Post: #1

About 4 weeks ago I pulled out my back a little bit from deadlifting.

A week later my roommate was locked out and at 4 AM started banging on the door and I jumped out of bed to open it and when I woke up at 9 AM again I could barely walk.

I went for a sports massage which helped a bit, and then rested it for 3 weeks. It was probably at the 90% point (or maybe 80% during my last week in Moroccan hostels) until I was cooking tonight and got splashed by some hot oil and jumped a bit and now it fucking kills again.

Any recommendations on getting rid of this?

Thanks.

Post: #2

Back injuries are a tricky thing to diagnose.

I mean could just be hyperextension it's pretty hard to draw any conclusion without more information.

For example

What type of deadlift were you doing?

Was it with heavy working weight or did you tweak it warming up?

Did you know immediately that you hurt it or did the pain arise some time after you had finished your workout?

Where exactly is the pain in the lower back? Is it a sharp pain? A dull pain?

In what position is it most uncomfortable?

As far as recovery goes, if you have access to a foam roller that would be good. Have you been icing the injury? Taking any anti inflammatory medicine? Eating foods with anti inflammatory properties?

Although to be honest man, you should do a write up on the physio thread if you want an expert opinion. That's what I would recommend.

/thread-20051.html

Prophylaxis has been active on there recently, highly knowledgeable and extremely helpful guy it seems.

Post: #3

Be extremely careful until you figure out what this is.

My advice would be to go see a doctor asap.

Post: #4

Get it checked out by a doctor, get an MRI if necessary. STAY AWAY FROM LIFTING until you do this. I injured my back lifting in 2009. I didn't listen to my body and it only continued to get worse over several years until I had to have back surgery about a year ago when I literally couldn't even walk without opiate pain killers. I still have some residual pain that will likely last the rest of my life but I'm functional.

And my herniated disc caused nerve damage and my right foot feels perpetually numb and tingly like it's half asleep. That will most likely remain the rest of my life. Take care of your back man, once you fuck it up, it'll never be the same again.

Post: #5

I keep telling guys to quit deadlifting.

The risk / benefit ratio is very unfavorable, especially given that there are alternative exercises.

Too many guys have fucked up their backs for long periods or permanently.

It used to be my favorite exercise but I never do it anymore.

Post: #6

Take up swimming. I didn't injure my back deadlifting, but it used to go out about two times a year. Once just reaching for a toothbrush I put myself in bed for a year.

Regular morning swims completely straightened me out and the effects are lasting even when I stop swimming all the time.

I recommend it to every single person who mentions back issues to me, yet not one person has taken me up on it, even opting to jump straight into surgery instead. What can you do...

You have an injury, while I probably had some weak muscles in my back that were fucking up my posture. But it's also possible you have some points of weakness in your back that you didn't realize. Even if not, I imagine swimming will help you in working your way through this.

Maybe ask your doctor or massage therapist first, and start off slow.

I'm Here.

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #7

I've mentioned this before on here but my dad was a 70s bodybuilder, owned one of the most famous gyms in the world and looked like a Greek god in his pomp.

He never did deadlifts; swore they were the destruction of more guys than anything else he's ever known.

I tend to agree, despite still doing them, that they aren't as necessary for visual benefits as everyone says.

The deadlift "fad" reminds me a bit of the "you have to do Muay Thai to fight MMA" craze of a few years back.

Post: #8

I have a bad lower back. Definitely get in and see a dr or even a chiropractor and get some x-rays taken to find out what the issue is. My chiropractor did wonders. After 4 months of therapy I went from 10/10 pain, to now about 2/10. Chiropractic care earned my respect.

There were times I couldn't get out of bed.

Post: #9

Swimming may or may not help--im a swimmer and I've injured my back dead lifting
I just injured my back on thursday and today im walking like normal. But in your situation I know what you mean--fucking feels like a white hot knife in your back *yikes* lmao
when shit like that goes wrong the nerves/muscles arent firing in your back properly and they have to be reactivated.
unless you have an actual athletic trainer go to the doctor or a back specialist. In all my instances of back spasms its been caused by my hips/pelvis being out of alignment. how it can get realigned is difficult to describe and I wouldnt suggest doing it yourself because i dont know what the risk could be.

After realignment some exercises that can help rehab it are:

1) lay on your back with your legs straight out. next lift one leg up in the "L" shape like youre about to do crunches. wrap both your hands underneath the knee point. pull on the joint with your arms while trying to pull your leg against the arm force--you should feel it in your back. do it for about 10 seconds then switch legs

2) lay on your back with your legs straight out. next lift one leg up in the "L" shape like youre about to do crunches. this time put both your hands on the part when the thigh meets the knee cap. push against your thigh while using your leg to push against your hands--you should feel it in your back. do it for about 10 seconds then switch legs

3)this is a 3 series exercise all done on your side. lay on your side with your legs straight. Lift the top leg up and back down 10 times and then switch to the other side. keep your ankles together and bend your knees so that your ankles are beneath your butt and in line with your laying body (they should not be touching your butt). lift the top knee into the air and back down while keeping your feet in contact with each other for 10 reps then change to the other side. Lastly move your legs into the "L" shape while still on your side. Your body should be like youre sitting in a chair. move the whole leg together up and down for 10 reps--flip to the other side.

4) childs pose (yea the yoga move)


do it exactly as shown then sit back into the pose and lean into the back left leg/side to get the stretch on the left side of the back and vice-versa for the right side.

5)get some "stim" done with a hot pack on top of it. stim is short hand for "stimulation" and its pretty much electro therapy on the muscle tissue to get the muscles firing (read: contracting) again and the heat helps loosen things up back there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ7LlfBlZF4

heres a more fun video where you can see the muscles firing lmao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW4OkFvua_s

hope this helps brotha

Post: #10

Yes, yoga,. I pulled my back quite bad, this exercise helped 100%: (I have did it twice a day for a week, my back is as good as new.)

Search on youtube for yoga back pain, something like this:

I also did yoga low back pain videos too.

Post: #11

Hanging from a pullup bar helps.

High rep sets of reverse hypers help, too.

Post: #12

(11-17-2014 07:22 PM)MrXY Wrote:  I keep telling guys to quit deadlifting.

The risk / benefit ratio is very unfavorable, especially given that there are alternative exercises.

Too many guys have fucked up their backs for long periods or permanently.

It used to be my favorite exercise but I never do it anymore.

I still think there are benefits but most that do this have bad form (pulling with your back instead of letting your hams, glutes, and calves do the work)

Post: #13

(11-17-2014 07:23 PM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  Take up swimming. I didn't injure my back deadlifting, but it used to go out about two times a year. Once just reaching for a toothbrush I put myself in bed for a year.

haha I mean a week - not a year. I'm surprised no one threw a what the fuck at that one.

I'm Here.

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #14

(11-17-2014 07:22 PM)MrXY Wrote:  I keep telling guys to quit deadlifting.

The risk / benefit ratio is very unfavorable, especially given that there are alternative exercises.

Too many guys have fucked up their backs for long periods or permanently.

It used to be my favorite exercise but I never do it anymore.

Give up heavy deadlifting yes.

Lifting in general is not dangerous if you keep well below your max with good form. I of course did not do this and suffer from it. These days I stick to 60-70% of deadlift max.

Post: #15

stop dead lifting at least for now

back injuries are the worst and should be approached slowly and cautiously. everything u do involves ur back, so stay away from going heavy on chest, over head presses, squats and any other exercise where u feel ur back being involved.

work more on lighter weight and higher reps and start using a belt. dont be discouraged cause it happens to the best of us. forcing it would only lead to a long term pain that u will never get rid of.

when it comes to ur back leave ur ego at home.

good luck

Post: #16

hey let me share my story, if you are tall, you should not do deadlifts from the floor but raise it on a platform. what'S best is to do romanian deadlifts with lighter weights or with a smith machine. again do not lift from the floor, it's the last 5-10 inches that hur your back the most cuz you are bending over (especially if you are tall) go for knee level DL. the only exception is SUMO deadlifts, which put a lot less stress on the lower back.

you are not less of a man because you don't deadlift the standard way.
also avoid backsquats for the same reasons above and stick to front squats, hacksquats or legpresses. that's my 2 cents

Post: #17

Where you deadlifting a heavy weight using soft soled shoes?

Post: #18

Get a foam roller. Ice the area. Get a tub of anti inflamatories, I use Voltaren

Post: #19

How much were you lifting OP and how was your form?

I'm always curious to learn how these injuries occur. I've been deadlifting injury-free for 2 years now but I'm paranoid.

Post: #20

For fucks sakes, keep your back straight when deadlifting! Everything else can be wrong, but the back must be straight. That is the ultimate sin of deadlifting.

You have to do deadlift correctly, or you will hurt yourself, like you have.

As for fixing it, I would go to a doctor. Acupuncture, yoga, etc. will not do anything here.

Post: #21

There's been a couple threads about the dangers of deadlifting and even squatting. However, I still deadlift with two rods in my back from a broken vertebra. There is no substitute for a deadlift variation in your routine for making you ridiculously strong. I've had friends that have given themselves hernias, but they still do the lift (albeit lightly).

However, you need to see a doctor, and you need to make sure you didn't do something major. Stay away from deads until you are pain free, then return with light weights and form that is perfect; build up from there.

Post: #22

I'm curious... if you're doing deadlifts in a way that is potentially dangerous, do you see signs that tell you that you should back off a bit and lift lighter weights? or does the injury hit you suddenly?

Post: #23

(12-15-2014 07:17 PM)future Wrote:  I'm curious... if you're doing deadlifts in a way that is potentially dangerous, do you see signs that tell you that you should back off a bit and lift lighter weights? or does the injury hit you suddenly?

There are so many things that can go wrong deadlifting; and not always due to form being wrong. If you're lucky you will get a twinge that non-lunatics will realise means stop. If you're unlucky you can end up in hospital.

I know that doesn't really answer your question but it's an impossible one to answer really.

Post: #24

On the days that you guys deadlift how many times do you do it?

I only do 1X5

Post: #25

I do 5x3 working on strength.