Lower back scare on leg press today

[Sir Anabolic]

On the negative portion of the exercise, right near the bottom, I felt my lower back sort of crack (best I can describe it) kind of like it gave out, took some effort to bring it back up to lock the leg press. Ended the workout right after that. I wasn't going very heavy at all. Right now, about an hour after the workout, my lower back is real tight. Moving it around kind of hurts. I have a feeling it'll get worse. Anyone been through a situation like this?

 

[the_warrior]

This is the reason that I don't leg press any longer (that and the lack of hip extension on leg press). I would start icing and pop some ibuprofen. Later try to roll your electors with a lacrosse ball from midline out on either side. Probably best to take a few days off until the stiffness and swelling subsides (assuming its that bad).

 

[Ehren]

Yep, Sounds like you've just strained your lower back and it's caused a spasm, it'll be ok. It may get worse tomorrow though. I've done it a couple times in the last couple years. Really sucks.

I almost never take muscle relaxants, but for this type of injury it may be a good idea. I've had it very bad before and a relaxant makes a big difference in recovery time. Otherwise, every time you move wrong until it totally subsides, it just spasms again and back to zero you go. Not a pain-killer like codeine, but a real relaxant. Diazepam for a couple days has worked for me, followed by stretching. With no relaxant, it's taken friggin' weeks for me to recover. Depends on how bad it is.

Otherwise, in the future, stretch your lower back well before doing legs. Doing high rep (15-20) hip thrusts with moderate weight in my leg routine, has made a huge difference in how many dumb things I can get away with too, regarding low-back stability. You may want to try them when you feel better.

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Elvia1023]

Yep, Sounds like you've just strained your lower back and it's caused a spasm, it'll be ok. It may get worse tomorrow though. I've done it a couple times in the last couple years. Really sucks.

I almost never take muscle relaxants, but for this type of injury it may be a good idea. I've had it very bad before and a relaxant makes a big difference in recovery time. Otherwise, every time you move wrong until it totally subsides, it just spasms again and back to zero you go. Not a pain-killer like codeine, but a real relaxant. Diazepam for a couple days has worked for me, followed by stretching. With no relaxant, it's taken friggin' weeks for me to recover. Depends on how bad it is.

Otherwise, in the future, stretch your lower back well before doing legs. Doing high rep (15-20) hip thrusts with moderate weight in my leg routine, has made a huge difference in how many dumb things I can get away with too, regarding low-back stability. You may want to try them when you feel better.

Hope you feel better soon.

x2 with the muscle relaxant. I would never usually recommend diazepam to anyone but if it's bad I would get on it for a few days. Added to that some ibuprofen to reduce inflammation.

A few extra comments if this ever happens to anyone the best thing you can do is get in an ice bath straightaway. Moreover you have likely gone down too low on the negative. This is common especially with tall lifters. They arch their backs slightly to go very deep... very dangerous and totally unneeded. I should know I have done exactly the same. Basically your arse should stay firmly on the seat when leg pressing.

I hope you get better soon matey. Your gonna be sore 2moro

 

[dalvare1]

leg press puts more strain on my lower back than heavy squats

unless going down not all the way, then i feel like i dont get the most out of the exercise... catch 22

 

[Kaladryn]

Depth on a leg press is relative to hamstring flexibility. Even with extremely flexible hamstrings, you can only go down about HALF of what most people do until your hips start to come up. As soon as the hips lift off and the lower back rounds, you are in a very dangerous position. Unfortunately, most people leg press wrong.

 

[maldorf]

Depth on a leg press is relative to hamstring flexibility. Even with extremely flexible hamstrings, you can only go down about HALF of what most people do until your hips start to come up. As soon as the hips lift off and the lower back rounds, you are in a very dangerous position. Unfortunately, most people leg press wrong.

Yeah, I learned that the hard way once when I strained mine really bad. I could barely walk for days and had to take off 2 week from doing any lower body. Just not worth it.

 

[STEVO 47]

I just did this the other day on leg press. I can barely walk and
lying in bed is painfull. Can't sleep. Never new leg press had so much effect on the lower back.........

 

[Kaladryn]

I just did this the other day on leg press. I can barely walk and
lying in bed is painfull. Can't sleep. Never new leg press had so much effect on the lower back.........

What I tell people is this: Think about the points of contact when the hips lift off, the stress is between the lumbar spine and the feet. The lumbar spin isn't even a joint, it's just vertebra with discs, the pressure on the vertebra isn't even a loading force, it's a sheering force pushing back against the pad.

If you think about it, the pressure MUST stay between the hip bones and the feet.

I like leg press, and I use it, but I'm very careful with it. Even if you are flexible you can't go very deep...

 

[IronManRep]

This is the reason that I don't leg press any longer (that and the lack of hip extension on leg press). I would start icing and pop some ibuprofen. Later try to roll your electors with a lacrosse ball from midline out on either side. Probably best to take a few days off until the stiffness and swelling subsides (assuming its that bad).

X 2 plus go get a spot massage done ASAP. Hope this feels better for you soon.

 

[jm425]

I have ruptured and herniated discs depending on which doctor you ask, in my back so I know a thing or 2 about your situation. The cracking sound was probably your discs slipping out of place. Chiro can fix that somewhat. I would recommend icing it down and some NSAIDs for the inflammation in the mean time.

 

[Hendawg75]

I will never leg press again. I have herniated L4,L5, and S1. One of the disc is torn too I forget which one. I can squat heavy weight with no problems which the doctor said I would never be able to do again btw. The leg press will f'up my si joint for days. The worst offender is the piece of crap Hammer Leg press. I have never seen a worse leg press in my life.

 

[Bobby Biceps]

I snapped my low back out while doing a warm up set of leg presses about nine months ago. I only had a few plates on each side and was just rying to get the knees warmed up. It took weeks to get better. Now I do hamstrings first, some leg curls then some stiff legged deadlifts. Problem hasn't happend sinced changing the order of my leg exercises.

 

[Ruhlfreak55]

Depth on a leg press is relative to hamstring flexibility. Even with extremely flexible hamstrings, you can only go down about HALF of what most people do until your hips start to come up. As soon as the hips lift off and the lower back rounds, you are in a very dangerous position. Unfortunately, most people leg press wrong.

Exactly, I love when idiots try to make fun of form or say you can only go that heavy because you don't go down all the way. Hey, I don't brag on the thing, but I'm sure as hell not going to put my lower back in any kind of danger either. I'll brag on my 675 deadlift....yea putting 2000 pounds on the leg press is cool, and I like doing it, but I don't walk around talking about it.

 

[BULK_CITY]

sorry to hear.

Question for you- when you do your leg presses does your butt come off the pad?

 

[Sir Anabolic]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'll see how it feels tomorrow

 

[aussiebulldog]

I use a small block of timber, I put it on the stopper so it prevents me from getting too low, even if I fail on the last rep.

 

[Incognito1]

sorry to hear.

Question for you- when you do your leg presses does your butt come off the pad?

Good question. That's exactly what the OP needs to avoid. Sure it feels like you aren't going deep enough but as stated above that's where the pressure starts to kick in for your back, which he needs to avoid.
I hope you get better soon Sir A

 

[bulldog1308]

Time to give it time to rest. Mine has never cracked but it has "given out" on multiple occasions, but only when squatting. It's as if it says I have had enough and it feels very unstable. It had me immobile for a few days over Christmas and i've done it probably on 3 separate occasions over the last year. I live with back pain, albeit I can manage it most of the time.

My suggestion is to retire the barbell squat and leg press for a few months. Instead, perform dumbbell squats as you can go much deeper (catchers crouch) and it will have minimal strain on your back so long as you use a lighter weight and go at a controlled pace. Also, weighted leg lunges onto a platform is also a good alternative while you are healing.

And get a belt if you don't already use one. It gives me minimal aid but it's better then nothing at this point.