Question
Hello, and thank you for taking time in reading this. I love playing soccer. Earlier this year (around July), I was at one of my games, and I at one point I decided to perform a bicycle kick (where the player does a semi-backflip and kicks the ball while in the air.) I have done this move many time, but this time it happened so quickly I wasn't playing attention to my landing, and I landed on the left side of my body, the impact hurting my lower back and left buttock. I could not get up after that, and it took me about 3 weeks for the pain to go away, but now I have a numbness.  It's about 5 months and the numbness is still here. My question is, what could this be? I can sort of feel a little pain, because I think it is there, but I cannot feel it.

Answer
If you are experiencing numbness, it means you have a problem with a nerve somewhere. You may have a bulging or herniated disc in your lower back that is compressing one of your spinal nerves. The only way to be sure is to have an MRI done. I would suggest you go to your primary care physician or a chiropractor to have it evaluated. If it is indeed a disc problem, it can respond well to conservative treatments including physical therapy, chiropractic care and therapeutic exercises. Disc injuries can take a long time to heal especially if you have poor postural habits (i.e. a job that requires prolonged sitting or frequent bending and lifting). In any case, make sure you have it evaluated as soon as possible.