Pinched nerve in lower back!

**Sweetz172** · 08-10-2013, 02:18 PM

I wasn't even lifting yet, took a weight plate off a machine, turned wrong to put it on the rack and felt the pinch instantly...any advice/remedies anyone has for a quick return to the gym would be greatly appreciated!

**nafnlaus** · 08-11-2013, 06:52 PM

there can be many causes of this issue but you should go see a PT and check it out to be safe. Inflammation, bad posture, disc injuries can cause this sharp pain and you should try to find out what it is that causes yours. Coolingand ibuprofene is appropriate for most of those cases but that is to treat the pain, but not the cause...

**lovbyts** · 08-13-2013, 04:16 AM

90% of the time people hurt their back when bending or twisting with something light, not heavy or no weight at all.
Ice, ice, ice. Always ice to treat a new injury, not heat. Ice 30 minutes on, 30 minutes off, repeat 3x in a row and do it 3x a day.

**yosimitesam** · 08-13-2013, 10:26 AM

Sweet, I certainly feel for you. Lovbyts is spot on. I've injured myself just toweling off from the shower, and during warm ups more than during my actual sets.

The lower back is comprised of a lot of muscles, and chances are you strained one of them. You're probably experiencing spasms, which feel ever so lovely in hampering just about anything you try to do. The QL (quadratus lumborum) muscle has been one of my biggest adversaries.

Definitely go see your doctor, and he may prescribe you PT and/or a muscle relaxer. Deep tissue massage can also help relieve the sharp spasms. Light stretching (if possible) can help, but don't over do it.

Giving it a little time to calm down should help, but it can take a while. I really hope you start to feel better soon.

**David LoPan** · 08-18-2013, 12:40 PM

After having this happen to me I can say I will never make fun of someone that has back pain again. It hurts like heck. I agree that ice is the best thing. I use the 20 on 20 off cycle. You can Google stretching for back injuries, this help me. Also I went for Chiropractic Care. Muscle relaxers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents/analgesics (NSAIAs) worked the best for me.

**ironbeck** · 08-18-2013, 01:02 PM

Ice is good, but unfortunately the best remedy is the time and the body healing itself.

**600@50** · 08-19-2013, 08:25 PM

After the initial 48 hours after the injury you can start introducing heat to the area to speed up blood flow and reduce swelling. Ibuprofen will help with the pain and swelling too.

**HulkSmash1** · 08-20-2013, 07:49 PM

if you have tingling, numbness or residual pain in your leg or foot, you have a bulging or herniated disk. best advice would be to ice, anti-inflammatories and to take some time off. consider yourself lucky, i "pushed" through and ended up with a severely herniated disk that took ver a year to fully recover from.

**Bio-Active** · 08-22-2013, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by HulkSmash1

if you have tingling, numbness or residual pain in your leg or foot, you have a bulging or herniated disk. best advice would be to ice, anti-inflammatories and to take some time off. consider yourself lucky, i "pushed" through and ended up with a severely herniated disk that took ver a year to fully recover from.

Had the same thing but it took me 2 years of rehab

**jg42058p** · 08-27-2013, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Sweetz172

I wasn't even lifting yet, took a weight plate off a machine, turned wrong to put it on the rack and felt the pinch instantly...any advice/remedies anyone has for a quick return to the gym would be greatly appreciated!

A "quick return to the gym" could potentially be the decision that keeps you out of the gym for months - years - or even the rest of the your life.

I herniated a disc in my back and I went back to soon. BIGGEST MISTAKE IVE EVER MADE IN THE GYM IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!

My disc is still in recovery, not fully healed, over a year later. If you pinched a nerve its most likely you've slipped a disc - SEE A DOCTOR AND GET AN MRI BEFORE GOING BACK TO THE GYM - IF YOU GO BACK TOO SOON YOU COULD SERIOUSLY REGRET IT.
BACK PAIN IS NO F*U*C*K*I*N*G JOKE. Resist the urge to go back too soon! Good luck.

**nafnlaus** · 09-05-2013, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by jg42058p

A "quick return to the gym" could potentially be the decision that keeps you out of the gym for months - years - or even the rest of the your life.

I herniated a disc in my back and I went back to soon. BIGGEST MISTAKE IVE EVER MADE IN THE GYM IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!

My disc is still in recovery, not fully healed, over a year later. If you pinched a nerve its most likely you've slipped a disc - SEE A DOCTOR AND GET AN MRI BEFORE GOING BACK TO THE GYM - IF YOU GO BACK TOO SOON YOU COULD SERIOUSLY REGRET IT.
BACK PAIN IS NO F*U*C*K*I*N*G JOKE. Resist the urge to go back too soon! Good luck.

agreed, never train with pain. especially in your back. Or you will probably get a deep understanding of serious pain for years to come.
i trained with back injuries for some time, just took anti-inflammatives and kept on competing. Ive regretted that every day since, for the last two and a half year - constant pain and irritation.