sharp lower back pain during deadlift

[David Furse]

I had a very sharp pain going from my left butt cheek up to my left lower back on the first rep of my deadlift set today. I got the bar about two inches off the floor.

My friend helped me lay down on the floor but then I couldn't stand up by myself. I managed to get into a taxi to get home but the sitting position in the taxi was extremely painful. It caused the pain to shoot down the outside of my left leg and hip.

I can't lie down now at all and I have limited range of motion in my left leg when walking. I took some ibuprofen looked at my copy of MOMG and have been icing the lower back for 20 mins every 20 mins for the last couple of hours.

Right now the pain is focused on a spot in my left lower back and only spreads to my hip and left leg if I lean forward or try and lie down.

Am I right to be icing this and then go into the Starr rehab protocol using deadlifts or back extensions tomorrow? Or does this injury sound like I should be doing something else?

Thanks very much for your help.

[Ozzie]

Sounds like something is wrong with the SI joint. Have you gone to a chiro yet?

[David Furse]

I haven't yet. So first thing I should go to a chiro? Sorry what is the SI joint?

[TheOneWhoLifts]

SI Joint:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacroiliac_joint

I myself am currently dealing with an SI joint issue caused by being dumb and deadlifting with my back too rounded. Others on here with more experience with this could chime in. My back has felt a lot better with me backing off deadlifts and doing a lot more mobility stuff. I do the "Limber 11" every day and it has helped a lot.

[David Furse]

Thanks. According to that article it is rare for the pain to radiate below the knee. For me the pain has been going straight down the whole leg. It's 15 hours since the injury and I've managed to make it to bed and lie down on my side in a position that limits the pain. It's the middle of the night now so what would be a good plan of action for me in the morning? Go to a chiropractor or hospital? Continue icing it? Just checked out the limber 11 really don't think I will be able to handle that yet.

[TheOneWhoLifts]

I've never had back pain that bad so any advice I would give would be with a grain of salt. Most on here would probably advise you see a quality chiropractor.

I've had some pain in my hip and knee from my SI joint issue, but they came on a week after the initial injury and I think they are based on my body's compensation for the other issue.

[vanslix]

I've never had back pain that bad so any advice I would give would be with a grain of salt. Most on here would probably advise you see a quality chiropractor.

I've had some pain in my hip and knee from my SI joint issue, but they came on a week after the initial injury and I think they are based on my body's compensation for the other issue.

I've had back pain this bad so I empathize. It sucks. When you say the pain radiates down, what kind of pain are we talking? I'd get on a prescription dose of naproxen (2 pills at breakfast and 2 pills at dinner) for a good 7 days and reassess, presuming you don't have a bleeding ulcer or kidney problems. Starr rehab is for torn muscles. You'd see all sorts of bruising and swelling at the spot where it tore. No purple, no belly tear. But lying in bed is the worst thing you can do. Try to move and stretch it as much as pain will allow. If your pain gets worse or you start having neurological symptoms (loss of muscle control, burning in your toes, etc) it may be time to see a doc.

[David Furse]

There is a sharp spot of pain in my lower back but when i stand up or sit down, or bend forward, or try and roll over to the side a kind of tingly pain goes down my left hip and the outside of my leg.

I spent the first twelve hours after the injury very slowly shuffling round my apartment, occasionally managing to sit for a while, taking ibuprofen and icing it. Naproxen sounds interesting and might be useful, il try and find some today(I'm in China, not sure if its available here).

[David Furse]

Just got out of bed. Now there is less pain in my lower back. But much more pain going from my left hip down the side of my left leg to the mid calf. Just standing gives me a pain level of 5-6, leaning forward or trying to sit down shoots the pain up to a 9.

[Tiburon]

try to get some flexerill or some opiates for the pain.

get an empty bar and do RDLs. set of 20, 30 if you can handle it. then take a 4 hour nap and do it again.