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The additional stretching after squat work sets was a goblet squat with relaxed pelvic floor.The stretching. Aside from zero medical evidence that shows static stretching as useful for warm up or injury prevention, it is actually increasing your chance of injury by doing it between sets.
The additional stretching after squat work sets was a goblet squat with relaxed pelvic floor.
Hope you don't mind me hijacking this thread! I've been dealing with L4/L5 and L5/S1 issues for almost exactly a year now. I was in my car twisting to grab something from the back and it seemed to have been the straw that broke the camels back. Since then, I've been dealing with back pain and sciatic pain down to my right foot. I thought this would be something that would go away on it's own, but after 6 months I got an MRI. Results are 5mm disc herniation to the right at L4/L5 and 3mm to the left at L5/S1.
I'm in this thread because unfortunately paddling and sitting on my board really cause problems for me now. I've tried keep my back less arched (looking like a kook) and also I only sit off the side of my board in the water now but still, if I surf I pay for it for an average of 2 days later. I also cannot surf backside, as when I come off the top, the rotation of my body really bothers me.
On top of this, sitting for longer than 5 minutes is hard, and working (I work standing up and my work requires bending and twisting) bothers me.
At what point is an epidural or surgery to be considered? My doctor recommended epidural treatments after the MRI results initially but I rejected it. I've been doing PT since March twice a week. I sometimes have progress and sometimes get worse. Is this an issue that can resolve itself? Anyone else in the same boat?
It depends. A small degree of discomfort is much different than pain. If surfing feels OK continue, but take it easy. If it is excruciating you should find some other activity that challenges the area without causing to much pain or making things worse. Find an activity that makes it feel better afterwards and do that...then add external resistance to that exercise in small increments. At some point the external resistance performed pain free is going to increase past what your normal activity and mean old mr gravity require.Thanks for the responses guys.
I actually went through a few Physical Therapists before I found the one that I've been working with since March. He's actually a PT for some sports teams and works with the WSL also. He's been great as he knows what movements I need to do while surfing, so a lot of his workouts have been specific to the range of motion I need. He's also been having me do ELDOA's daily for traction, which do bring some relief.
I'm torn with the strength training. In February, my back only bothered me while working and I had very slight sciatic pain. The first PT I went to had me do BB squats and leg presses which definitely made my situation worse. The PT I'm going to now wants me to stay away from exercises that compress the spine at the moment.
Prior to my injury, I was on a standard gym routine (3 day split) for probably the last 21 years. I was a wrestler in HS and just kind of stuck with a similar weight training program. I've always done squats and deadlifts. This has been the longest that I haven't weight trained. Mainly because all gyms have been closed here in LA, and the PT has me doing more dynamic movements and less olympic style lifting.
I'm glad to hear that most disc herniations resolve themselves. My current PT actually said the same thing and definitely recommended against any kind of surgery. I guess I'm just a little frustrated after hitting the year mark that things haven't gotten 100% But I guess that's a part of getting old right?
My question is, if I do things that bring symptoms of pain on (like surfing). Is it making the situation worse? Or am I getting my body more accustomed to these situations?
“World renowned strength-coach, Michael Boyle, who I thoroughly follow and study, refers to a barbell on your neck as a “torque-generator” that adds direct compression to your spine. Adding heavy load to the barbell, only increases the compression placed on the spine, not to mention the amount of shear and torque forces placed on the discs, the vertebrae, and the entire spinal column.”It depends. A small degree of discomfort is much different than pain. If surfing feels OK continue, but take it easy. If it is excruciating you should find some other activity that challenges the area without causing to much pain or making things worse. Find an activity that makes it feel better afterwards and do that...then add external resistance to that exercise in small increments. At some point the external resistance performed pain free is going to increase past what your normal activity and mean old mr gravity require.
Much of the pain you feel is your brain reading a neural input and providing a threat response. You've had an MRI so we know there is nothing abnormal going on with your back. Much of your recovery is going to be learning and believing that you aren't broken and aging naturally comes with some discomfort. Activities like surfing aren't going to make it worse so just do what you can do but more importantly understand that your back is 100% normal and there a over a billion people on earth like you but feel nothing.
Squats don't compress the spine....unless you're just a skeleton. At my Houston shop we started working with a PGA golfer in April who has been fighting back pain with immersion tables, stretches, yoga etc for years. We put him on a simple strength training program and got him out of the constant nagging pain in days and now he's pain free and climbing the money board.
I didn't watch your workouts so I can't comment on your form or how the previous exercises were performed....but some of the worst examples of the squat are performed in high school and college gyms and posted on instagram.
I would be reluctant to follow any advice on mobility therapy. Absent a severe neurological issue that prevents a muscle from contracting...or perhaps a broken bone getting in the way...your body has the mobility it needs. Taking an irritated or injured joint and manually pulling it into a subjective position of "enough" isn't safe or effective.
Do you have a degree in YouTube?“World renowned strength-coach, Michael Boyle, who I thoroughly follow and study, refers to a barbell on your neck as a “torque-generator” that adds direct compression to your spine. Adding heavy load to the barbell, only increases the compression placed on the spine, not to mention the amount of shear and torque forces placed on the discs, the vertebrae, and the entire spinal column.”
Over time, if you continually barbell squat and compress, as well as torque on your spine, the greater the increase placed on the lower-back joints, which increases the chance of an overuse injury in the small structures of the lower back such as the discs. This doesn’t become a matter of if, but when.
When you start getting to heavy loading, the injury area is always the low-back. Your number one job as an athlete, as a strength-coach, as a trainer, etc., is to stay healthy. If we know the lower-back is the common area of injury with the squat, why wouldn’t we do all we can to protect that area? The spine is a very unforgiving body part. It has specific functions, and duties. We must learn to AT LEAST decrease the load, shear, compression, and torque placed on the spine to protect it.
Finally, I am NOT saying for everyone to completely stop barbell squatting. As you heard from my conversation with the man, I was hitting barbell front squats. I’m simply writing this to educate the reader on the topic, and suggest to barbell squat LESS. For me, I currently barbell squat every other week, if that often. In other words, if you don’t have a direct reason to barbell squat, take this information into consideration when designing your training schedule. Become “spine conscious” in your training and protect the health of your spine.
Personally I’m a big fan of Zercher squats and carries.
My 2 cents, having just gone through lower back "injury" and 6 months of rehab- listen to your PT. If it's making you feel better, great. If not, let him know. Add strength training INCREMENTALLY. During my PT I kept jumping the gun and doing too much and having what my PT called "setbacks." I'm finally back surfing almost 100%...just wish the surf would cooperate....Thanks for the responses guys.
I actually went through a few Physical Therapists before I found the one that I've been working with since March. He's actually a PT for some sports teams and works with the WSL also. He's been great as he knows what movements I need to do while surfing, so a lot of his workouts have been specific to the range of motion I need. He's also been having me do ELDOA's daily for traction, which do bring some relief.
I'm torn with the strength training. In February, my back only bothered me while working and I had very slight sciatic pain. The first PT I went to had me do BB squats and leg presses which definitely made my situation worse. The PT I'm going to now wants me to stay away from exercises that compress the spine at the moment.
Prior to my injury, I was on a standard gym routine (3 day split) for probably the last 21 years. I was a wrestler in HS and just kind of stuck with a similar weight training program. I've always done squats and deadlifts. This has been the longest that I haven't weight trained. Mainly because all gyms have been closed here in LA, and the PT has me doing more dynamic movements and less olympic style lifting.
I'm glad to hear that most disc herniations resolve themselves. My current PT actually said the same thing and definitely recommended against any kind of surgery. I guess I'm just a little frustrated after hitting the year mark that things haven't gotten 100% But I guess that's a part of getting old right?
My question is, if I do things that bring symptoms of pain on (like surfing). Is it making the situation worse? Or am I getting my body more accustomed to these situations?
....any many times nothing.Numbness and muscle atrophy are the warning signs.
Pain could be a lot of things.
I agree.
Saw barbell medicine post that earlier and meant to post it here too. I also forgot to see if I can view the full text at my work but I’m off until Tuesday so that‘ll have to wait.
Me after trying to read that article and any article on Barbell RX.Saw barbell medicine post that earlier and meant to post it here too. I also forgot to see if I can view the full text at my work but I’m off until Tuesday so that‘ll have to wait.
So I upped the reps.
Related question. I've been doing a barbell day once a week, a planking day once a week (both these days end with 25 pull up and 70 pushups), a short run day and a long run day (plus surfing when there's surf, which has been very meager in my area). I have not increased the barbell weight in a couple months (nothing reasonably priced available in stores or online). So I upped the reps. Even at the same weight I'm having 2-3 days of DOMS afterwards (glutes and hamstrings). Is that normal? I thought my body should be adapted to the weight and I'm just doing maintenance.