I tweaked my back.

[John Watson]

I tweaked my back.

Somewhere in the course of lifting yesterday I tweaked my back.
It felt as though it happened when I stepped back from the squat rack.

I completed my squats at 215 lbs (belt on 2nd and 3rd sets), bench presses, and deadlifts with no belt at 275lbs, and felt mostly fine.

This morning my back was killing me. I've tweaked it like this before on the left side. Today it's on the right, about level with my kidney
Pain and muscle spasms if I move the wrong way.

Took quite a while to put on shoes and socks. I wore my weightlifting belt to walk the dog, keeping a Valsalva most of the time to control pain/spasms.

This injury for me has often followed too much leisure time laying around in bed (recovering from long overnight jobs). Not sure why, but I've been more susceptible at these times.

I don't really understand the mechanism of this type of injury, other than it happens and goes away after a few days to a week. Last time I got it lifting my 90lb dog, and I only missed 2 training sessions. Hoping for no worse this time.

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, I've read MOMG as well as SS, PP, and SE?. I learned that it's just a tweak, since I have no tingling/numbness etc.

I'm pretty sure it will heal within a week, but other than time, I was wondering if anyone experienced with this can give me any ideas on useful treatment.

In the past I've hung from the chinup bar and it seemed to have some beneficial effects.
(I'm 51 y.o., 195-200 lbs, 6'1", been training SS since February '14, prior to that I mostly wasted time exercising, not strength training)

Sorry for the long winded question.
Thanks

[Paul Horn]

Wait a day or two and then go get a very hard sports massage. Trust me.

[Steve Hill]

Beds can be hell on backs because of the unusual positions we can attain while asleep. Especially when they involve twisting of the spine. And lifting awkward loads (as you discovered with your canine adventure) is also problematic. My question here is why no belt for the first set of squats? And the last warm-up set?

Do all the beneficial stuff. Lifting will help. Pain will be your guide. If the pain gets better as you warm up, keep lifting. If it doesn't, don't.

[Michael Loucas]

I tweaked my back.

Somewhere in the course of lifting yesterday I tweaked my back.
It felt as though it happened when I stepped back from the squat rack.

I completed my squats at 215 lbs (belt on 2nd and 3rd sets), bench presses, and deadlifts with no belt at 275lbs, and felt mostly fine.

This morning my back was killing me. I've tweaked it like this before on the left side. Today it's on the right, about level with my kidney
Pain and muscle spasms if I move the wrong way.

Took quite a while to put on shoes and socks. I wore my weightlifting belt to walk the dog, keeping a Valsalva most of the time to control pain/spasms.

This injury for me has often followed too much leisure time laying around in bed (recovering from long overnight jobs). Not sure why, but I've been more susceptible at these times.

I don't really understand the mechanism of this type of injury, other than it happens and goes away after a few days to a week. Last time I got it lifting my 90lb dog, and I only missed 2 training sessions. Hoping for no worse this time.

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, I've read MOMG as well as SS, PP, and SE?. I learned that it's just a tweak, since I have no tingling/numbness etc.

I'm pretty sure it will heal within a week, but other than time, I was wondering if anyone experienced with this can give me any ideas on useful treatment.

In the past I've hung from the chinup bar and it seemed to have some beneficial effects.
(I'm 51 y.o., 195-200 lbs, 6'1", been training SS since February '14, prior to that I mostly wasted time exercising, not strength training)

Sorry for the long winded question.
Thanks

Not sure how old you are, but I'm 29. Maybe if you're older it is worse, but any time this happens to me I've never really had to miss a session. The only thing that generally bothers me when I get this type of injury, like you, is twisting the spine which isn't something that you do while lifting heavy. Wearing a belt and using valsalva for a heavy squat/deadlift, and I never feel any worsening pain during or after any sets. Only difference is I may belt up on my last 2 warmups, instead of just my last one. Also maybe do an extra warmup set.

Not sure if it matters, but my squat is in the high 400's, and deadlift is low 500's at about 246 bodyweight.

[John Watson]

Wait a day or two and then go get a very hard sports massage. Trust me.

Thanks, I will look into that.
Feeling better today, not 100%, but the pain, and resulting involuntary muscle spasm, and the resulting pain, etc, until I'm doing a full lock Valsalva, are much reduced.

[John Watson]

My question here is why no belt for the first set of squats? And the last warm-up set?

I didn't feel like I needed the belt for the for the first set and last warmups. The weight goes up fine without it, especially on the first set.
I added it for the next two sets, just to begin getting used to it, and because the last rep of the last set needs the most help.

If the belt will help prevent injury, I'll probably use it for that purpose next time.

I altered my warmups this session too, using the Reg Park model for warmups, which might have been a factor.

[John Watson]

Not sure how old you are, but I'm 29. Maybe if you're older it is worse, but any time this happens to me I've never really had to miss a session. The only thing that generally bothers me when I get this type of injury, like you, is twisting the spine which isn't something that you do while lifting heavy. Wearing a belt and using valsalva for a heavy squat/deadlift, and I never feel any worsening pain during or after any sets. Only difference is I may belt up on my last 2 warmups, instead of just my last one. Also maybe do an extra warmup set.

Not sure if it matters, but my squat is in the high 400's, and deadlift is low 500's at about 246 bodyweight.

Those are some damn good weight numbers. I'm a bit older at 51.
I think walking the weight back is the most delicate part, having all the weight on one leg momentarily, and then the other leg, or the side to side shifting as I get my feet planted could maybe torque something.
Or maybe lifting off the rack without a perfectly straight spine.
Feeling better, but if I miss a session or two, no big deal.
Just looking to prevent this happening again. Will be grateful when it's healed.

[Paul Horn]

Thanks, I will look into that.
Feeling better today, not 100%, but the pain, and resulting involuntary muscle spasm, and the resulting pain, etc, until I'm doing a full lock Valsalva, are much reduced.

Regardless of how quickly you heal from this injury, you should view these tweaks as an indicator that your muscles aren't moving properly. Chances are, if you don't have someone get in there and break up all the bullshit, you will get another tweak very soon.

I pull one of the muscles in my neck about every six months while pressing. That's my indicator it's time to see the MT. One session and I'm good for another six months. If I skip it, I'll pull the same muscle in a week or two.

Get it done.

[John Watson]

Regardless of how quickly you heal from this injury, you should view these tweaks as an indicator that your muscles aren't moving properly. Chances are, if you don't have someone get in there and break up all the bullshit, you will get another tweak very soon.

I pull one of the muscles in my neck about every six months while pressing. That's my indicator it's time to see the MT. One session and I'm good for another six months. If I skip it, I'll pull the same muscle in a week or two.

Get it done.

Interesting.
My thought was that a coaching session might be the way to go, to ensure my form and posture are correct.
FWIW, I'm not sure it's a muscle injury, and tend to think it's more of a minor spine injury/tweak. Like a herniated or slipped or otherwise temporarily injured disc, or whatever the heck happens to the back when it goes "out".
If I thought it was a pulled muscle I would 100% go for a sports massage, but at this point I'm not entirely sure.

[Paul Horn]

I don't know either, but I can tell you that muscle tweaks of the back often feel like they could be disc related. The test is how quickly you get better. If you feel better in a couple days, it's usually a muscle pull. Disc injuries take a lot longer to heal.