Back problems, knowledge requested

[bowener]

So I am a 24 year-old, mostly white Male. I was once an all state athlete in multiple sports. During football I was 6'2" and just under 200lbs at my heaviest, with less than 10% body fat at that time, the start of my senior year.

Problem area:
Lower back, right above the right hip. I was told it is my sciatic nerve.

Family History:
Father has lower back troubles, but his are due to him having an extra disc in his lower back.

My brother, 28, has had 2 surgeries in less than 2 years to repair damage done to his sciatic nerve. I believe he said that his nerve had a tear in its outer sheath and leaked fluid out that hardened to about the size of a peanut and is rubbing against or was caught in his vertebrae... something like that. First surgery helped alleviate pain for about 6 months, then it returned, 2nd surgery has done nothing, and possibly caused more troubles due to a negligent nurse.

How my trouble started:
Played WR/DE in HS. We were running pass routes in practice and I caught a shoestring pass while sprinting, so I was bent over in half while running, seems kind of like an awkward act for the body perhaps. I was never known as the most flexible person, and a Dr once commented on how inflexible I was during a speed training session I had. To my credit he was surprised I was fast for being as stiff as I was.
When I caught the pass and attempted to raise my body to continue running out the route I felt a huge pop in my lower back. It was the most intense pain I had felt, and I believe still have felt, and I did a face plant on the practice field while letting out a loud,"****!"

Current troubles:
I have grown used to the daily stiffness and pain that runs across my right hip and down my right leg, but the last month as been far worse on a daily basis. The pain now spreads across both hips in the back and while it still runs down my right leg, it has started running up my right back and ending just below my shoulder blades. No matter what stretches I do, or how much ice I apply, or ibuprofen I eat, it doesn't seem to really make a damn bit of a difference. I also noticed about a month and a half ago that the outside of my left foot is numb. I talked to a dr about this in passing and he said that if it feels like when your foot is "asleep" but about to wake up, that is due to nerve trauma or damage, and it shouldn't last more than a week if it isn't too bad. I am guessing it lasting almost 2 months is not a good thing, though it is less numb than before, it still continues being numb from the little toe to about the middle of my heel in the back. That all runs about 1 inch up from the bottom of my foot.

I was wondering if any of you out there that suffer from lower back pain have any advice on stretches or what methods or exercise work for you. I currently only weight about 170, I have little muscle mass on my upper body and I have a low body fat % as well. I have tried over the last year or so to really keep from getting any bulk on my upper body to try and take stress off my back. It seemed to work at first, but now it doesn't seem to matter. I also was wondering if there are any specific type of dr's to go see. I have been to chiropractors dozens of time, but that is like throwing money in a wishing well. They just mash on my back and tell me that should help (it doesn't), then they say to take ibuprofen and ice my back in 15 minute intrevals for about 2-3hours. The only thing that really disturbs me is how long my foot has been numb.

I am going to go see a Dr at the student health center on campus on monday.

Alright, advise away!