Lower back recovery work?

HockeyBjj

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Wow haven't made a thread in S&C in ages, but I figured some here might have some good advice. Flirting with the "don't ask medical questions, see a doctor" rule but I believe I can keep it clean because I have seen a doctor and am just asking on some recommended exercises and stretches for lower back, since I was told to start doing them now but didn't get specifics on what to do.

Cliffs- Hurt my back bad during a deadlift about a month ago. I swear hand on the bible my form was good and it wasn't too much weight, but still had heard/felt a major pop on spine in lower back. Muscle spams and cramps completely locked me up as my body tried to splint itself. This is apparently a good thing but holy fuck does it hurt.

Went to doc, got X-ray, everything looked good there. No fractures, didn't get an MRI due to costs and doc saying if it gets better in 10 days its probably a bulged disc and all the pain is coming from beneficial severe muscle cramps, if not better in 10 days might be a ruptured disc and then they'd truly need an MRI to see how bad.

While still sore, had notable improvement around day 5. I had taken a week off work (work from home some), and babied it very well. Now a month later I can tell it still feels week and once every 2 or 3 days something will happen and I'll get a twinge in my back there but I can walk around, roughhouse with my toddler and overall doing night and day better. Was told to start doing low stress strength training now.

TLDR: what are some low stress strength (at this point even adequate stretching is probably some muscle recovery there) lower back training options?
 
Can you go see a physio? That would take the guess work out of it.
I would think any bodyweight core work would be a good place to start.
Bird dogs
Glute Bridges
Dead bugs
Plank variations
Reverse Hypers (without hyper extending though)
45 degree back extensions
1-leg RDLs
Standing high knee holds (think holding a marching position with knee above hip level)
 
Can you go see a physio? That would take the guess work out of it.

Money. PT was recommended but I can't afford it, gonna get some major hospital bills next month with baby #2 arriving. Can't add my own hospital bills for something I can hopefully find a work around for.

Awesome and thanks for the recommendations. Yeah, bodyweight core stuff is all I'm looking for. I'll google those exercise names for how to do them. I'm not familiar with that style of exercises so didn't know where to begin.
 
Try hanging from a Pull-Up bar and bring your knees up toward your chest.
 
I would do whatever exercises you were doing before the injury, but for higher reps, and adjusted for weight/tempo/ROM/bar type to reduce discomfort. Wouldn't really look for any special exercises. So if a full ROM deadlift hurts, maybe do them with just the bar and very slowly. If that hurts a lot, try reducing the ROM until it doesn't, or try standing more upright (sumo or trap bar) and so on. If normal DL's, RDL's, etc, don't hurt, I would just do them with low weight/high reps.
 
I would do whatever exercises you were doing before the injury, but for higher reps, and adjusted for weight/tempo/ROM/bar type to reduce discomfort. Wouldn't really look for any special exercises. So if a full ROM deadlift hurts, maybe do them with just the bar and very slowly. If that hurts a lot, try reducing the ROM until it doesn't, or try standing more upright (sumo or trap bar) and so on. If normal DL's, RDL's, etc, don't hurt, I would just do them with low weight/high reps.

Even much lighter weight I’m not sure about getting back to deads, squats, and strict over head presses. Still feels like that would be too much tensing pressure on the spine until I do some other stuff to prep for that
 
Even much lighter weight I’m not sure about getting back to deads, squats, and strict over head presses. Still feels like that would be too much tensing pressure on the spine until I do some other stuff to prep for that

Most PT stuff I've seen recommends not avoiding movement patterns, but rather re-introducing them in a slow controlled way. Haven't had any major injuries in a long time, but it's worked for me for minor things. I think it is unlikely that you would hurt yourself doing a slow tempo DL/rack pull/squat with an empty bar (or even a kettlebell if you want less weight), or a back extension at an oblique angle with bodyweight, anything like that. Not sure if there is any need of "preparing yourself" to do a hip hinge movement, I would think not.
 
It sounds like almost identical to what happens with me. Did the doctor not give you 7 days of steroids and non-narcotic muscle relaxer? That should be the standard protocol if it's a muscle strain. There is no reason for you to be suffering 5 days like that. The first day of steroids (7 pills) did wonders. My doctor has always explained to me that it would get better on it's own in about 1-2 weeks, but the steroids speed up the process.
 
I have disc herniation. Heavy ab work, sleeping with a pillow between my legs and being super mindful of what type of chair I sit in has helped me the most. I have a pillow supporting my low back right now and it is so automatic I wouldn't think to sit in this chair without it.

I also just don't back squat or deadlift anymore. Just sure fire injury for me at this point. Same with bench. I really had to change to a focus on conditioning for fresh goals and forget about anything as far as masters powerlifting. I use to love 45 degree hyper extensions with a band and holding dumbbells but I wouldn't even do them now with body weight. I do a lot of KB power cleans, farmer walk with one kettlebell on the side, goblet squats. If it hurts it is gone.
 
Are you super tight? In your hips, glutes and hamstrings? Can you touch your toes?
Try some of these stretches. Obviously stop if it hurts although I felt intense soreness after PT sessions for the first two weeks. It was more or less the same exercises I did at a PT spot when I had pain radiating down my back. I didn't do the cat/cow pose and adductor stretch though. I also did deep glute stretches that provided a lot of relief. The pulling the knee towards the chest while lying down was also a good one for me. Hope you feel better.

 
This is what I meant by deep glute stretch.


If messing with your glutes provide relief then a great release will be some sort of hard ball rolling. You don't roll on your spine but you look for tight spots in your ass and try to massage it out.
Pause.
 
It sounds like almost identical to what happens with me. Did the doctor not give you 7 days of steroids and non-narcotic muscle relaxer? That should be the standard protocol if it's a muscle strain. There is no reason for you to be suffering 5 days like that. The first day of steroids (7 pills) did wonders. My doctor has always explained to me that it would get better on it's own in about 1-2 weeks, but the steroids speed up the process.

Doctors won't (and shouldn't) blindly hand out steroids and muscle relaxers to everyone with a certain kind of injury.

You don't know anything about OP or his medical history.
 
Doctors won't (and shouldn't) blindly hand out steroids and muscle relaxers to everyone with a certain kind of injury.

You don't know anything about OP or his medical history.
Typical Jim. Negativity without adding anything.
 
Typical Jim. Negativity without adding anything.

Please point out what was negative about that. Then please point out how I didn't add anything.

Typical deadshot. No idea what he's talking about and can't even coherently reply to a post he quotes.
 
You have to rest and once rested to the point where you can stretch without hurting, you have to stretch a lot. You have to strength and stretch the entire area, legs low back hips thorax. A weak link will overload and spasms if there are unbalances caused by weakness or tightness.

If you are up and mobile, you should really think about becoming an expert on stretching. You might not be aware of the difference that stretching enough makes. Many people get surgery without even trying and PT is just stretching you're willing to do.

Stretch your psoas everyday. Your lowest lower back muscles are actually hip and quad muscles too.

1 month, 3 months, 1 year, into a regular everyday stretching routine and you will be totally different person.

Think about this really really carefully before you pay a doctor to cut and confuse you. If you wanna feel better, become an expert on stretching over the next 12 months do it everyday. If you wanna be a stupid American, discount all this and go pay for someone to practice studying muscle anatomy on you with his knife.
 
Typical Jim. Negativity without adding anything.

Hey give her a break. Maybe the post man is late with her exogenous male hormones? She might be experiencing a rebound of her natural estrogen.

You should think "hormones" when you see a lady act moody like that.
 
Hey give her a break. Maybe the post man is late with her exogenous male hormones? She might be experiencing a rebound of her natural estrogen.

You should think "hormones" when you see a lady act moody like that.
I used to enjoy seeing that you'd replied, but you need new material.
 
Doctors won't (and shouldn't) blindly hand out steroids and muscle relaxers to everyone with a certain kind of injury.

You don't know anything about OP or his medical history.

Well sure, he also may have allergies to certain medicines too. My point is that it does wonders for severe strains that can be debilitating. I'd certainly inquire about that if it's a possibility. I went from literally not be able to bend down to grab something out of the fridge or sit without holding onto something to being nearly fine in a day or so.
 
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