Lower back injury

[Dominicus]

Hey coach,

yesterday while doing squats something in my lower back let loose and now it hurts like hell in certain positions. It happened during my first work set. I had 120kg on my back (I already lifted that weight before but it's basicly a PR).
I could do no more squatting that day and all the other lifts were also impaired (I did only 80% weights, because Í felt 100% was unsafe).

The situation now is like this: Lying in a bed was fine (I slept well), upright walking is also no problem, but just the idea of bending over hurts, lumbar flexion hurts like hell, tying my sholaces in the morning was an ordeal.

I suspect I'm guilty of some lumbar flexion, but I train alone and don't have anyone to film me nor cue me, so I'm not really sure. :-/ I've been feeling this kind of pain creeping on me for a week or two, but I dodn't recognise it for what it was. I thought it's only muscle soreness after a heavy set. Now it sort of snapped.

I watched the video on people unable to control lower back muscles (to create lumbar extension) and I'm not one of those guys. I can intentionaly arch my lower back just fine (when not loaded, that is).

Is there some easy way to recognise, whether the problem is muscle-related (and thus I don't need to see the doc) of if it's something worse (herniated disc comes to my paranoid mind)?

What do I do? Take a week off and then start at 80kg and focus on form? I need to film myself for a form check, I suppose.

Thanks for any advice.

P.S.: Don't know if its important, but my stats: male, 26yo, 6'' high, 178 lbs

[ad3000]

Back injuries are almost always spinal in nature, get an MRI if you really want to know what happened to your back. Try dropping weight, 20% maybe, and build back up with perfect form. If you want to take time off a few days should do it, just to let the pain subside a little. Post a form check, the sooner the better.

If the pain is just too much when bending over, try the Starr rehab protocol.

For future cases use the search function, first.

[James.Wierzba]

This happened to me many times while going from never deadlifting to deadlifting near maximal weights with no idea what I was doing other than bending over and picking it up. It would always heal within a week or 2. It turned out I was constantly pulling the muscle (from lumbar flexion and trying to lift way too heavy of weights).

Obviously don't assume anything. Try icing it, and give it some time.

The only medical advice you should accept on a forum regarding possible spine injuries is to go see a doctor.