Pulled a muscle? What do I do?

[Anna Kubit]

I pulled a muscle I think...

I was doing my stiff leg deadlifts and maybe I had the wrong form or went too far down... I felt this sharp pain in my lower left-side back and since I have not been able to bend down without supporting myself (or if not, lots of pain).

It hurts even if I bend down slightly (like to wash my hands in the sink). If I don't move, I'm fine though.

This happened about one hour ago. I just got up and tried to bend down and nothing has changed (still pain).

Can someone maybe tell me what this could be? Is it just a pulled muscle? Could it be something more?

What should I do now in regards to my training as long as it hurts? I can't bend down even a bit, so squats are out of the question (I'm a bit scared that I'll drop the weight if I get too much pain; I work out alone and have no one to spot me). Seated row might hurt too... No more deadlifts for a while I guess...

I'll keep my diet super clean while I do less workouts I guess...

Should I try leg extensions and curls instead of squats? Should I just wait this out for a week or until this is gone?

Thanks! ;-)

Anna

 

[jnuts]

You might want to go see a doc if it doesn't get better in a few days, I would rest. ice the area if the area feels swollen or inflamed, then heat after inflamation goes down along w/a anti-inflammatory i.e. motrin or advil. This happened to me a few months ago, I took a few days off used ice,rest and heat. Then I went and got a massage but it took about 2 weeks to feel better. It sounds like a pulled muscle, but if your still in pain in a few days I would get it looked at.

Hope this helps. Mrs. Jnuts

 

[RottenWillow]

I pulled a muscle I think...

I was doing my stiff leg deadlifts and maybe I had the wrong form or went too far down... I felt this sharp pain in my lower left-side back and since I have not been able to bend down without supporting myself (or if not, lots of pain).

It hurts even if I bend down slightly (like to wash my hands in the sink). If I don't move, I'm fine though.

This happened about one hour ago. I just got up and tried to bend down and nothing has changed (still pain).

Can someone maybe tell me what this could be? Is it just a pulled muscle? Could it be something more?

What should I do now in regards to my training as long as it hurts? I can't bend down even a bit, so squats are out of the question (I'm a bit scared that I'll drop the weight if I get too much pain; I work out alone and have no one to spot me). Seated row might hurt too... No more deadlifts for a while I guess...

I'll keep my diet super clean while I do less workouts I guess...

Should I try leg extensions and curls instead of squats? Should I just wait this out for a week or until this is gone?

Thanks! ;-)

Anna

Yes it sounds like a pretty good pull.


I recommend hot showers to ease the pain and facilitate healing. Aim the shower head right at your lower back, set it on pulse in you have that setting. I have a different take on the trying to reduce swelling. Your body is pumping extra blood into that area to increase the supply of oxygen to accelerate healing, right? So why would we want to ice the area to mess with that healing process?

Obviously, dont do any lower body exercises at all. Even chest, shoulders, and back will affect your injured area too, so dont do those either.

Once you're healing you absolutely must have someone check your SLDL form. I'll bet every bit of my meager $1200 savings your lower back rounded, that's what always causes pulls in that area. I recommend cutting your weight in half for at least the next 5 leg workouts and, with the help of an observer, concentrate on perfecting your form. Your lower back should remain perfectly flat, and the barbell should move in a completely perpendicular fashion and stay very close to your body.

Be careful amiga.

 

[robin4life2004]

Anna just apply cold and hot pad in and out each ten minutes, total rest is required no even mentionning working the upper body and have some good food rich in carbs to help fight the injury, keep your diet extremely low on fattenings

robin4life2004

 

[Dieselgoku23]

That just happened to me but I was picking up 130lbs dumbells to do incline bench and yes its a pulled muscle. I suggest you ice it and then hot treatment (hot pad hot shower) and rest rest rest. Its been a about a month for me now and my lower back still weak but working on it getting it stronger (hyperextensions, light deadlift etc.....) hope I have been helpful good luck!!!

 

[pak]

It's funny, here's another "it just happened to me story" I had the very same thing happen on a heavy SLDL about a week ago. I could have sworn I herniated a disk and was done (forever!) as far as any heavy lower body work was concerned. I went into see my chiropracter and he told me that my pelvis was tipped back and down a 1/2 inch lower on the right then it was on the left. Because I have had this happen once before ( a little over a year ago) He really couldn't say for sure if it was a form issue that caused my injury or if this was something that had been coming on over time and the dead lift was the trigger. He made the needed adjustments and told me I could go back to my regular lower body workout within three days. I was in so much pain, I thought the guy was absolutely crazy. I had the adjustment on Monday, here it is Thursday and except for being a little stiff in my lower back, I am completely pain free.

Just a bit of a shameless plug for bone crackers. I am pretty darn greatful to mine right now (LOL).