mackers

Any of you guys suffer from a bad back? Ever since I can remember I have suffered from a lower back pain, it comes and goes and for no apparent reason. Really fks me off, was for heading to the gym to do my legs night tonight and my back just got sore all of a sudden, lying on the couch now, sore bending down ect. I know it`ll be ok tomorrow and I`ll be back training but it f**ks me off. Any stretches ect to prevent it??

Dangerous Malcolm..

If you get it regularly you need to get it checked out properly. It could simply be down to bad posture or anything really.

mackers

Been to a chiropractor before but found that useless, I do tend to slouch over a bit and dont sit straight in chairs which the wife gives off to me about so there are two things I could improve on. Cheers

Kieron

I have a weak lower back. Twinged it once years ago doing squats and now I have to be careful. Sometimes I will go weeks and weeks without any problems then something as simple as bending down over the sink to clean my teeth will set it off. Always on the left side and always a pain like a trapped nerve. Can screw my training up for days and days.

The only hing I have found it to just be careful. Dont do too much that will effect it, i.e digging, awkward lifting and deadlifts.

arch

Had a bad back for years now, tweaked it a few weeks back (no idea how) and was in agony. Had tablets from doc etc but went to see an osteopath as recommended by my old man.

I walked in there, stopped over as me back was hurting. He examined me and told me that my pelvis was crooked.

Anyway, after a quick massage he manipulates my back. You should have heard it crack. Then, I as good as leap of the couch. I felt like a new man, this osteopath man is indeed a miracle worker. Have been back a couple of times as he reckons it will take four visits to 'correct' my pelvis.

If anyone doubts an osteopath then stop doubting, get yourself to one.

He also reckons that keeping your back straight when lifting is one of the worst things you can do, he reckons your back is designed to be used by bending so that it how you should do it. Not too sure I agree with this logic, but hey, I feel great now.

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

i got a back massage in my gym, been good for a while now.

mackers

Kieron my back problem is exactly as you said, but mines the right hand side. Got pissed off and went to the gym and squated like f**k and my back feels better. Result. Dont know how that has worked but it has.

Dangerous Malcolm..

I'm embarassed to write this but here goes. My old man suffers really bad with his back. He's got a collapsed vertebrae in his spine and every so often he has a bad do and virtually collapses.
His last bad do was in Ireland and he was taken to hospital, checked over and given painkillers. He still couldn't walk unaided so one of the fellas suggested a faith healer. Now my old man is not religious in the slightest and wasn't interested but was talked into it. He walked out on his own after seeing him and was back at work the next day. And that's no shit.
Like I said, I'm embarassed to say that.

Kieron

I thought I would dig this old thread up as it make me decide to tackle my bad back. Not by going to the docs but by trying to strengthen it up. I think that having strong muscles around it will help protect it.

Anyway I started doing the one exercise I have always steered clear of for fear of hurting my back, deadlifts. Started out with a very low weight, probably 10-15Kgs a side and built up over the weeks from there. I'm still not lifting lots of weight, 3 sets of 12 reps @ 100Kgs, but it seems to be working. Touch wood I have not had it "go" recently although it does ache a few days after training. Different type of pain altogether though and I look forward to it, means its working. Hopefully it will catch up to the rest of me and not give me as much jip in the future.

DaveMCMkIII

I can almost guarntee your lower back issues are mobility-stablity related and are made worse by your training. Simple approaches to get rid:

Make your hips more mobile, stretch your hammys, hip flexors (this is a common cuplrit), quads, calfs, the lot. Also do thoracic spine stretches, search for some online, i think thoracic extensions are best. Do not do any sit ups or crunches, these cause flexion of your lumbar spine which will make your lower back pain even worse among other things. Finally record your lifting form, particulary when picking thing u p from the floor, whether thats deadlifting or just picking up db's for shoulder presses. A flexed lumbar spine when doing this will really stress your back.

Following the above will definately help, if not cure it, however it will take lots of time and work and if it is more of a clinical injury (i.e. slipped vertebrae) it will need professional help. I suggest seeing a physio, they will refer you to a chiropractor if needed.