Pain - what to worry about

[DutchPancakes]

Sometimes I get pain in my lower back, either right after or the day after a workout.

However I also sometimes get pain in my legs, or my shoulders, or whatever. The normal post workout pain that lets you know you're gonna get swole.

So how do I know if the lower back pain is swole pain or oops-I'm-on-my-way-to-being-a-cripple pain?

Would just like the advice of the experienced, creaky and beat-up people on this board.

[grizzlybuck]

At 44yo, if I didn't lift when I hurt, I'd just sit on the couch eating bon-bons everyday. As far as lower back pain, a dull ache is pretty common, at least early on in this routine. You are stressing the muscles of the lower back as they keep your spine in the proper position. Sharp pains, and radiating pain/tingling/numbness in your hips, or legs are bad.

I'm no doc, nor am I a very experienced lifter, unfortunately, I do have experience with an effed up back. Hope this helped.

[DutchPancakes]

At 44yo, if I didn't lift when I hurt, I'd just sit on the couch eating bon-bons everyday. As far as lower back pain, a dull ache is pretty common, at least early on in this routine. You are stressing the muscles of the lower back as they keep your spine in the proper position. Sharp pains, and radiating pain/tingling/numbness in your hips, or legs are bad.

I'm no doc, nor am I a very experienced lifter, unfortunately, I do have experience with an effed up back. Hope this helped.

Thanks. No radiating pain. Occasional sharp pain. Stiffness especially after sitting or lying down.

What I have noticed, especially during my workout today, is that the pain I am feeling in my chest/shoulders in no way impacted my press. The pain in my quads and hams didn't in themselves impact my squat. Both feel better now after the workout.

The pain in my lower back definitely made my squats and deads harder. My lower back hurts more now than it did before the workout.

From what I have understood from my reading on here, these are probably not good signs.

[Mulgere Hircum]

This probably won't help, but you might give it a try. Deadlifts were giving me a lot of back tightness, and at least the sensation that I was close to hurting it. I had to start stretching my back after every workout, particularly deadlift day, and when I did I found the deadlifts actually felt easier.

Not close to what you describe, but stretching is cheap and has no downside, so you might try stretching after every workout and perhaps on non-workout days and see if your back health improves.

[MikeC1]

Does it hurt to bend down and touch your toes?

[DutchPancakes]

Does it hurt to bend down and touch your toes?

I can't touch my toes without bending my knees.

Trying to touch my toes while keeping my knees as straight as possible does hurt my lower back. Not crazy pain, but definitely doesn't feel good.