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Thread: Lower back pain in DL off the floor (irritated disc?)

  1. #1
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    Default Lower back pain in DL off the floor (irritated disc?)

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    I seem to have injured my lower back when I went too hard after missing a week with tonsillitis.

    I had a 5RM DL just over 180kg, but now even 140kg makes me feel that my lower back is about to snap.

    Pulling off a two-inch block helps some. RDL doesn't seem to cause any issues at all.

    Physio suggested an irritated disc. Does it make sense? What would be the best way to train around it?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    Video?

  3. #3
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    Is this a good angle to diagnose?

    Deadlift
    120x2 (last warm-up)


    140x3


    This is where I start feeling the pain, the kind that makes me think that doing all five reps would be a bad idea.

    In case it's relevant,
    RDL
    100x3


    Thank you.

  4. #4
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    Nothing wrong here that would cause an injury. Are you training in running shoes? Look at your feet wiggling around.

  5. #5
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    Thank you for having a look. I didn't think my form was an issue either.

    Shoes are Inov-8 Fastlift, have used them for several years now. My guess is that wiggling is purely my doing, probably wouldn't have happened with heavy weights.

    Would it help if I provided more information around the onset of the injury?

    I'm doing a 4-day split, with 5RM DL + 5x5 volume squat on Fridays.

    Mar 17: pulled 185x4 (new 4RM)
    Mar 24: skipped due to tonsillitis

    One week of complete layoff (and a course of antibiotics). Should've probably taken another week off for recovery.

    Apr 07: 170x5, sore back
    Apr 14: 175x4, still sore
    Apr 22: 170x1 — OK, something is definitely wrong

    Took it easy (as in training DL relatively light) until August (vacation, travel, etc.) and tried to restart from at 130-135. Feeling the strain in the lower back after 3-4 reps. RDL and squat are reasonably pain-free, so it's only DL off the floor that's an issue.

    Any thoughts?

  6. #6
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    Please tell me the antibiotics were not Cipro.

  7. #7
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    Unfortunately, I don't remember, and I can't get hold of the doctor now. I think it's unlikely, but can't rule it out completely.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Miki View Post
    Unfortunately, I don't remember, and I can't get hold of the doctor now. I think it's unlikely, but can't rule it out completely.
    If you can't get hold of the doctor, can you get pharmacy records for yourself?

    Probably minor, but asking the more experienced eyes - I see the bar descending differently than it ascends. It's popping back a bit at first, like he's bending his knees to lower the bar, then sliding it down the legs - sort of a reverse hitch? This plus the other feet wiggling around that Rip called out makes me wonder. Is this any cause for concern vs. reversing the ascent process, or am I latching onto an irrelevant detail here?

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Donaldson View Post
    If you can't get hold of the doctor, can you get pharmacy records for yourself?
    I can't, unfortunately. It wasn't on prescription.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jason Donaldson View Post
    Probably minor, but asking the more experienced eyes - I see the bar descending differently than it ascends. It's popping back a bit at first, like he's bending his knees to lower the bar, then sliding it down the legs - sort of a reverse hitch? This plus the other feet wiggling around that Rip called out makes me wonder. Is this any cause for concern vs. reversing the ascent process, or am I latching onto an irrelevant detail here?
    I'm fairly certain my form wasn't a major contributor to the injury, although I do appreciate the feedback.

    I'd been making steady progress both on my DL (just over 180x5) and RDL (165x5x5) before the tonsillitis + antibiotics episode, then experienced a relatively quick onset of the injury when I tried to go back without deload.

    I'm now going steady with RDL: 132.5x5x5 yesterday, adding 2.5 every week. No acute pain (knock on wood).

    DL is still a concern. It doesn't seem like a good idea to try and train through the pain. I can try doing triples (the pain comes around the last two reps) or pulling from the block. I'm also open to other suggestions.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Miki View Post


    I'm fairly certain my form wasn't a major contributor to the injury, although I do appreciate the feedback.
    I wouldn't be so sure, my guy. I watched each of your videos and I see a classic pulling pattern for someone who has back pain. Keep in mind that seemingly 99% of the deadlifts I see in a given week come from people with back pain....

    As soon as you start to break the bar off the ground, you are leaning back into the pull. It isn't until the bar is about three inches off the ground that you actually start to actively extend your knees. You are setting your back, and then, the initial break off the ground is occurring as your hips travel backwards. This is why you prefer to pull from the blocks, because that essentially eliminates the ability for you to lean back into the pull. This is the "back pain paradox" in that people who have active back pain increase the strain on their back when deadlifting instead of reducing strain.

    Your knees are still soft at the top of the lift, too, which is a classic sign that you aren't driving the weight off the floor with your legs.

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