Hypeextention injury

[VTHS]

Coach,

A week ago on my way home from the gym my left foot started developing the pins and needles feeling (that night I was doing squats, presses and dead lifts).

The next morning my lower posterior was pretty well cramped up, particularly in my left buttock, along with pain in my left calf and tingling in my left two toes.

Yesterday I went to the chiropractor. His diagnosis was that I had displaced my sacrum. In his words he said that it was pushed forward and to the left and that it was consistent with a back that was put into hyperextention.

This morning the calf pain and toe numbness is gone, but I'm still rather sore.

My question to you is this, what cues from my body do I need to look for as a sign to return to training, and since this is not a muscle belly injury per se, what sort of rehab regimen would be the most prudent?

I am also assuming that this injury is probably the result of not properly maintaining tight abs during my lifts. If so, would going to a belt help make sure that I don't make this stupid mistake again?

Thanks!

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't know about the displaced sacrum thing. Chiropractors sometimes have a tendency to exaggerate what actually happened, and you more likely just irritated something with your overextension. It probably happened in the press, and you'll have to get your back position fixed. A belt will help, but it won't solve the problem of using your abs insufficiently. Start back light, and you'll prolly be fine in a week.

[VTHS]

I kind of figured it happened in the press as well. I was really struggling on the last two reps of my last set and excessively waybacked. This is a weird injury. I've hurt my lower back on a couple of occasions (non training injuries) and I've never experienced the constant popping in my lower back/pelvis quite like this.

Thanks again for your input!