Peoples opinon on my injury

[mikeleahy]

Hi All

I developed back pain during the summer after moving a mattress on my own, it hung around for a while, was worst in the mornings and then more or less went away

10 days ago i was squatting in the morning (usally dont work out until after lunch) and i didnt feel great after, my whole back was very warm and irritated. Unfortunately it got worse over the next few days and its still just as sore now as it was 10 days ago. I went to a physio and he said there is nothing sinister going on except for mid back tightness and he has given me exercises to do with a foam roller , forward bends etc.

However i am not feeling any better and especially bad in the mornings. I have periods where my whole back feels hot (usually after physio exercise) and periods where i just have tightness at either side of my spine which i think is my lats

I thought i would be feeling a bit better by now and am very disillusioned and not sure if the physio is making it worse ?

I havent taken any pain killers but have them if i need them . I just feel miserable and uncomfortable all the time

Is this normal with what is most likely a muscle tweak after the squats ?

[goodworkouts]

I have had back pain like that. I know what you mean, with how miserable it can be to constantly have that pain and discomfort in the lower back region.

Back in 2010 I was lifting weights in my College gym and getting that lower back pain. I spoke to the weightlifting coach about it and he recommended that I stopped doing sit-ups and crunches and do planks instead. Once I did that, it helped my lower back feel a lot better.

So if you are doing sit-ups and crunches then you could do a YouTube Or Google search about how sit-ups and crunches can cause lower back pain.

Squats can cause lower back pain if you have a pre-existing condition or if you let your lower back round too much. Usually your lower back will round due to decreased hamstring strength and Mobility. So look up "Romanian deadlifts" and "hip hinge" on a YouTube search so you can learn about those techniques. Since I have been doing those, my lower back has felt even better, because the hamstrings are protecting it more.

Another major thing with lower back pain is sitting. I find that when I sit for long periods of time, my lower back really doesn't feel happy. So that's why I actually use a standing desk and I alternate between standing and sitting. I'm not sure if this is your issue but if you sit a lot, consider standing for some of that time.

When you are sitting, try to keep your spine neutral instead of rounding your spine. Sit in a chair that puts your hips a little higher than your knees. Try to avoid couches where you sink into it and leave your whole lower back rounded.

Another common issue is that car seats are designed with a terrible curve that leave your spine in a rounded position. They make some car seat adapters that give you lumbar support. So do a search about lumbar support your car seat.

Another thing to look into is tightness in the hip flexors and TFL. Look up on YouTube for massaging and stretching hip flexors and TFL.

Another thing that will protect your lower back is glute activation. Research glute activation.

And that is just the beginning! I probably can't tell you everything you need to know in one post but I am here to help if you want to have a dialogue To clarify anything about it or have further questions. It is also good to do a general YouTube search about lower back pain and lower back pain relief because there are so many options out there.

You said your physical therapist is having you do foam rolling and forward Bending. Is that to stretch your lower back? How exactly are the forward bends performed? Also is the foam rolling directly on your lower back? I have seen a lot of YouTube videos where people say specifically not to foam roll lower back.

About applying heat or ice. My dad says that his lower back likes the Heat. Whereas on the other hand I have found that putting an ice pack under my lower back has been helpful, and laying on it for a bit. Or running some cold water on my low back in the shower. Just make sure not to do any sudden movements while your lower back is still cold.

I know it seems discouraging now, when that lower back pain is continuously bothering you. But it is possible to find relief from the lower back pain. Eventually you will find what works for you. The lower back pain is there to teach you about your body. Its good that you're not taking pain killers. Pain killers will block the signals but not fix the actual issue. You need the pain to be there for now, to remind you to fix the actual issues. Once the actual issues are gone, the pain will be gone.

[BromanianDL]

Read the following article and follow the stretches and exercises for a few weeks:

https://squatuniversity.com/2018/06/...ore-stability/

Usually recovery from a muscle strain takes 4-6 weeks. Post a squat form video when you feel better so we can try and figure out what your doing wrong to hurt your back.