I threw out my lower back

[speakeasy]

About a week ago, I was doing stiff leg deadlifts. My form must've been off because later that day, I was in so much pain I could barely stand up by my own power. It took about a week for 90% of the pain to be gone. I laid off the gym and martial arts classes and took it easy. Though I did do a long distance bike ride which didn't hurt my back at all.

So I go back to the gym yesterday. I spend a lot of time warming up first with backstretches. On the agenda today was squats(I went pretty light, only 100lbs max so I wasn't putting too much pressure on my back), did some bicep curls and lat pull downs. Was going to do some work on the calf machine too, but when I stepped in it and thusted myself up I felt immediate pain in my back and quit.

When I got back home, my lower spine once again was in excrutiating pain even though I thought I took it fairly easy on my back and went into the gym feeling pretty good. How long do you think I have to stop working out? I don't want to be out for a month. But you don't want to fvck your back up either.

 

[Kerpal]

This happened to me while deadlifting back in November. I couldn't train heavy for over a month Here is some advice you can try: http://strengthmill.net/forum/showthread.php?t=700 I think this advice is for injured muscles though, so it may not work. You might want to go do a doctor.

 

[MarkTaylor]

This happened to me before, it takes time but can be cured by the time only.

 

[Cry For Love]

If this is really serious then you shouldnt, but in my experience for a smaller low back ache the "superman" exercise helps to relieve any tension present there.

 

[Bible_Belt]

I have had a sore back on occasion. When you were lifting, your body went on red alert that your spine might be in danger, so it had all of the surrounding muscles seize up. This is what happens to most people whose lower back hurts. It is the body protecting the spine with the surrounding muscles.

Rest is all that helps at first. After that, just get used to warming up and stretching your back.

Some stretches I do:

Lay on your back and bring each knee up toward your forehead, then swing both up over your head and bend yourself in half

Lay on your stomach in pushup position. Bring your shoulders up, but keep your hips on the floor. It's like a pushup where your hips stay down. This bends your back backwards, opposite of the last stretch.

Finally, sit with your legs straight out and your torso upright. Take one foot and cross it over your knee; that bent knee is now up off the mat. Now take your opposite elbow and place it on the far side of the knee that is up. This turns you around to be looking behind you as you sit. This is a twisting stretch. Reverse it to stretch to both sides.

 

[speakeasy]

I have had a sore back on occasion. When you were lifting, your body went on red alert that your spine might be in danger, so it had all of the surrounding muscles seize up. This is what happens to most people whose lower back hurts. It is the body protecting the spine with the surrounding muscles.

Rest is all that helps at first. After that, just get used to warming up and stretching your back.

Some stretches I do:

Lay on your back and bring each knee up toward your forehead, then swing both up over your head and bend yourself in half

Lay on your stomach in pushup position. Bring your shoulders up, but keep your hips on the floor. It's like a pushup where your hips stay down. This bends your back backwards, opposite of the last stretch.

Finally, sit with your legs straight out and your torso upright. Take one foot and cross it over your knee; that bent knee is now up off the mat. Now take your opposite elbow and place it on the far side of the knee that is up. This turns you around to be looking behind you as you sit. This is a twisting stretch. Reverse it to stretch to both sides.

We do these exact stretches routinely in my martial arts classes. And yeah, I've been using them this last week. They are tremendously helpful.

 

[speakeasy]

I didn't go to a doctor, but reading up about the symptoms on webmd.com, I'm pretty sure I have a herniated disc.

I tried to go in an do some weight lifting that I thought wouldn't affect my back, like flat bench presses, bicep curls and things like that. I don't want to have to stop working out for a month or two. But even when doing exercises that you wouldn't think effect the back, they still do. For now, things like deadlifts and squats are off the table for probably a few months at least.

What are some good exercises for my upper body that won't put tension on my back? I've made good gains the last year, I don't wanna lose 'em!

 

[kickureface]

did you round back?