress to more intense forms of exercise with much less chance of injury than will Pilates.
You are too young to give in to that stuff. My DH had micro surgery on his back at your age and it fixed his back, leaving a 1" incision. He had a herniated disk pressing in a nerve.
The knees might be another thing, but whatever your ailments, you are young enough to fix or greatly improve them, and you should do it. Whatever it takes.
This being said, you cannot expect your body to perform as it did in your youth. Treat it carefully.
Your sciatica could be coming from a disk, or it could be due to sacro-iliac problems. The treatments are very different (other than ibuprofen).
If it's the s-i joint, an injection of cortisone may treat the pain very effectively. See an orthopedic surgeon - one who prefers to avoid surgery - and get a simple test to see what's amiss. The injection is painful, but it works very well to treat an inflamed s-i join, though it may need to be repeated every six weeks or so for a while.
Pilates instructors basically have gone through a few months of part time training being trained in a method that was developed in the early 1900's by a guy who had no training of his own and used hospital beds for his therapy (this was the origin of the reformer).
Physical therapists generally have the equivalent education of a Ph.D. They have intensive training in addressing injuries, as well well as treating the underlying cause (this is one of the basics of PT). PT will allow someone to progress to more intense forms of exercise with much less chance of injury than will Pilates.
Pilates instructors go through at minimum two years training/experience, hundreds of hours of observations, written tests, student teaching and some even work as an apprentice. Each type of equipment used has a different certification (mat, reformer, cadillac, etc.). You cannot get a certificate online, take a few classes and "teach" Pilates. It doesn't work that way. You know nothing about Joseph Pilates and how he created his method or his philosophy of fitness.
PTs do NOT have the equivalent of a PhD. Far from it. They are taught to address the problem. That is, if someone comes in with a lower disc issue, they do body mechanics to maneuver the spine. HOWEVER, if the disc issue was caused by muscle weakness and inflexibility in the leg, core and shoulder that torqued the body into a position where the spine was compromised and resulted in pressure on the disc ... the PT does NOT help. Not at all. That person could spend a lifetime in PT and never have relief because the underlying problem of weakness and inflexibility is NEVER fixed. But they sure do move that spine around.
I know five people who have had a lower back injury -- all went to PT. Not one benefited from PT, and in three cases, PT made the injury WORSE.
Get a good chiro, and get into pilates, swim and walk.
All work can help and cause injury. Even PT. I have a friend who came out worse after PT for her OA body. I'm seeing a new DC now and he does some work I've never had before and during and after the work, I feel good, then I really hurt. For me, IF, I have this Fibro stuff, it flairs things up. Today I'm feeling better though.
I stretch my body daily with stretches I've learned and read about on line.
I am not liking aging. I am 53 and suddenly everything seems to be going wrong. I feel like I am in the same shape as my dad who is 86.
I was athletic, but I cannot do much of anything to exercise now. My knees hurt a lot all the time - running is out. My lower back is terrible I cannot bend over and pick anything up off the ground, sometimes I cannot tie my shoes and I have to have my wife tie them for me. At random times I feel like I am being stabbed int he back and the pain radiates down into my hip and leg. It is severe.
Well, a drop in physical ability can seem sudden... if you think about it, though, it might be possible that you'll realize it was getting very difficult to push yourself to your youthful threshold, during the last few years.
High-impact exercises like running, soccer, basketball, tennis, these can be hard on the joints and the lower back. You were much more resilient when you were younger. After a certain age, though, your body will be quicker to feel the pain, and slower to heal from it.
If you look into low-impact activities, you'll find plenty to keep you busy. Plus, they'll increase your strength, and it will happen in a more low stress and pain free way.
The physical stuff aside, my suggestion would be revamp your diet. Even if your diet is pretty good already, maybe there's room for improvement.
Cut out processed food and sugar -- all forms of added sugar, certainly, but also cut way back on naturally occurring sugar like lactose and fructose. Cut out alcohol of all kinds, cut back on caffeine. Avoid anything "chemical" -- artificial sweeteners, dyes, preservatives. Avoid fried foods. Eat oily fish, good animal protein (including eggs), organic vegetables (as much as you are able), healthy fats (both added -- like olive oil and coconut oil -- and fatty foods like nuts and avocados), herbs and spices. Drink water, and add a lot of lemon to at least one glass of water. (Or drink warm lemon water in the morning when you wake up; it's good for your GI tract.) Also drink rooibos (red) tea. Just for shiggles, cut out gluten.
Aim for reducing inflammation. (Research anti-inflammation diet and foods.) Take supplements accordingly.
I'm certainly not saying the physical stuff is not a legit issue, but food is medicine, and what you eat can either help or hurt. My suggestion would be to spend a month eating as cleanly as possible to try to repair your internal health a bit and lay a good foundation, and then start working on the physical stuff after that. You might find that a month of clean eating -- reducing inflammation, etc. -- will go a long way toward easing your discomfort, which will then make it easier when you do tackle the physical stuff.
I swim at least every other day, laps, first forward then backstroke. I never stop moving while in the pool and I never touch the sides. About half an hour is good for me and keeps me strong. My doctor recently suggested a stationary recombinant bike or rowing machine for core stomach muscles. No pain in knees but not as strong as they were before my heart operation for some reason so need an assist from my arms to get up from the floor. Chiropractor for tuneup as necessary maybe every other month.
You may need to assess both your shoes and your mattress. Any favoring one side or the other when you're doing something can easily throw your back out causing sciatica. Your chiro can help with proper movement as well as the other two till you can start to get in shape and you hold better. Start slowly but make it a priority in your life now. You can't go in gangbusters anymore in any facet of life. I don't have joint problems so can't help with that other than to say you don't want to cause further damage.
For the swimmers, it would beneficial to NOT swim in fluoridated water. OA, fractures are aggrevated more by fluorides.
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