Back rehab

[lhprop1]

Saturday morning, I was fired up and ready to go to our rugby match. When I got out of the shower, my back clenched up and I laid there writhing on the bathroom floor for quite a while. Finally, I knew I either had to bash my head against the toilet and put myself out of my misery or get up.

I made it to the match, but when it took me 15 minutes to put ONE of my cleats on, I realized I wasn't going to be able to play. Watching your teammates and knowing there's not a thing you can do to help was almost, if not more painful than my back.

Sunday everything was ok, which led me to believe it was just a spasm. I took Monday off just to be safe. Everything felt fine so I decided to go train last night. I stretched for about 45 minutes, but on my 3rd set of front squats, it happened again. This leads me to believe that it might not be a spasm, but actually soft tissue damage back there.

I've been icing it all day and doing some really, really light, limited stretches and I've got an appt tonight. Someone already suggested some ART or ultrasound if my chiro has it. Does anyone else have any other suggestions (short of a cortizone shot) that might help me recover pronto? We've got the 1st round of playoffs this weekend and I'm going to do everything in my power to play, even if it kills me.

Also, I refuse to take any pain killers or drugs of any kind under any situation, so that's out of the question.

[Matt Nickerson]

Stretching, icing, and something for the pain. Those were the only things I could do when I played loose head. Which side of your back does the pain come from? Sounds to me like you either got hit wrong or you messed up in the scrum. Which if its the second case you probably weren't bound tight enough to the hooker and when you went to boar (I assume you do this) the opposing tight head, the contact screwed your back. Get better soon.

[barabas47]

Go see a physical therapist the specializes in sports rehab in your area. I'm not real sure ice will help since you didn't specify what you did to injure your low back. If they are occassional spasms or locking up, heat would probably help more. Before it tightens up, feel your back and it its hot, ice it.. vice versa.
A cortizone shot will stop in inflammation, but also help break down tendon and ligament strength. You might be better taking lortab 5's. They are very mild if you weight over 200 and will ease the pain a little and not hinder your thinking. Let me know if you got any questions

[lhprop1]

I found out from my chiro last night that it's only spasms. I've been icing and heating it alternately while mixing in some stretching. He performed a little ART on me last night and it felt a lot better. Hopefully I'll be ready to go on Saturday.

[craig kruse]

ben- when your chiro says that it is only spasms I don't know if I would leave it at that. There is no reason for your back to go into spasms on its own. No one has ever had their bicep just go into spasms while lifting a glass of water up to their mouth. The muscles in your back are similar to the muscles in your arms, chest, etc. Typically what I see with patients is the spasm is the body's response to some type of problem. Typically with lifters it is going to be a disc (most people have some sort of disc buldge, it doesn't mean surgery it just means doing specific exercises), a sacroliliac joint problem (manipulation and exercise) or a facet (joint) problem (manipulation and exercise)
when your back goes out I would lay on your stomach with ice on it for 15 minutes. After fifteen minutes I would try to prop yourself up on your elbows for another 5 min. After 5 min on your elbows, try a press up (like a push up but keep your hips on the floor and arch your back using only your arms)
alieve or ibuprofen would help also.

craig

[SqeezeMasterFlash]

Ben, you had back problems and you didn't call the local expert? :BB:

The chiro is probably right, but I wouldn't risk it. Get to an orthopedic specialist, and get that thing x-ray'd. You need to ensure it's not a disc problem. In the meantime, high rep good mornings with a mini band, pullthroughts with light weight, reverse hypers with bodyweight, and giant piles of pressups will help. Also, start taking walks every day. It'll get the area moving and the blood pumping.

[davebeers]

i had the same thing happen to me after a powerlifting meet. It was the day after the meet and when i got up in the morning i did a big "arms up in the air" stretch and as i arched my lower back clenched up and i was sent down to the ground and assuming the fetal position was the only thing that helped. The stabbing pain subsided in minutes but my whole lower back hurt very badly for days.....and it was the same pain i felt when i had initially broken my back. Doing light movements like glute-ham raises, hyperextensions and others a couple times a day and some advil got rid of it in a matter of days and everything was back to normal.
I tell you what though as i layed on the floor clenched in pain i thought my lifting career was over...it was a very scary helpless feeling. You'll get thru it though....please take it easy for a while

[RyanWilson]

Back injuries are no fun, no question about it. I'm going through my 2nd problem after reinjuring the sprain I recovered from last summer, and the thought of having to take a few weeks off to heal is no good, particularly since I'm pretty well guaranteed to miss my first contest of the year. Good luck in healing up, and take care of that back!

[Carl Johnson]

My back isn't healing very fast either. I believe I have an SI joint sprain which I injured on a yoke and keep agrivating. Any advice.
Carl

[lhprop1]

My back isn't healing very fast either. I believe I have an SI joint sprain which I injured on a yoke and keep agrivating. Any advice.
Carl

Maybe they can create a special "gimp" division for us.

[Carl Johnson]

Yeah, a gimp division would be nice, and between all the events we would have to comsume beer.

[craig kruse]

carl,
SI joint problems can be a bear to deal with. Chiropractic can help for the occasional flare up. Self correct techniques are helpful as well. I can show you some if you are still coming down to the Chicago meet. They are kind of difficult to explain via email. I would try using your hip adductors to "realign" your pelvis. Put both fists together side by side. While sitting, put both fists between your knees and squeeze your knees together hard. I will often feel a "pop" This often helps me out. Make sure to ice your SI joint.

Craig

[Kristy N]

I injured my SI joint last year deadlifting and its been a bitch to rehab.

Best advice I have is to find your weakness and work on correcting it. Things like lumbar lordosis, weak glutes, tight hip flexors, or a mis-aligned pelvis can really throw you off.

I spent months doing nothing but glute activation work, hip flexor stretches, and foam rolling to get myself back on track. I'm still not 100%, but things are much better.

The adivce everyone else gave was pretty solid. Light, higher rep work with GMs, GHR's. RH's, Pull-throughs will help once you get past the acute injury stage.

[Chris McNatt]

Best advice I have is to find your weakness and work on correcting it. Things like lumbar lordosis, weak glutes, tight hip flexors, or a mis-aligned pelvis can really throw you off.

Exactly, when I went to the chiro my pevlis was tilted to one side, my hip flexor flexilibity is horrible in both legs but REALLY bad on my right leg. My Hamstrings are super tight along with my gluteal muscles.

While laying on my back with my legs straight, I can only lift a leg to about 45degrees before my hamstrings get too tight and prevent my leg from moving anymore. I should be at about 90degrees!!!

Hopefully im at 50 degrees right now.. haha
I try to use wet heat for 30 minutes 2 times a day as well