When is the pain in your mind?

[Chris McNatt]

I hurt my back doing rack pulls like 3 months ago and then things have never been the same, or have they?

Well after a month or so of doing nothing for my lower back pain, I went to see a chiropractor and he diagnosed that my problem was mostly do to how tight my lower body is. For example, when I laid on my back my leg would only go up high enough to cause a 45 degree angle at my waist. Also my hip muscles, glute muscles were all very tight. (years of not stretching)

So I have been stretching like a mad man and am able to have a 90 degree angle, and I actually touched the ground for the first time in my life standing up knees locked. IT was a very brief touch with the tips of my fingers but none the less i touched.

Now, here is my question. When will I know that the 'pain' i feel in my lower back is a bad pain and not the typical your back is getting tight because you're lifting? I am pretty much a hypochrondriac when it comes to lower back pain for I fear a bad back in my old age. So I want to come to you guys for suggestions.


Also, anyone else have some ideas for keeping hte muscles loose during work outs? I know some people use a special cream

[Ben Booker]

If you doctor already said that there is nothing serious with you back I would start back with your training, but incorporating some things that would help you out.

First thing: Find out if you have any postural deviations (you wouldn't beleive how much of a difference you would have from proper posture). 99% of everyone has upper cross syndrome and lower cross syndrome (you can look up all of my advice on the internet to confirm and or get a second opinion on my suggestons). Look these up and they will basically tell you that your pecs, lats, hip flexors (the front of your hips and your quads), and maybe adductors and calves (that is if you have these deviations, which you most likely do).

Sense your back is the problem I will just focus on lower cross syndrome, but the same principals will apply to upper cross syndrome.

In lower cross syndrome there are shortened muscle (tight muscles), lengthened muscles, and compensators.

Shortened muscles are your quads, the front muscles of your hips (hip flexors), and your rectus spinus (your lower back). This is also called anterior pelvic tilt (also look this term up).

Sense your shortened muscles are so tight this causes your lengthened muscles (the muscles on the opposite side of your body) to, basically, not work because they are so lengthened they cant contract.

Lengthened muscles are your hams, abs, and gluts (imagine that you cant use your gluts, one of the strongest muscles in your, what muscle are going to have to compensate?).

Compensators are your pieraformis (realy small muscles on the side of your hips) and your rectus spinus (your lower back). This would be similar to doing a squat and you lift one legs off the ground, imagine what that would be like. it is the same thing with your lower back.

Symptoms: shortened muscles, lengthened muscles, and lower back pain because your gluts aren't working so your lower back has to take all of that extra load.

Cause of symptoms: Postural deviation and muscular imbalance (lower cross syndrome).

Antidote: stretch your tight muscles and strengthen your lengthened muscles until you acheive proper posture which will at the same time fix your muscular imbalances. You will also need to check into core training.

Breif core training explanation: core training is basically performing exercises that invalve strengthening your trunk and more specifically a group of muscle along the spine and navel that help to support proper posture. You can probably tell that anything that helps to strengthen the spine is a good thing. Go to the "TRAINING SECTION" of this forum and check out what I wrote about core training for a thread about "Shaking to much" or something. I covered core in that thread.

You should start focusing on proper posture more, if you aren't already, but most people don't think about it (I used to not think about it). Proper posture is basically a simple core work out (pull navel toward the spine, stand strait, shoulders back ect.).

This is my .02 (who thought you could get that much for .02) :LOL:

Good luck bro

[Brandon Campbell]

I agree with the above!

I had a similar lower back problem caused by tightness in my hamstrings and glutes. Even though i was able to touch the ground with the back of my hands with knees locked and do the splits and other feats of stretching fancy. My problem is I have been flexible pretty much the whole time i have started training. My lower back has become used to having very flexible hips and hams, and glutes, when they get tight. It causes a whole bunch of problems with my back.

A very good stretching and strengthing routine for the core will cure almost every back problem i think.

[Chris McNatt]

Thanks a lot!

[Dan Harrison]

How about just stop being a mangina and get your ass in the gym? Getting back in the routine of things will likely work any excess crap out of your system. And yeah, what Ben said...gotta be KIND OF flexible.

[Chris McNatt]

How about just stop being a mangina and get your ass in the gym? Getting back in the routine of things will likely work any excess crap out of your system. And yeah, what Ben said...gotta be KIND OF flexible.


My mangina is forcing me to go on the treadmills and other cardio equipment, haha

[Josh Kamins]

I'd say start learning about mobility work, instead of just static stretching.... Maybe look into buying the Magnificent Mobility DVD, I've heard really good things, and one of the creators Eric Cressey is a strong and smart dude.

[ClayEdgin]

Pain is in the body, fear of pain is in the mind!

[Chris McNatt]

I'd say start learning about mobility work, instead of just static stretching.... Maybe look into buying the Magnificent Mobility DVD, I've heard really good things, and one of the creators Eric Cressey is a strong and smart dude.

Any sites with detailed info on mobility work?

Clay,
I know exactly what you mean, but sometimes I feel that my mind is giving me the wrong signals. It is telling me that I am having a bad pain when in fact it may just be normal muscle tightness