There is nothing worse than having lower back pain from lifting weights. Lower back pain from lifting must be one of the most common causes, and it can be incredibly frustrating for an athlete to deal with. I was a powerlifter for the majority of my teenage years, so I am not strangers with lower back pain. The good news is that there are some things you can do to take the pressure off of your lower back pain from lifting.
Reason For Lower Back Pain From Lifting
There are a few reasons for lower back pain from lifting weights. Many of them have very little to do with the lifting part but rather the user doing the movements. The athlete is generally the main reason for pain. Whether it is because of improper loading, bad form, inadequate warm-up, or bad programming. The lifting is never the problem with lower back pain from lifting.
Many people think that their backs hurt merely from lifting, but that is not the case. Lifting is healthy if it is done with a healthy body safely. Back programming may have you lifting too heavy or too much. On the other hand, if you already have hip or back issues, then you are fighting an uphill battle.
Proper Form
Lifting with proper form has to be the best way to mitigate lower back pain from lifting. It does not matter what movements you are doing your form should always be on point. There is little reason to lift with bad form at any point. Make sure you maintain an organized spine and core. We need to learn how to contract the core and maintain a neutral spine throughout all the movements. It does not matter what the movement is.
Watch Your Loads
Don’t push it too hard too fast. Your programming should match your current fitness levels. It is ok to train a little above what you should sometimes be doing, but when you are constantly trying to push the pace on your strength, you are asking for your body to quickly reject that notion. Training with the proper programming and proper percentages will help keep lower back pain from lifting at bay and keep you moving in the direction of strength.
Strength is not a sprint it is a marathon, and you should always be on the conservative side of things when you are looking to increase your strength in a movement. You will get stronger simply by applying the right programming and patience. If you rush it too fast, you are asking for an injury.
Exercises To Strengthen Your Lower Back
Reverse Hypers
Reverse hypers are great from working the entire posterior chain. The key is not to put go into too much hyperextension if it hurts. Hypers help the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings to all work together in harmony as they should.
Back Extensions
Back extensions can serve as a form of core work to help maintain a neutral spine as well as helping to retain the strength in the glutes. These are one of the best exercises you can do to build strength in the lower back.
Good Mornings
Good mornings will put your lower back, butt, and hamstrings on fire. Here is another example of a movement that does a great job if working the entire posterior chain together at once. Next time you have lower back pain from lifting weights, give these a try.
Conclusion
Lower back pain from lifting can be frustrating for anyone nevermind an athlete. It is generally two problems that cause it. A lack of form and improper programming. That is why you should always focus in on your training. Your technique is something that should always be on the mind of an athlete. Making it a practice. Then there is programming. This is a far more tricky thing to do. In future articles, I will lay out the right way to plan your training program with loads and frequency but for the moment do not push it past your normal abilities. At the same time do not forget to add in exercises that emphasize strengthening your lower back.
What if you can’t get over your lower back pain from lifting weights?
Sometimes you can ice all you want, but a muscle is in pain because another area is not working or because it is protecting you. With the hips, for example, your back may be hurting because your psoas is doing too much work and it is also tight. The psoas may be doing too much work because your other hip flexors are not activating correctly. The chain reaction could keep going when dealing with lower back pain from lifting.
Sometimes you need the help of a sports medicine provider. Sports medicine providers are used to working with athletes that need to get results quickly, to get back on the field. If you are not an athlete, I am sure that you still want quick results.
There are many different options you can go with when looking for a provider. You could get a chiropractor, massage therapist, physical therapist or many other options. The key is finding someone you trust and that you are excited to work with.
How to Find The Best Healthcare Providers for Lower Back Pain From Lifting
9INE POINT Health is the best place to find the health care providers you need for any injuries. It does not matter where you are hurting; a 9INE POINT Health provider will be able to get you healthy again. 9INE POINT allows you to find the best local providers and compare them quickly using the 9INE POINT Number.
If you have no idea what you need, but you know you need something, 9INE POINT Health is an injury guide, and you will get helped through the process. We make it easier for you to find the information and the person you are looking for.
Skills to look for in a Healthcare provider to Help lower back pain from lifting weights:
- Active Release Technique
- Graston Technique
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Fascial Stretch Therapy
- Corrective exercises
- Dry Needling
- Sports Background
- Functional Movement Screen
- And more
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
