Hurt back when squatting help me diagnose?

[miguel700707]

I squatted to heavy and hurt my back but i didn't feel much pain at first so I still finished my workout. The next day when I woke up my back hurts its lower back. It only hurts when I'm laying down. So that's kinda weird if I'm standing I'm pain free though. It's been 5 days
Can it really be that bad ? It can't be a disk problem right?

[Soar]

Probably something to get your doctor to check out. The back is the last thing you want to screw up.

[lovbyts]

#1 start using ice on it now... ice on 20 min, off 20 min repeat 3x in a row and 3x a day. Dont do anything to strain/stress the back for a couple of weeks. Make sure to use your core/stomach when doing ANY lifting or bending especially right now. Dont lay on a soft bed that sags. A good firm/hard surface is best like the floor on a soft mat. A inversion table is good if you use it right to relieve pressure. DONT do any inverted situps until your back is 100% ok such as in several weeks or months. Thats how I ruptured my L5/S1.

Sounds like you may have herniated a disc or two but not ruptured. If you take it easy it will heal but still go see a doctor. If the doctor prescribes anything take anti inflammatory over pain meds.

DONT shy away from the ice. It really is your best choice and will work the best especially for now and a week+ DONT use heat, it will make it worse.

[ironbeck]

Go see your DOCTOR you noob

[yannick35]

yet another victim to the squat and deadlift, heavy, i hurt my back doing that 10 years ago, i was lucky to find a prolo guy chiro screwed my back ever more. Good luck if you have ligament laxity then try to find a good prolotherapist.

BTW i have seen manu specialist sport doctors and more and they all said that the squat put way to much pressure on all the spine its a very dangerous exercise. Yet i have seen so many people getting hurt from it and the deadlift and being brainwash by so many and called a pusssy if they dont do it. I now use the leg press and prison squat with no weight and have great legs.

[Lunk1]

While Byts is right on almost every level..I will disagree that I think you severely strained a muscle vs buldged disk. My assumption is mainly based on the fact that the onset of pain came after your workout (when the muscles were cooloing down).

Keep an eye on it...follow Byts advice. If you see no relief in a cpl weeks see a DR. and ask for an MRI!

[Far from massive]

While Byts is right on almost every level..I will disagree that I think you severely strained a muscle vs buldged disk. My assumption is mainly based on the fact that the onset of pain came after your workout (when the muscles were cooloing down).

Keep an eye on it...follow Byts advice. If you see no relief in a cpl weeks see a DR. and ask for an MRI!

This ^^^

Not unusual at all for the back to hurt lying down. Often this is the result of nerve impingement due to misalignment when the core muscles are in a relaxed state, this can be due to swelling from a temporary misalignment or it can be due to a disc buldge or an actual fracture. Most often and hopefully the case is that it was just a muscle strain, the fact that there is no leg pain or weekness is a great sign.

If you are experiencing enough pain lying that it interferes with sleeping you could likely benefit from anti-inflammatory meds as well as possibly muscle relaxers (if the misalignment is caused by muscle spasm). However a simple trick that often helps and is assuming you sleep on your side, place a pillow between you knees this will help lessen the pressure on the spine while sleeping.

[miguel700707]

This ^^^

Not unusual at all for the back to hurt lying down. Often this is the result of nerve impingement due to misalignment when the core muscles are in a relaxed state, this can be due to swelling from a temporary misalignment or it can be due to a disc buldge or an actual fracture. Most often and hopefully the case is that it was just a muscle strain, the fact that there is no leg pain or weekness is a great sign.

If you are experiencing enough pain lying that it interferes with sleeping you could likely benefit from anti-inflammatory meds as well as possibly muscle relaxers (if the misalignment is caused by muscle spasm). However a simple trick that often helps and is assuming you sleep on your side, place a pillow between you knees this will help lessen the pressure on the spine while sleeping.

Umm ok ill try the sleeping on my side part and I can sleep fine cause the pain ain't that bad it hurts but it's more of an uncomfortable feeling not really painful enough that it won't let me sleep. Thanks!

[lovbyts]

While Byts is right on almost every level..I will disagree that I think you severely strained a muscle vs buldged disk. My assumption is mainly based on the fact that the onset of pain came after your workout (when the muscles were cooloing down).

Keep an eye on it...follow Byts advice. If you see no relief in a cpl weeks see a DR. and ask for an MRI!

Very well could be but in both scenarios Ice will help. Thanks for the input, it's to easy to jump to the disc reply when it hits so close to home. I got to learn to think outside the box. Actually I was thinking muscle also but went with disc but should have said both.

[miguel700707]

Bump anybody else

[cherrydrpepper]

If you aren't working out with a partner, I would stretch the lower back before and between sets. I used to do 315 for several reps on deadlift and my back would get super sore. But what I noticed was if I stopped and stretched before and between sets it would be a lot less.

Personally my strategy now is I'm going to work my lower back regularly. There are two exercises in particular

Back Extension
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph3pddpKzzw

Back Extension Machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuJoW96gBbg

[Thicknick1]

Never do heavy squats or dead lift. Everyone I know that has been lifting for over 10 years hurts there back doing one of them eventually. I never go above 250 on squats anymore I find other ways of working my back... also reps matter. I do a lot more reps!!


Now take two weeks off, rest your back and let it heal. Trust me it is better to take two weeks off then really hurt yourself and take 6 months off. If it does not get better in two weeks go to the doctor and get the mri. Dont mess around with you back man, you will regret it.

[Thicknick1]

Never do heavy squats or dead lift. Everyone I know that has been lifting for over 10 years hurts there back doing one of them eventually. I never go above 250 on squats anymore I find other ways of working my back... also reps matter. I do a lot more reps!!


Now take two weeks off, rest your back and let it heal. Trust me it is better to take two weeks off then really hurt yourself and take 6 months off. If it does not get better in two weeks go to the doctor and get the mri. Dont mess around with you back man, you will regret it.

[miguel700707]

Never do heavy squats or dead lift. Everyone I know that has been lifting for over 10 years hurts there back doing one of them eventually. I never go above 250 on squats anymore I find other ways of working my back... also reps matter. I do a lot more reps!!

Now take two weeks off, rest your back and let it heal. Trust me it is better to take two weeks off then really hurt yourself and take 6 months off. If it does not get better in two weeks go to the doctor and get the mri. Dont mess around with you back man, you will regret it.

It right it's been 1.5 weeks and its gotten better luckily it should heal pretty soon I was just scared it was a bulging disc but i doubt it

[Thicknick1]

Well thats good news. Take the time... again... TAKE THE TIME. you will not regret it. When you go back go easy on it, take it slow and take a week or two to warm your back up. Also go light especially at first, dont worry about everyone calling you a girl with your quarters on the bar lol. seriously thought go up slowly over the course of the same time you took off is my rule. so if you where doing 200lbs for your last set when you took two weeks off then it should take two weeks to get back up to 200lbs for your last set again. I do this to see how the body part im working takes the strain im putting back on it over time. Remember it may feel great but you will not really know until you start getting it use to weight again.

Thats just my recommendation of course.

[jseek]

Congrats on recovery. Sometimes it takes injuries to learn 1) our bodies amazing capacity to recover and heal 2) that we can learn from mistakes.
There still is a time and place for squats and dead lifts, but take the next while to..
1) build ur core ... Core means abs/ back / deep rotators strength but also the ability to hold ur trunk static or straight during stress of lifting / using arms or legs
2) keep ur back mobility / agility in all directions... As is - stretch the back forward/ also stretching to extension or backwards -
3) when slowly returning to applying weight down through ur back as u probably will...such as tying ur shoes...lifting dumbells or weights off the ground...and progressing to resuming squats or dead lifts..... Remember that technique is key
The spine is reasonably safe when kept in neutral position during most weight bearing activities. but add a twist or a bend or arch in the spine at the wrong moment and pow...the biggest/ strongest of us male/female go down.
What I'm saying is squatting isn't all bad, it's the technique that will get u... Use a trainer or power lifter to teach u proper squatting and progress it (after 6-8 weeks of healing)
S

[Iron-56]

I squatted to heavy and hurt my back but i didn't feel much pain at first so I still finished my workout. The next day when I woke up my back hurts its lower back. It only hurts when I'm laying down. So that's kinda weird if I'm standing I'm pain free though. It's been 5 days
Can it really be that bad ? It can't be a disk problem right?

How long have you been training for? I would go see a doctor right away. I learned the hard way and now going through therapy and probably will for a while.