Pain in Lower Back (Right Side Only) Diagnosis

Hello, Justin here - it’s my first post actually. I really love everything about athletic performance, researching, exercising, nutrition, all that stuff. But just as I was getting the hang of it, I had a major stumbling block 6 months ago. I haven’t figured it out ever since ,considering I also had to mind my work, I was actually depressed and had a hard time because I was getting good results. Now I’ve had enough, and maybe someone can help that is more knowledgeable than me in this area.

I’ve been having lower back pain (specifically, only in the lower right region, no pain in the left) and soreness deep in the right glute near the lower back for 6 months now. I don’t know the cause or what it is. I figure it is maybe general hernia, sports hernia, sciatica, groin strain or muscular imbalance in my hips/glutes.

I do not know the exact cause, I have been running, exercising, lifting weights, and even did defranco’s agile eight before having the pain. Then suddenly, my lower right back hurt. The first few days, whenever I walk I have this throbbing/pinching pain on that area; when I sit and slouch a bit the same thing happens. It subsided a bit, but it returned occasionally esp. when I wake up/sit (not anymore when standing/walking).

I used a tennis ball to massage the area, and it was so sore (but it felt good). I think that helped a bit. Then after that, I started having a new area of pain, now in the inner thigh/groin region. There was slight pain, but only from time to time, sort of like a throbbing pain. That was 2-3 months after the original pain started. Now, fortunately, most of the pain subsided.

No more pain in the groin, slight soreness still when I foam roll with a tennis ball, and when I sit and bend down it hurts, but not as much as before. However, I do notice that when I stretch my legs forward (as in my body forms a 90 degree angle for a hamstring stretch) and dorsiflex my ankles, there is severe pain in my lower right back/deep glute region that travels down to my ankles (a slight burning feel). This only happens on my right leg, no problem at all with the left.

Lastly, I have noticed that when I do hamstring stretches, I can reach my left foot easier. When I reach for my right, I have pain in the right part of my lower back/glute section and my body contorts to substitute for the tightness of the muscle and the pain. However, I do not know if this tightness is the cause of my problem, or is the effect of it because I had no problems with hamstring flexibility before this.

Hopefully someone can help, I’d gladly appreciate because I really can’t stand the pain anymore when I stretch. I love working out and I believe this hinders my performance. I’ve been doing corrective exercises/foam rolling from the start but to no avail, maybe if I know what specific imbalance there is on my muscles I can target that and relieve the pain and bring my body back to normal.

Thank you.

SIJ dysfunction?

Quick question, what’s your posture like and how mobile is your spine?