!!!lower Back Pain Advice!!!

[Bigzperson]

Folks, I am here to tell you, this is common. I've too many posts about it. Yes there are any number of serious injuries that are related to lower back pain. However, if you are not in the hospital yet, you might be able to get some relief. I JUST came off of a lower back injury. It was the worst yet. I was doing squats, on my second set, 5th rep, and my back GAVE OUT. I almost didn't make it to the rack. I had 95's on the floor for shrugs, I couldn't even bend over to move them. I hung my head in shame and slunk out of the gym.

I went to see my doctor, he went through the medical mumbo jumbo about sciataca and neurological pain vs. muscular pain. It ends up, it was muscluar pain, but MAN did it feel neurological. I had shooting pains ACROSS my lower back, in my knees, on the outside of my knees, my thighs, my glutes, you name it. I thought I was done for. Then he did some simple diagnosis on me. His conclusion, my hamstrings were TOO tight. ???

Let me break it down for you like he did for me. Your hamstrings can effect all the muscles in your lower back and your glutes. If they are tight, then the result is your pelvis tilts back at an unnatural angle, decreasing the amount of an axial load your back can tolerate. So, the answer to your back problems may be this...

STRECH!!!! It was MIND BOGGLING to see how fast I recovered. Just by stretching, I healed myself faster than the last two times I hurt my back. The WORST thing you can do is to do nothing. The doctor also told me to be as active as I could tolerate. I had to be careful, because I am not very smart, and I can tolerate quite a bit of pain. But the end result is this; I feel BETTER now than I did prior to the injury.

After all the rambling and background you just read, the advice is this, Stretch, plain and simple. Stretch before and after every cardio workout and AFTER each weightlifting session(stretching before can reduce your total strength by up to 30%!) and stretch before you go to bed at night. I have been doing this for the last week + and I can feel the difference. I can now bend over with straight legs and touch the FLOOR! I used to be happy if I came Close to my toes...

I hope this helps. Just remember, the results WILL NOT be instantaneous, but give it a week.

Good Luck and Heal Up!
Now get back in the gym...

[diesiel]

Good post. But i wouldnt JUST stop at the hamstrings. I have a tight lowerback as well and you really do have to stretch EVERYTHING. ****, even something completely 'irrelevant' such as tight shoulders can impact your back. STRETCH!!!!!!!!!! and get massage therapy if you can afford it