Pinched Back Nerve

[Sisyphus]

Mark,

Like everyone else here, I've found your books to be extremely helpful, and I plan on purchasing your DVD very soon. My perspective on weight training has been completely changed. I've gained about 10 lbs lbm in the past 6 weeks. I always smile a little bit on the inside every time I walk into the gym knowing that no one has even touched the power rack since the last time I was there.

Some background leading to my questions:

My workout about a week ago involved squatting 225 lbs. and deadlifting 255 lbs. I was able to complete the workout with some effort. But later that evening I experienced a sharp, brief pain in my lower back, while lifting myself back up after having bent over to pick something up off of the floor. It feels like a pinched nerve, but I haven't seen a doctor, nor have I actually had a pinched nerve before that I know of. So this is merely my self-diagnosis.

I decided that I would take a week off from training (it feels like forever), just to see what happens. I very rarely experience any more pain, and when I do, I can tell that whatever the problem was, has largely subsided.

My questions are as follows (assuming this is in fact a pinched nerve):

1. How often does training result in pinched back nerves?
2. Are pinched nerves the result of bad form?
3. Do pinched nerves necessitate taking time off from training even if pain is not felt during training? If so, for how long?

I've tried searching this forum and poured over your books for an answer to no avail. Most of the injury/rehab issues tend to address torn/strained muscles.


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Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

1. It is usually a muscle spasm caused by irritation/inflammation of some structure, possibly a nerve, in the low back that causes this type of pain.

2. They are the result of bad form, and the result of picking stuff up off the floor wrong. They've been around a lot longer than barbells.

3. You have to learn to train around/through these types on injuries, because they will occur from time to time in everybody's training. If you lay off a week every time you get hurt, you may not get much training done. I wouldn't.

[stronger]

I'd recommend a chiropractor. I had a pinched nerve and a bunch of other spinal problems that were corrected.