Injuries to the lower back during strength training

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2013-02-24

Hello. In this article, I want to talk about the causes of back injuries, particularly lower back injuries. And also what to do if you end up getting injured.

Quite often, those who train in the gym experience lower back pain in the spine area. It can be sharp pain or persistent dull and pulling pain. Such pain is caused by nerve pinching. The nerve is pinched either by a vertebra due to its displacement or by an intervertebral disc. The second scenario is less desirable, as an intervertebral disc hernia cannot be reversed. So, the causes of such injuries are usually only two.

1. Incorrect exercise execution

Usually, this happens due to rounding the back. This often occurs during exercises such as:

The spine experiences axial stress. That is, the load directly or indirectly presses on the spinal column from top to bottom. Standing presses are also dangerous:

But not because of back rounding. On the contrary, because of excessive arching in the lower back.

Try stacking some blocks on the floor in a straight line. Then press down on them with your hands on the edges of the column. No matter how hard you press, if the blocks are aligned properly, they won’t move. Now tilt them slightly into an arc. If you press now, the blocks will start pushing each other apart under the pressure. And the crooked column will collapse immediately.

The same thing happens with vertebrae if you round your back too much or overarch it. The vertebrae can shift relative to each other or push the intervertebral disc in one direction, forming a hernia.

2. Insufficient development of deep back muscles

Throughout the spine, from the tailbone to the occiput, there are back extensor muscles. These muscles lie close to the spine and create a so-called muscle corset around it. The function of these muscles is not only to extend the back but also to keep the vertebrae in place, preventing them from shifting.

So, insufficient development of these muscles creates conditions for vertebra displacement and back injuries. Naturally, all the aforementioned exercises train these muscles. But it’s not enough. Because while performing these exercises, you should already have a solid muscle corset. Otherwise, you can injure yourself before strengthening your back.

This means that right from the first sessions, you need to perform an exercise such as

Without axial stress, it perfectly trains back extensors without the risk of injury. Moreover, in the initial stages, this exercise should be performed at the beginning of the workout and 2–3 times a week. All my trainees do just that.

Therefore, don’t repeat the mistakes of many beginners. Don’t ignore this exercise. And as you grow stronger, start performing it with additional weight. If you deadlift and squat around 100 kg, you should use 15–20 kg. If lifting 150 kg, use 25–30 kg. Personally, I go up to 50 kg.

What to do if your back already hurts?

If this still happens, you need to temporarily completely stop exercises with axial loads or significantly reduce the weight in those exercises. At the beginning of EVERY workout, perform hyperextensions. Usually, the pain goes away within a month. After that, you can gradually return to full workouts. But don’t forget about hyperextensions.

Sometimes, the pain doesn’t go away. In that case, you must see a doctor and get examined. It is most likely a hernia. But even with a hernia, you can still train (Exercises for intervertebral disc hernia). On this optimistic note, allow me to take my leave. Good luck!