Lower Back Pain...How To Fix ?

[ImpiousOne]

So Monday of last week my lower back right above my tailbone started hurting. I didn't feel any pulls or pops while lifting, just woke up with a sore back out of the blue. Lifted on Mon, skipped legs on Tue hoping to let it heal up some. Lifted on Wed which was back day but cut all my lifts short 1 set then did chest/arms on Thu. Since it was still hurting I stopped for the week. Started up lifting again this Mon, had some pain but nothing excruciating.

Leg day yesterday...performed my warm ups, got in one working set of leg press and my back hurt but was okay...did one working set of leg extension and when I went to get up out of the seat I almost collapsed because my back was so tense I couldn't straighten up and it hurt like bloody hell. The pain eased up some but still hurt like hell all evening. Still hurts pretty good today, a deep pain you could say...I can really feel it in the muscle. I can feel some tinging when I walk and it really hurts if I try to perform a leg extension type of movement while sitting.

Any stretching or other exercises I can perform to help expedite the healing process? Ice/heat? Never had this before.

I hate the idea of not hitting the gym but I don't want to create any issues that become chronic, and I need this to heal. On the other hand I don't want to take more time out of the gym than I need and end up just skipping out on days I could be lifting. Obviously 3 days wasn't enough rest...I have no idea how long I need to wait to let this thing heal up.

[mirroroferised]

Doctor would be my first suggestion and then go from there.

[Browns7213]

3 Advil and ice to reduce inflammation. Ride exercise bike with no resistance & easy stretching to keep loose. That and time will get you better in a week, assuming no structural damage. Do NOT try to work through the pain! Long-term back problems are no fun.

[ryantav]

my problem with back pain was traced back to improper leg press technique. Not sure if that's yours, but I saw that in your routine. I would take a break from that for sure, sometimes you can put a lot of pressure on your lower back and not even notice.

So Monday of last week my lower back right above my tailbone started hurting. I didn't feel any pulls or pops while lifting, just woke up with a sore back out of the blue. Lifted on Mon, skipped legs on Tue hoping to let it heal up some. Lifted on Wed which was back day but cut all my lifts short 1 set then did chest/arms on Thu. Since it was still hurting I stopped for the week. Started up lifting again this Mon, had some pain but nothing excruciating.

Leg day yesterday...performed my warm ups, got in one working set of leg press and my back hurt but was okay...did one working set of leg extension and when I went to get up out of the seat I almost collapsed because my back was so tense I couldn't straighten up and it hurt like bloody hell. The pain eased up some but still hurt like hell all evening. Still hurts pretty good today, a deep pain you could say...I can really feel it in the muscle. I can feel some tinging when I walk and it really hurts if I try to perform a leg extension type of movement while sitting.

Any stretching or other exercises I can perform to help expedite the healing process? Ice/heat? Never had this before.

I hate the idea of not hitting the gym but I don't want to create any issues that become chronic, and I need this to heal. On the other hand I don't want to take more time out of the gym than I need and end up just skipping out on days I could be lifting. Obviously 3 days wasn't enough rest...I have no idea how long I need to wait to let this thing heal up.

[ImpiousOne]

Doctor would be my first suggestion and then go from there.

Thought about it, but with the cost of the Dr visit I'd like to see if it will work itself out first. If it persists longer term and doesn't get better that's definitely advice I will take.

3 Advil and ice to reduce inflammation. Ride exercise bike with no resistance & easy stretching to keep loose. That and time will get you better in a week, assuming no structural damage. Do NOT try to work through the pain! Long-term back problems are no fun.

Thanks. Will give it a try. After yesterday definitely going let it heal before lifting.

my problem with back pain was traced back to improper leg press technique. Not sure if that's yours, but I saw that in your routine. I would take a break from that for sure, sometimes you can put a lot of pressure on your lower back and not even notice.

The back pain didn't really appear until Monday and my last leg day would have been the prior Thu. I assume by improper technique you were lifting your butt and arching your back? I feel I do pretty good there, especially since I've moved my feet down to focus more on quads my body isn't flexible enough to really arch. I appreciate the suggestion though.

This is going to sound weird, but we have a little girl who stays with us on the weekends and she invariably ends up sleeping in bed with my wife and I. She's a bed hog so I end up sleeping in awkward positions all weekend. I think that is what really caused it to flair up, and then I stressed it by lifting.

[Iceman1800]

Google Stuart McGill's big 3, do them daily

[hmcl281]

guess you have to figure out if it's a muscle issue or alignment issue. Putting tennis ball under your back and laying on it relive some tension to the muscle. Tennis balls tend to be to soft for me, I use a baseball or 4 golf balls tape together. Just move the ball around and find the tight spot and lay on it for a few minutes. Rolling on a foam roller also helps me. I also like to try to stretch my back afterwards. Really hard to get a nice stretch when the muscle is to tight.

[KeithTheSnake]

I just had a tweak in my low back the other day. I won't train while suffering low back pain. It's just not worth the risk of more serious injury. I use my bent-knee inversion table, and then I get my wife to walk on my back. Add a little dollar store muscle rub and a couple ibuprofen, and I'm set. I also made a roller out of a hunk of 4" pvc pipe and foam, and I'll roll on that or on a softball. Works like a charm.

[hmmmm16417]

If my back gets tweaked and doesn't fix itself in a few days I usual end up at the chiropractor. My back used to bother me constantly and always took Advil and used ice/heat each night. With that said, since I've built up my core, my back problems are pretty much gone.

[theorbo]

Any stretching or other exercises I can perform to help expedite the healing process? Ice/heat? Never had this before.

I'd try soaking in a hot epsom salt bath every day, if you can. If you have access to a hot tub, even better.

Also, I suggest doing some hyperextensions. Nothing crazy -- 2 sets of 15 reps unweighted.

Finally, if the back pain doesn't go away I advise you to read up on a condition called TMS. Google 'TMS' and 'Sarno'.

[michail71]

I don't know if the OP had a nerve/spinal issue or a muscle strain. That should probably be sorted out first.

If it's a muscle strain in the back I've rehabbed them in the past by not taking time off but doing very lite (like 30%-40% max) squats/deads and lots of walking. It's enough to get blood flowing while keeping near perfect from. After every session like that I've experienced huge overnight jumps in recovery. I had one crippling injury from an accident gone in a week and back up to working weight in about 4 weeks. It was so bad on day one I could hardly move and couldn't drive.

Also, after adding proper stretching routines as part of training and strengthening my core back problems are a distant memory.

[Browns7213]

Also, I suggest doing some hyperextensions. Nothing crazy -- 2 sets of 15 reps unweighted.

Wouldn't that exacerbate the inflammation? If he has a structural issue couldn't he cause more damage doing hyperextensions?

[ImpiousOne]

I don't know if the OP had a nerve/spinal issue or a muscle strain. That should probably be sorted out first.

If it's a muscle strain in the back I've rehabbed them in the past by not taking time off but doing very lite (like 30%-40% max) squats/deads and lots of walking. It's enough to get blood flowing while keeping near perfect from. After every session like that I've experienced huge overnight jumps in recovery. I had one crippling injury from an accident gone in a week and back up to working weight in about 4 weeks. It was so bad on day one I could hardly move and couldn't drive.

Also, after adding proper stretching routines as part of training and strengthening my core back problems are a distant memory.

It definitely feels like it's a muscle issue.

I thought about trying light weight, but even riding the bike with no resistance at a pretty slow pace yesterday made it tight so I was a little worried about adding any resistance right now.

[ImpiousOne]

I'd try soaking in a hot epsom salt bath every day, if you can. If you have access to a hot tub, even better.

Also, I suggest doing some hyperextensions. Nothing crazy -- 2 sets of 15 reps unweighted.

Finally, if the back pain doesn't go away I advise you to read up on a condition called TMS. Google 'TMS' and 'Sarno'.

Hot tub at the gym...light bulb went off yesterday when I walked by thinking it might help. Haven't had time yet but hopefully tomorrow.

[PalindROAR]

Lower back pain often stems from tight hamstrings... mobility, stretching, and massage are key for loosening up those giant muschles. work the hams with active release techniques using a foam roller or lacrosse ball to really break up the fascia. that will help, but overall mobility and stretching the muscles is what will be the most beneficial. work on those things for 10 minutes every day, and I bet in a month your back will feel much better.

[ISAID69]

I worked on core strength, I know it sounds crazy but strengthening my abdominals has helped take the load off my back. I personally did quite a bit of planking..

You'll prob get ragged at home for doin 'yoga' but it builds your inner core. Try it

[michail71]

Lower back pain often stems from tight hamstrings... mobility, stretching, and massage are key for loosening up those giant muschles. work the hams with active release techniques using a foam roller or lacrosse ball to really break up the fascia. that will help, but overall mobility and stretching the muscles is what will be the most beneficial. work on those things for 10 minutes every day, and I bet in a month your back will feel much better.

This and hip flexor stretches. Most backs issues aren't caused by actual back problems but a back that is overstressed by other parts of the body not being in balance. They are just a symptom.

I can see how the bike riding may make the issue worse. It's not going to stretch out the needed muscles and you'll be supporting you body somewhat with your back.

For most people this problem is easily fixed. You'll be shaking your head at everyone that complains about getting old and their aching back.

[CropDusterMan]

I suggest rest...the world will not end if you take a week away from training to heal an injury...you are
not in the Olympic 100M final, and do not have to train through pain in order to represent your country
for the gold medal...relax.Rest.Recuperate.

[ImpiousOne]

Took a couple weeks off. Back was feeling good. Got my mobility back. Pain subsided for the most part. Hit the gym today, third set of DB bench press strain the hell out of my back again picking the weights up.

Thinking about going to the Dr but I'm afraid that for $75 he's just going to tell me to take 3 months off to let it rest.