Lower back pain after bending down to pick up a pencil...

[Pa2ad0x]

Ok, the day before I had just done BB rows. Now, I know that they put some strain on your lumbar and this may be the cause of why my lower back hurts (right around that area).

Now, I have been doing BB rows for a long time (years) and have never had a problem with posture or form. I keep my back straight and my butt out just like I do with DLs. However, I did take a 2 month break before starting to work out again (which, coincidentally, was just this week). So my stabiliser muscles may be weaker.

Now, here is what irks me. After working out and doing the rows, I am completely fine, back is abit sore but that is natural. The next day, I wake up, no pains at all. BUT, when later on in the day around mid morning, I bend down to pick up a pencil but whether I bent my back too quickly or too much or w/e but after picking the pencil up and straightening back up, I notice this aching soreness/pain in my lower back. Its been with me throughout the whole day. It isnt a sharp pain however, just annoying pain and soreness around the lumber/sacrum area. When I try to bend over or anything remotely bending my back, I can feel the pain/soreness. Thoughts and comments? Ideas on how long it may last? Stretches/exercises to do to improve it? Thanks.

[highlight]

Man, that is a bummer. Could be either a small discy issue or some facet problem. Try a cobra type pose and see if that helps: Lie on your stomach and press yourself up onto elbows or hands while keeping your hips down.
If this does not help then maybe not a disc, so try some single or double knees to chest to stretch it while lying on your back.

[TRun18]

What highlight said on the stretches. As far as the soreness, just don't do any movement that hurts you. When bending next time, bend with the legs, not your back

[Elusive49]

yeah i agree wit the stretching and avoid movements that hurt it. Since you have been out of the gym for awhile, maybe do some back excersies that are less stressful on your lower back and hit the core hard for a bit then get back into your normal routine once core strength is back up.

[Pa2ad0x]

Ok, so I tried those cobra type poses where I'm laying on the ground face down and with my hips still on the floor, I lift my upper body up with my hands and elbows. I can do this stretch fine with no problems and I don't really feel anything from it. So I am assuming it is not a disc problem.

Now, when I do the stretches where I lay on the ground and pull my legs towards my chest, THAT hurts. Whether I do one leg at a time or both legs, as soon as they start going up towards my chest and my spine starts curving, I can feel the pain and soreness in my lower back immediately.

[highlight]

Ok, so I tried those cobra type poses where I'm laying on the ground face down and with my hips still on the floor, I lift my upper body up with my hands and elbows. I can do this stretch fine with no problems and I don't really feel anything from it. So I am assuming it is not a disc problem.

Now, when I do the stretches where I lay on the ground and pull my legs towards my chest, THAT hurts. Whether I do one leg at a time or both legs, as soon as they start going up towards my chest and my spine starts curving, I can feel the pain and soreness in my lower back immediately.

Actually this is indicative of a disc problem. The cobra pose should make you feel better or not worse if it is a disc. Bending forward or curving the spine pushes the disc toward the herniation leading to pain (99.9% of the time the herniations are posterior). Keep doing the cobra stuff.

[Pa2ad0x]

Hmm ok thanks for the info, I'll keep doing the cobra stretches. Do you still also recommend the leg to chest stretches as well?

As well as this, is there anything else I can do perhaps to make it heal faster? Maybe some anti-inflammatory medication?

[highlight]

I would not do the knee to chest exercises since you get pain. You might try some unloading of the disc to help it heal- try laying over a table or bed with your hips right on the edge than let your legs almost hang (not completly just keep your toes on the ground with a tiny bit of weight on them) this should help as well. This is a type of self-traction. Definately keep icing 15-20 min.

[ChrisBielke]

Take it easy for a couple weeks. Just work out areas that put no pressure at all on your lower back. If in two weeks it is still sore, its more than muscle pull.

Stretch the hell out of your hip flexors and pick up a foam roller for your IT band. You can lessen the stress on your back by these two things alone, done every day.


Relax, take it easy for a couple weeks. Train around the injury. Don't dwell on the pain.

[edek29]

whats going on man. i was just looking around on the site and saw you are having some lower back pain. i have been dealing with that for like 5 years because of a football injury and a pretty bad one. But listen these stretches they are giving you definitley do on a regular basis, i have been to many doctors and chiropractors and they gave me a list of stretches to do. Do the knees to the chest definitley and another really good one that is easy to do anywhere during the day is put the back of your hands toward the top of your ass or lower back and hyperextend your back and stretch it for a couple seconds. Never push your back too hard it you feel pain tho stretching or lifting. Make sure you are doing back extension too, these will stretch and strengthen your back. Dont use any weight just time yourself for 30 seconds or a minute and do as many as you can. Controlled of course. These might make you a little sore after or during but honestly these have helped me so much. oh, and if it dont gett better after a while go to the chiropractor and sometimes getting adjusted a couple time really loosens and fixes up your back. Good luck man, i hope your **** gets better because they told me i will have lower back pain for life.

[Pa2ad0x]

Thanks for the replies guys after afew days I'm definitely feeling alot better.
I've been doing the back stretching exercises daily when I wake up and before I go to sleep.

Along with occasional icing with the stretches, after just afew days the pain and soreness has almost completely gone away. I can actually bend my back to a certain extent without feeling pain.

For the first day or two I avoided the gym completely but now I'm going back and starting off slightly lighter intensity and getting back into it more slowly than before.

Ofcourse, I still do feel some pain/soreness when I bend my back too far or when I have been sitting for too long but hopefully it will be completely gone in a few weeks. =)

[Fresch]

Read this:
http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/eppsg/page8.phtml