worried- back injury

[strive4strength]

Hello everyone, saturday I went to the gym and on the second set of squats on the last rep with 90kg I came back up locked the weight out but then just lost the bar went back on my heels and the weight crashed down from my shoulders pulling my back into a hard traumatic exstension. I've never seen or heard of anyone losing the weight at the top of the movement and have no real idea of how it happened, there was no pain and I just thought I was lucky to come away without a dislocated shoulder but my shoulders are fine. I finished the next set ok (yes.. I should have gone home I know.)

Its two days later now I have real discomfort in my mid back more thoracic than lumbar, its not like severe pain but the feeling is like deep bruising inside my spine really doubt its muscular just feels 'wrong' like something is grinding and locked up when I extend my thoracic spine. I went to the hospital but the doc just gave me ibuprofen and said rest for 2 weeks, said it was unlikely herniated but a 'sprain' and wouldn't give me an xray! I think I'm going to go to a chiro tonight but If anyone has seen/experienced something like this before? Can you minorly injure your spine, is there such thing as spraining your spine? I'm worried thanks in advance for any input.

[grizzlybuck]

I don't know if you can "sprain" your spine, but your back is a complicated structure. I would advise you to give it a few more days and see if rest helps. I would also advise using the meds, and icing it for a bit, and see how it responds. I don't think a chiro, at least while there is probably swelling, is the best answer, but again, I'm far from an expert, just some poor schlub who had a couple of herniated discs, and has had back pain off and on for my whole life.

[Mark E. Hurling]

The spine itself might not sprain, but the ligaments connecting the vertebrae could be suffering some damage. When you see the chiro make sure you explain what happened in detail and what the doc said too. Unless the chiro says otherwise I agree lots of ice and let the hurt part rest until you feel sound again. Then approach your workouts with some caution until you are sure you're past the bad stuff. I'm not a health care pro at all either, but with lots of time with the iron and more mishaps than I'd have liked, that approach has worked pretty well for me when I got smart enough to follow it and not try to macho it out.

[strive4strength]

Thanks for advice, I saw a chiro last night who checked my back and posture, he said all the discs feel fine just thatv area of my back is very locked up as there was prob some compression to nerves just the bodys way of protecting itself. Ice helped a lot last night don't why I didn't in the first place its feels a lot better today and its only been 2 days some I'm hopeful its nothing too serious!

[simonsky]

Thanks for advice, I saw a chiro last night who checked my back and posture, he said all the discs feel fine just thatv area of my back is very locked up as there was prob some compression to nerves just the bodys way of protecting itself. Ice helped a lot last night don't why I didn't in the first place its feels a lot better today and its only been 2 days some I'm hopeful its nothing too serious!

you know what helped me? reverse hyperextensions, you are lucky if your gym has one. they are a must.

if you don't do it on a decline or incline bench just like i do where i tie a dumbell using a string on my feet and just let it hang on the inclined part of the inclinde/decline bench.

and in my case, it worked instantaneously!