Crooked torso after injury - facet joint

[Chickma2]

Injured my back 2 days ago deadlifting. Facet joint I'm guessing though the injury seemed to occur in flexion. Anyways, can barely get up and I woke up and all my weight felt like it was on my left foot standing straight. Hobbled into the bathroom and my whole torso is crooked and I can't straighten it. No idea what's going on. Kinda scary. Help?

Search function reveals nothing about this specifically.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Search function doesn't tell you to hang in traction? Search again.

[Chickma2]

Is it typical to injure the facet joint as a result of rounding as opposed to overtextension?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Not typically, but you don't know that it's a facet joint.

[Chickma2]

That's true. No bruising, no symptoms of disc herniation from X-ray or how I feel. So I guess I just assumed it was a likely suspect, especially since I have hyperlordosis. Guess its time for some massive ab work

[Mark Rippetoe]

Maybe not: http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/article/abs

[Chickma2]

This is a great article as they all are. Actually, this article is why I wasn't doing any ab work. But the search function seems to reveal that ab work can help counteract hyperlordosis, which I hypothesize may predispose me to back injuries and some overextension.

[Gunnhild Bruno]

Guess its time for some massive ab work

Chickma, are you male or female?

[John Petrizzo]

Chickma,

Mark is right in the fact that you can not be sure as to what the nature of the injury is although it is true that facet joints can be injured during spinal flexion (although it is usually accompanied by rotation as well, similar to disc injuries). Osteopaths believe in the facet joints being able to be locked either open (due to flexion and rotation to the opposite side) or closed (extension and rotation to the same side). It is possible that either one of these situations could have lead to your lateral shift.

I agree with Mark that traction can be helpful in this situation but you may also want to do a quick google search of "McKenzie Lateral Shift Corrections." It is a really simple exercise that can help in your particular situation to get your pelvis level again. Try performing them a few times a day for a couple of days and you should be fine. They helped me a few months back when I pulled on a heavy deadlift that did not want to leave the ground that particular day and I ended up in a posture similar to what you are describing.

I hope this helps

[Chickma2]

Thanks for the tip Ill look them up right away. And I am a male. 6'3 235 lbs.