Deadlift - Back Injury

RockLobster · 30 Jul 2009 at 21:52

Hi All

I've just been to the gym and I've done my back in. It is my lower back just above the right buttock. This was doing a straight leg deadlift. I've had a few of the gym guys down there check my form and they say it's fine but this time clearly not. Anyone else had a problem like this? I'm a bit worried.

GuruJockStrap · 30 Jul 2009 at 22:18

I had a similar injury.

Muscle in that area went into spasm and started compressing on my sciatic nerve.

Get ice on it swap.

RockLobster · 30 Jul 2009 at 22:39

Thanks. Got ice on it and taken Ibuprofen

Chong Warrior · 30 Jul 2009 at 23:46

Imho one of the most difficult exercises there is to master, very rewarding but also dangerous, even for experienced lifters.

How low do you lower the bar?

Also you're naming of the exercise rings alarm bells. Straight-Legged Deadlift? Should be Stiff-Legged Deadlift.... there's a huge difference in terms of weight that can be used and safety. If doing them with straight legs then you're asking for trouble if you ask me. Along with Good Mornings an exercise that should be avoided.

SLDL's or RDL's (Romanian Deadlifts) are safer and in conjunction with wrist straps allow huge weights to be used in comparitive safety.

Morba · 31 Jul 2009 at 00:32

Have to agree with questioning your form in terms of ROM.
you shouldnt be lifting it from the floor, instead you should lift from pins or from a rack, as if you are at the top of a normal deadlift.

not a fan of straight leg dl's, too easy to get sloppy, RLDs for me :]

drunkenmaster · 31 Jul 2009 at 01:22

You can of course simply get unlucky and injure yourself even with perfect form, **** happens.

Also, as much as you try, as perfect as your form is, if you weight train often the likely hood that your form drops for one rep here and there is, well, its almost impossible to get perfect form on every last rep of everything you ever do. The best form possible, = the least risk possible, but when your goal is to rip your muscles, literally, to make them grow, sometimes that won't go quite the way you want it.

Rest it up, ice it, keep the swelling down, eat well, seek help if it doesn't seem to be mending well. Go easy on it for a while and if you don't feel comftable with the exercise, don't do it any more, find something else.

thevet · 31 Jul 2009 at 02:08

if its ur back ur targetting you dont need to go any lower than 90 degrees as any more than this will target the hamstrings in the back of the legs...also make sure you warm your back up before you max your weight out..sounds to me like you went to heavy too soon

^TANK^ · 31 Jul 2009 at 02:33

RockLobster Get yourself a decent lifting belt!

ergonomics · 31 Jul 2009 at 08:00

in the same boat as you matey except i injured myself doing normal deadlifts - really makes me doubt my form but i did jump into the heavy weights after not gyming for over a week. that was 5 weeks ago, my back is still sore as satan and ive been on ibuprofen for 3 weeks now. doctors setting me up with some physio because its not better. it feels like a dull pain right at the base of my spine.

Freefaller · 31 Jul 2009 at 08:39

I'm going to disagree with you there Tank you shouldn't need a lifting belt - if anything it would just lead to more potential injuries in the long term as your body adapts and learns to rely on them. However for learning the technique it might help.

My advice is to drop the weight, ensure you get the technique right, and either drop the SLDLs and start doing RDLs instead.

wordy · 31 Jul 2009 at 08:48

Yep, I injured by back doing normal deads in 2002 and that stopped me doing any exercise until 2006. I started weight lifting again a year ago(1 year ago on monday as it happens) and I'm keeping away from deads. Thing is I know I liked doing them so it's a bit of a pain, but hey ho.

DanH84 · 31 Jul 2009 at 10:07

that's a shame wordy, do you have a physiological weakness due to the injury that could be aggravated or is it more a phobia that you've understandably gained?

RockLobster · 31 Jul 2009 at 11:40

Morba said:
Have to agree with questioning your form in terms of ROM.
you shouldnt be lifting it from the floor, instead you should lift from pins or from a rack, as if you are at the top of a normal deadlift.

not a fan of straight leg dl's, too easy to get sloppy, RLDs for me :]

I've been lifting from the floor.

Freefaller said:
I'm going to disagree with you there Tank you shouldn't need a lifting belt - if anything it would just lead to more potential injuries in the long term as your body adapts and learns to rely on them. However for learning the technique it might help.

My advice is to drop the weight, ensure you get the technique right, and either drop the SLDLs and start doing RDLs instead.

Freefaller I was told the exact same thing by the gym owner about not needing a belt.

wordy said:
Yep, I injured by back doing normal deads in 2002 and that stopped me doing any exercise until 2006. I started weight lifting again a year ago(1 year ago on monday as it happens) and I'm keeping away from deads. Thing is I know I liked doing them so it's a bit of a pain, but hey ho.

It has definately put me off deadlifts. Going to rest for a few weeks. What is annoying for me is I cycle in to work and at the moment I can't.

wordy · 31 Jul 2009 at 11:57

DanH84 said:
that's a shame wordy, do you have a physiological weakness due to the injury that could be aggravated or is it more a phobia that you've understandably gained?

It's a physical pain in my lower back. I'm ok squatting thankfully, but I'm obsessive about form.

XZiBIT · 31 Jul 2009 at 14:12

Been a long day but did I just read you have been lifting straight from the floor? I only know a couple of guys with the flexibility to do that and always starting from the top anyway.

Give them a few weeks break, drop the weight and start again. Avoid the good old 80's belt culture

I used to hate deadlifts but if you want to train hard and get results it's hard to avoid them.

http://www.tmuscle.com/article/bodybuilding/dissecting_the_deadlift

Tnation had some good tips. Just finished a 4 week session of sumo's, good fun

daztrouk · 31 Jul 2009 at 16:15

Only started doing these for the 1st time last week, despite me weight training for nearly 10 years now. Had a back injury about 9 years ago (non gym related) which caused me to be laid up in bed for over a week, not fun. As a result, i always use to shy away from too many back exercises. When i did eventually start training my back, i done dumbell rows, and also used a machine which causes resistance in the same way as deadlifts, apart from your sitting down on a slant. Will do a bit more reading on deadlifts, as even though i believe i have good form doing it, i'm still not 100% comfortable with it.

^TANK^ · 1 Aug 2009 at 16:49

Freefaller said:
I'm going to disagree with you there Tank you shouldn't need a lifting belt - if anything it would just lead to more potential injuries in the long term as your body adapts and learns to rely on them. However for learning the technique it might help.

My advice is to drop the weight, ensure you get the technique right, and either drop the SLDLs and start doing RDLs instead.

Why do you see all these strong man events then where people have belts on then, if you value your spine and your doing heavy lifting 200 kilos+ wear a belt simples

.

WantoN · 1 Aug 2009 at 17:38

^TANK^ said:
Why do you see all these strong man events then where people have belts on then, if you value your spine and your doing heavy lifting 200 kilos+ wear a belt simples.

Because they're working to absolute maximum exersion, as opposed to systematically loading the muscles with a strict and set movement for hypertrophic effect

Ant

^TANK^ · 1 Aug 2009 at 17:56

WantoN said:
Because they're working to absolute maximum exersion, as opposed to systematically loading the muscles with a strict and set movement for hypertrophic effect

Ant

Don't you use absolute maximum exertion when you exercise, I know when Ive finished my workout I can barely make it up the stares!

Freefaller · 1 Aug 2009 at 18:35

^TANK^ said:
Why do you see all these strong man events then where people have belts on then, if you value your spine and your doing heavy lifting 200 kilos+ wear a belt simples.

To be fair they are doing non ordinary exercises, racing against one another and not using perfect form or training in a gym. They are competing at beyond their body's performance.

Heck when I do the strongman weekend next week i shall be using a belt as it's out of the ordinary.

If I was moving piano's all day every day i'd do it too. But I don't, I train in the gym with good form, with bars that don't move, even floor, no jerking necessary and generally ideal environment.

Slightly different matey