Working around lower back injury

[meterman5]

I tweaked my lower back last week and need some input. When I was 23 I hurt my lower back at work. After x-rays and an MRI my doctor said I had some degenerative on my L4 and L5. Through the years I have learned how to listen to my body and back off of it to take care of it.

Last week I was doing barbell rows with 135 so it wasn't a max effort. I felt a little "twinge" in my lower back and terminated the rest of the workout. This has happened intermittently before and each time my back is tight for a few days but nothing more than a few missed nights of sleep and mild pain/stiffness through the day. The next day I could feel it getting tight and pain which I expected and just did my cardio.

Each subsequent day the pain has gotten worse. I have been taking 800mg ibuprofen and 800mg acetaminophen three times a day in addition to using some dmso and horse liniment. I went to the doc on Thursday. He did the normal tests and the pain only comes when bending forward. I can bend side to side and backward with little to no pain. I go about 4" forward and lots of pain. Standing straight up I have little if any pain and sitting down it depends on the chair. Getting up and down though holy shit it hurts.

What is worrying me is that it's not getting much better. Doc gave my 10mg muscle relaxers to take 3 times a day in addition to a 5 day course of 20mg prednisone. It's not as stiff in the mornings and the tightness/pain is central to my spine now as opposed to the middle/lower part.

I did not work out at all last week and it looks like if I am lucky I may get to do some cardio this week. When I train again though I am thinking of doing just some basic bodyweight exercises such as

dips
pushups
pull-ups

Has anyone else had a similar experience ? I don't have any numbness or tingling sensations so I don't think that the disc is any real trouble. I have had my back "go out" before but it never lasted more than a couple days without getting better. I have learned finally that pushing through it will be the worst thing I can do so I figure I will let it have at least a week pain free before hitting actual weights again.

Any advice or similar experiences ?

 

[kubes]

You need to stick with exercises that are not compressing your spine bro. Lat pulls, preachure curls, hammer strength bench press, skull crushers for triceps there is a ton of things you can do but you need to stop compressing your spine. I gave a similar injury at l5s1

 

[GreenEarth]

Definitely a good suggestion. I hurt my lower back a good 3-4 years ago (stupid kid trying to lift too much), it's the lowest disk on my spine that is deteriorating. My chiro told me that I need to completely avoid exercises that put a lot of pressure on my lower back, or use my lower back to a large degree. No squat, deadlifts, BB Rows, or hack squats (learned that last one the hard way a few weeks ago...ouch). I've still had luck with T-Bar Rows, but I don't doubt that with enough weight my lower back injury could render it's ugly face again on those.

There are still a lot of ways to hit your upper and mid back. Lat pulldowns are great (switch between wide-grip and V-Bar), and there are a lot of hammer strength rows that hit your mid to upper back in a very controlled position, and feel great. To be honest though, having to avoid squats and deads, I feel that my back/leg progress has not been what it could have been without the injury, but your health and especially comfort are first and foremost - I know that if I ever manage to tweak my lower back, I'm out of commission for a good 3 days. Sitting down and standing up takes 3 minutes, walking (more like limping) is a chore, etc.

About the only exercise I can do that uses my lower back yet doesn't hurt it is extensions, and I typically use those more so for my hammies.

 

[kubes]

Definitely a good suggestion. I hurt my lower back a good 3-4 years ago (stupid kid trying to lift too much), it's the lowest disk on my spine that is deteriorating. My chiro told me that I need to completely avoid exercises that put a lot of pressure on my lower back, or use my lower back to a large degree. No squat, deadlifts, BB Rows, or hack squats (learned that last one the hard way a few weeks ago...ouch). I've still had luck with T-Bar Rows, but I don't doubt that with enough weight my lower back injury could render it's ugly face again on those.

There are still a lot of ways to hit your upper and mid back. Lat pulldowns are great (switch between wide-grip and V-Bar), and there are a lot of hammer strength rows that hit your mid to upper back in a very controlled position, and feel great. To be honest though, having to avoid squats and deads, I feel that my back/leg progress has not been what it could have been without the injury, but your health and especially comfort are first and foremost - I know that if I ever manage to tweak my lower back, I'm out of commission for a good 3 days. Sitting down and standing up takes 3 minutes, walking (more like limping) is a chore, etc.

About the only exercise I can do that uses my lower back yet doesn't hurt it is extensions, and I typically use those more so for my hammies.

What do you do for legs? i just do one leg leg press so it's lighter, leg extension and leg curls. Calf raises too

 

[GreenEarth]

What do you do for legs? i just do one leg leg press so it's lighter, leg extension and leg curls. Calf raises too

Pretty much the same for me.

For quads: Plate loaded and nautilus leg extensions, and then various forms of leg presses (horzontal and incline). I find with leg press that I really need to find a sweet spot for range of motion. If I go knees-to-chest on the most extensive part of the negative, a lot of times I walk away with my lower back feeling quite tender.

For Hammies: Leg curls, and that one where you place your calves on a pad and push down (another hammie exercise, can't think of the exact name...Seated Leg Curls perhaps?). My favorite recent exercise has been ham-glute raises, which I picked up watching one of those DC videos Dante came out with some time ago. Here's an example, ignore the slightly annoying presenter:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne_pPfxb-_8]3 Variations of the Dreaded Glute Ham Raise - YouTube[/ame]

You can do those with a traditional extension machine, which will have you inclined a bit more.

For calves: Seated Calf Raise, Calf Press (nautilus machine my gym has...you sit inclined and place the ball of your feet on a metal bar at the base, then push with the balls of your feet), and I could swear there's one more I can't remember. I've tried traditional standing calf raises, but with the lower back injury, those have not resulted well for reasons I'm sure I don't need to tell you.

EDIT: Remembered the last calf exercise. Sometimes I'll use the leg press and keep my legs straight, and just push the distance that my feet will extend. Actually works your calves surprisingly well.

 

[Xenorikki]

I'm interested in what everyone has to say. I don't have any disk issues (that I know of) but I was stabbed reallllly badly in my lower back and have muscle control problems there because the muscles didn't heal right you can feel a difference in one side of my lowerback lol.

I still squat and dead but have had to back off of it heavy weight wise. Do you guys notice you can still gain size? Without heavy lower body or without high high doses

 

[GreenEarth]

You're not alone, Xenorikki...everyone has been stabbed in the back at one point or another

 

[meterman5]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. After I hurt my back years ago I learned to back off the weights and I do like stiff leg deads but I rarely go above 185-205 on them just because I am afraid. Funny thing was I have tweaked my back a little in the past and although not every workout this has happened before. Usually the pain/stiffness last about 3-4 days. this go around it's still here although the muscle pain is gone it's just the sharp pains of getting up and down.

I was not to alarmed because I know people that have really fucked there back up and they get those classic symptoms of numbness, shooting pains down the legs, and even one friend fell down walking up stairs as for some reason it just crippled him after a couple steps. I can bend backwards and side to side with little to no pain. I am guessing barbell rows are out of the lineup for a long time.

What about chin-ups and assisted chin-ups for lats ? There shouldn't a lot of pressure on my spine from that ? Aside from that I just want this pain to subside as well. The ironic thing is that getting a full 8 hours of sleep kills me because waking up I am so stiff. I feel better as long as I am upright. If I sit for to long or sleep I tighten up.

 

[GreenEarth]

Chin ups and pull ups are fine, I still do both without any issues. Trust me when I say you'll know pretty quickly whether or not you can do an exercise with your injury.

Again, I'd stay away from deads (just about any type), squats (just about any type), BB rows, good mornings, etc...exercises wherein you place a bar on your back are touchy. Also be careful if you ever do standing BB Shoulder presses. Some people adopt strange form to help support the weight on the way up, and you can see how that weight would easily shift to your lower back.

 

[meterman5]

Chin ups and pull ups are fine, I still do both without any issues. Trust me when I say you'll know pretty quickly whether or not you can do an exercise with your injury.

Again, I'd stay away from deads (just about any type), squats (just about any type), BB rows, good mornings, etc...exercises wherein you place a bar on your back are touchy. Also be careful if you ever do standing BB Shoulder presses. Some people adopt strange form to help support the weight on the way up, and you can see how that weight would easily shift to your lower back.

Here is my workout-

Back-
4 sets of barbell rows going up to 225lbs (that's getting replaced with maybe dumbbell rows or t-bar rows)
4 sets of pull-ups (usually get about 5 good ones) I do 2 sets palms pronated and 2 sets supinated

Chest-
4 sets incline barbell bench going up to a few sets of 275
4 sets of dips after the first set of 12 I add a 45lb plate) certain days I will try to get 3 plates for maybe 1 or 2

bicep's and triceps-
4 sets of dips
4 sets of close grip incline bench
2 sets dumbbell press behind the head
4 sets standing straight bar curls going up to 110 (this one is gone as well)
4 sets seated dumbbell curl


Shoulders-
4 sets Arnold dumbbell press
4 sets standing barbell press ( that's getting cut out )

Legs-
6 sets stiff legged deadlift up to 225
maybe 3-4 sets of squats but not heavy.

I am cutting out the obvious ones that involve my lower back. Anything else you would cut out and replace ? I am thinking of switching to GVT just to keep the weights light.

 

[GeauxDATY]

I tore a ligament in my lumbar spine a few weeks ago. The best thing I've found for it is rest and ultrasound with electric stimulation (simultaneous). I will begin working out again on Monday after a 5 week lay off and will only do upperbody exercises that don't put stress on my lower back and Tabata Squats for legs.

 

[meterman5]

I tore a ligament in my lumbar spine a few weeks ago. The best thing I've found for it is rest and ultrasound with electric stimulation (simultaneous). I will begin working out again on Monday after a 5 week lay off and will only do upperbody exercises that don't put stress on my lower back and Tabata Squats for legs.

What's the cost on the ultrasound ? Also what are tabata sqats ?

 

[Xenorikki]

You're not alone, Xenorikki...everyone has been stabbed in the back at one point or another

Hahaa I hear ya. Iv met some bigger dudes who either can't or don't squat or dead lol I'm lucky I can DL 450s no pain and squat low 400s no pain. But when I go heavy I can't even pick up my son next day

 

[kubes]

Chin ups and pull ups are fine, I still do both without any issues. Trust me when I say you'll know pretty quickly whether or not you can do an exercise with your injury.

Again, I'd stay away from deads (just about any type), squats (just about any type), BB rows, good mornings, etc...exercises wherein you place a bar on your back are touchy. Also be careful if you ever do standing BB Shoulder presses. Some people adopt strange form to help support the weight on the way up, and you can see how that weight would easily shift to your lower back.

I am finally doing shoulder presses again but not with free weight. On the hammer strength machine and light weight. Rarely go over 79 lbs per side. Light side lateral raises are the money exept size for my shoulders rep range of 15-20

 

[Perfecto]

What's the cost on the ultrasound ? Also what are tabata sqats ?

I am curious too. What is a tabata squat?

 

[GeauxDATY]

What's the cost on the ultrasound ? Also what are tabata sqats ?

It's only $25 copay for me to see my Chiropractor but I have no idea what it would cost otherwise. The Tabata Squats may look funny and easy but don't be fooled, they kill. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4e-dp97Jfc]CrossFit Tabata Squats - YouTube[/ame]

 

[IronManRep]

It's only $25 copay for me to see my Chiropractor but I have no idea what it would cost otherwise. The Tabata Squats may look funny and easy but don't be fooled, they kill. CrossFit Tabata Squats - YouTube

I just watched the video, and the Tabata squats DO NOT LOOK FUN AND EASY!!



Meterman - back injury's suck and sometimes the best thing to do is take some time off.


What Rock Tape? Anyone tried it?

Here is some info from their website- **broken link removed**

How does Rocktape work?

When we manufacture RockTape, we introduce a bias into the weave of the fabric so it stretches in one direction and not the other. This creates a bio-mechanical lifting mechanism that lifts the skin away from the soft tissue underneath, which allows more blood to move into an injured area to accelerate healing and recovery.