Can Anyone Help Me Figure Out What's Going on With My Back?

[cwsmith35]

Almost three years ago, when I was deadlifting, I heard and felt a big pop in my hip. I was doing my third set of 12 reps at 225lbs, and while pulling the weight up on the last rep, there was a big pop, and it felt like my pelvis rotated to the left (hip spun clockwise). It didn't hurt, but it didn't feel right either.

As days and weeks went on, I felt a lot of weakness in my lower back when bending over. Also, if I placed my hands on my rear hips, I could actually feel that the left was still rotated forward. When I went to the doctor, the x-ray came back normal, and he told me I likely had a herniated disc, because of the tingling I was getting in my heels. I did physical therapy, and while things got better, I never regained the strength in my lower back. Note that I also went back to the doctor 18 months later, and this time he thought it was a lower-back sprain and not a herniated disc.

Fast forward to now, and I still have trouble squatting or deadlifting over 100lbs (you read that correct). My hip is no longer rotated, but if I push it too hard on leg day, I will get pain in my lower back where my spine meets my pelvis and tingling in my heels the following day. My lower spine just feels somewhat unstable. After some recent reading, I've started to wonder if I tore my left oblique muscle.

Anyone have any suggestions for what injury I'm dealing with here? Even better, does anyone have any suggestions for how I strengthen and recover?

[EliKoehn]

I have no formal medical training but am surprised you could sustain something with such a severe consequence painlessly. Has your physician not OK'd you to continue weight training?

[cwsmith35]

That did occur to me too, so I'm not sure why I still have these lingering issues. Doctor OK'd me to return to normal exercise following PT. I asked about loading up on squat and deadlift, and unsurprisingly, he didn't recommend I do the same exercises that caused the injury in the first place.

[rubyharo]

Likely a low grade herniated disc and you have a muscle imbalance causing the vertebral rotation. You have your left oblique/ core dominating not only when you lift, but probably during everyday activities aswell.

I went to a chiro who focused on massage and nervous system relaxation for the first couple of weeks, after that he did very minor alignments and worked his way up. I finally received a full body alignment and i felt like my body wasn't rotated to one side (how you're describing)

The first time I went back to working out, after the first two sets of one exercise I felt my lower back was ****ed again. That's when I was referred to PT.


Might want to focus on rehabbing whatever muscle imbalances you have. (Do isolated movements to gauge what hemispheres need work...pistol squats...etc.)

Do a lot of mobility work with a focus on balance (my PT had me do a lot of work, almost a years worth of therapy, PM me if you want an actual list of exercises and progression.)


If you're over activating your core all day, esp. only the left side, that could be a problem too. Need to learn how to relax and engage on a switch. YOGA and deep breathing exercises where you extend the diaphragm, really helps.


This guy made a good video about a part of your issue you might be dealing with, and some of his exercises were part of my PT:

https://youtu.be/ZkhbkK53OgA


Strange were all somewhat dealing with this but it makes sense. Repetitive one sided torque, muscle memory, doing a lift...brb struggling, brb one side takes over to push through...brb rotated vertebrae.

The key is to fix the half of your obliques and core that seem to be overpowering the other side, or else you will keep having the same issue repeat itself even if you do go to a chiro to get aligned.

[cwsmith35]

Rubyharo, thanks a lot for that response. That's actually really helpful. I watched the video, and I think some of those exercises are going to help. I'm about to do legs tomorrow, so I'll incorporate this as part of my warmup and see how it feels.

[air2fakie]

Unless you have a specific need to do so, I wouldn't be doing straight sets of DLs at 12 reps then or now.

[cwsmith35]

Unless you have a specific need to do so, I wouldn't be doing straight sets of DLs at 12 reps then or now.

Why is that?

[air2fakie]

Why is that?

Well it depends on what you feel you're getting out of doing hi rep DL sets (other than getting better at doing hi rep DLs). Hi rep DLs lend themselves to form breakdown, grip failure, etc. ... while IMO not giving any potential hypertrophy advantage that one might feel they get out of something like curls at higher reps.

[cwsmith35]

I'm not sure I agree with your DL logic. If you're training anywhere near failure, you're going to risk form breakdown and grip failure, no matter the rep range. This breakdown then poses even more risk if you're loaded at a much higher weight. I think you'd find that more injuries occur when striving toward a 5 rep max than a 12 rep max, for any exercise. Also, with regards to hypertrophy, maximum hypertrophy for legs typically occurs between 12-16 reps, although I will concede that deadlifts aren't a great hypertrophy-targeting exercise, since there is minimal eccentric tension.

[air2fakie]

I'm not sure I agree with your DL logic. If you're training anywhere near failure, you're going to risk form breakdown and grip failure, no matter the rep range. This breakdown then poses even more risk if you're loaded at a much higher weight. I think you'd find that more injuries occur when striving toward a 5 rep max than a 12 rep max, for any exercise. Also, with regards to hypertrophy, maximum hypertrophy for legs typically occurs between 12-16 reps, although I will concede that deadlifts aren't a great hypertrophy-targeting exercise, since there is minimal eccentric tension.

That’s fine, definitely do what works best for you. Although the hi reps may not have based on this post. 😃

[EliKoehn]

I'm not sure I agree with your DL logic. If you're training anywhere near failure, you're going to risk form breakdown and grip failure, no matter the rep range. This breakdown then poses even more risk if you're loaded at a much higher weight. I think you'd find that more injuries occur when striving toward a 5 rep max than a 12 rep max, for any exercise. Also, with regards to hypertrophy, maximum hypertrophy for legs typically occurs between 12-16 reps, although I will concede that deadlifts aren't a great hypertrophy-targeting exercise, since there is minimal eccentric tension.

This, IMHO.

Maybe A2F is advising against higher intensity, not necessarily the rep range itself. I think maxing out is more dangerous than doing 12 reps at a commensurate intensity, for instance.

[air2fakie]

This, IMHO.

Maybe A2F is advising against higher intensity, not necessarily the rep range itself. I think maxing out is more dangerous than doing 12 reps at a commensurate intensity, for instance.

To be clear, I'm talking DLs only here. There's a lot of middle ground between maxxing out all DLs at a low rep range and doing straight sets of 12 at the same weight - I don't see how intensity is a consideration in OP's setup. Something like that might work ok for RDLs but IMO is kinda lazy programming for DLs - but my point above was that if OP has a specific reason to be doing it this way or feels it works great for him then it's fine, but based on the post it doesn't sound like it. And I find it ironic OP feels knowledgeable about preventing injuries for DLs. To each their own though.

[cwsmith35]

To be clear, I'm talking DLs only here. There's a lot of middle ground between maxxing out all DLs at a low rep range and doing straight sets of 12 at the same weight - I don't see how intensity is a consideration in OP's setup. Something like that might work ok for RDLs but IMO is kinda lazy programming for DLs - but my point above was that if OP has a specific reason to be doing it this way or feels it works great for him then it's fine, but based on the post it doesn't sound like it. And I find it ironic OP feels knowledgeable about preventing injuries for DLs. To each their own though.

You're really coming after my training here! I'm not mad as much as I'm not sure why. There's actually quite of bit of evidence to show that varied rep training for deadlift can help increase your strength, i.e. 2-5 rep training and 12-15 rep training. It's easy to point and laugh at the fact that I got injured, but the truth is, I don't think it had anything to do with my programming.

[air2fakie]

You're really coming after my training here! I'm not mad as much as I'm not sure why. There's actually quite of bit of evidence to show that varied rep training for deadlift can help increase your strength, i.e. 2-5 rep training and 12-15 rep training. It's easy to point and laugh at the fact that I got injured, but the truth is, I don't think it had anything to do with my programming.

My initial response to you was brief in response to your request for suggestions, and I clarified upon your request.

I'm not "coming after" your training, most recently I was responding to Eli, who was responding to me and your prior response to me, which is why I clarified points I didn't bother to expand on to you - in addition to ignoring your statement that "with regards to hypertrophy, maximum hypertrophy for legs typically occurs between 12-16 reps".

I also wasn't (and obviously couldn't) address any programming or exercises other than what you mentioned in your original post. This is the first you're mentioning varied rep training for DL, which is diff than 12 rep straight sets at the same weight. The same as you later bringing up other exercise rep ranges and DL injuries, which I never even mentioned (and did not laugh at). But I do find it odd odd you're lecturing me on how to prevent DL injuries - and note that's something I didn't even specifically say would be the result of straight sets (although it certainly could contribute to them with other factors).

Have a good day.

[cwsmith35]

My initial response to you was brief in response to your request for suggestions, and I clarified upon your request.

I'm not "coming after" your training, most recently I was responding to Eli, who was responding to me and your prior response to me, which is why I clarified points I didn't bother to expand on to you - in addition to ignoring your statement that "with regards to hypertrophy, maximum hypertrophy for legs typically occurs between 12-16 reps".

I also wasn't (and obviously couldn't) address any programming or exercises other than what you mentioned in your original post. This is the first you're mentioning varied rep training for DL, which is diff than 12 rep straight sets at the same weight. The same as you later bringing up other exercise rep ranges and DL injuries, which I never even mentioned (and did not laugh at). But I do find it odd odd you're lecturing me on how to prevent DL injuries - and note that's something I didn't even specifically say would be the result of straight sets (although it certainly could contribute to them with other factors).

Have a good day.

Fair enough! I guess I misunderstood. You have a good day too.