Low back pain from deadlifts - JP Fitness Forums

joshuaseu · 05-23-2007, 08:55 AM

before posting, I tried searching the rest of the posts, but none really addressed my question, so my issue is low back pain with deadlifts...

1. When did the pain begin? ---- soon after doing deadlifts, (about a month ago, i thought it might just be realted to the fact that it was a new exercise for me, and i was just not used to it, so i didn't worry to much about it at first) and has continued, everytime i'm done with sets of deadlifts/romanian deadlifts, my low back hurts.

2. What were you doing at the time? Or did the pain come on gradually over time? ---- deadlifts. the pain is gradual, after about 8-10 reps, first set, then sooner with each additional set, but never bad enough to keep me from completing my sets/reps.

3. Where, anatomically, is the pain? ---- right around my lumbar spine area

4. What does the pain feel like? Sharp? Dull? Aching? Stabbing? Shooting? ---- dull ache, not always present, e.g, i did deads yesterday, it hurt during, today can feel almost a constant tightness in the area, that turns into pain if i move in the wrong direction, usually slumping forward, bad posture at the keyboard, or hyperextending spine, e.g. during a yawn.

5. Is the pain constant, or intermittent, or only on certain motions? --- see #4

6. What motions make your pain worse? ---- #4

7. What, if anything, makes your pain better? ---- rest, usually it's gone by my next deadlift day, which is usually a 3 or 5 day rest

8. Does your pain radiate to any other part of your body? ---- no

9. What things could you do before, that you cannot do now because of your injury? ---- nothing, it's not that limiting, i just feel it

10. What is your main concern regarding the pain and its consequences? ---- i've heard that deadlifts can cause significant back problems if done wrong, i don't want that to happen to me

11. Have you ever injured that part of your body before? If so, how? ---- when i was younger, 14-15, while playing football in a field, i stepped in a hole and twisted my back so bad i couldn't walk until after a few chiropractic/ultrasound treatments.

12. Is your pain getting worse over time? And if so, how much worse over what time period? ---- no, it get's better with time, but worse with workouts. when it hurts, it hurts more now, then when i was only doing 50 lbs or 75 lbs

As a side note, i'v watched multiple videos and read many articles on proper technique for deadlifts, and have had friends watch as i do them, and they say i look pretty dead on doing it (though, i'm the only person i know personally that lifts regularly). I'm currently doing 145lbs for 12 reps, 3 sets. never tried maxing it because i'm worried about puling something seriously. prior to NROL, i'd never done a deadlift, i started with 45 lbs, concentrating on form, and have worked my way up to this point a few pounds each workout.

so is this just regular muscle soreness after a workout, or am i doing some damage.

today my upper back is sore, but i can tell it's because of workout, i upped my wt's and pushed it pretty hard, but as far as i can tell, i think it's different kind of pain then what i'm having in my low back, i know that sounds kind of ridiculous, but it's kind of hard to tell

Bill Hartman · 05-23-2007, 09:39 AM

It's most likely your technique. You can't count on friends who've never trained seriously to give you a good estimate of what optimal deadlift technique may be.

Find a coach or talk to an accomplished powerlifter. They should be able to help you out.

Bill

joshuaseu · 05-23-2007, 10:20 AM

finding a coach is kind of a problem for me, i live a couple hours from the nearest gym, and it doesn't even have an actual trainer, it's just there for people to use, come and go as they please, leave their thirty bucks in the lock box once a month. i've thought about buying a webcam and recording myself doing it and posting it and asking for advice.

but you don't think it could be just regular muscle soreness from the workout?

is there anything i could do to replace deadlifts? i have no machines, racks, etc, just free wt's and a bench

thanks.

umass · 05-23-2007, 11:51 AM

[quote=joshuaseu]
but you don't think it could be just regular muscle soreness from the workout?[quote]

No regular soreness doesn't come on during the set, it usually takes 24-48 hours.
Do you have any way of recording your deadlifts and then posting it so that we could see your form?
Until you solve the problem I would drop the deadlifts or lower the weight. Basically you don't want any pain ever while deadlifting.