Glute/ Lower Back Pain

Steve Burke · 07-17-2012, 06:54 AM

Hope someone can give a bit of input on this as I am at a loss on what is going on and how to fix it...

All that I can attribute this to is a week or so ago I lowered a moderately heavy (for me) push jerk (100Kg) a bit too hard into the rack position, later that session I tried to do some back squats. To just rack the bar causes pain in my lower back/ glute area, mainly on the left hand side.

I am able to still snatch, snatch deadlift and clean with no real discomfort but when I try and put a bar any heavier than 70Kg on my back it hurts.

Blair Lowe · 07-19-2012, 05:25 AM

Test your hip mobility. I often end up tweaking something on my right side of my lower back and funny enough my right hip tests out to have crappier mobility.

You might want to look into Good Mornings and Reverse Hypers. It can literally just be BW with a stick but lots of reps to get bloodflow into that area and move it around. Tightness sucks.

Expect it to take about 2-3 weeks, maybe a month. Typically stuff like hanging or supporting in L will suck too as will pike stretch.

Crapton of mobility. Leg swings, stretching, etc.

Steve Burke · 07-19-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blair Lowe

Test your hip mobility. I often end up tweaking something on my right side of my lower back and funny enough my right hip tests out to have crappier mobility.

You might want to look into Good Mornings and Reverse Hypers. It can literally just be BW with a stick but lots of reps to get bloodflow into that area and move it around. Tightness sucks.

Expect it to take about 2-3 weeks, maybe a month. Typically stuff like hanging or supporting in L will suck too as will pike stretch.

Crapton of mobility. Leg swings, stretching, etc.

Thanks Blair!

Will give the GMs and reverse hypers a bash and i'll have a look at some mobility... er... stuff!

Really hope its 'just' a mobility thing, really dont want a cabbaged back!

Blair Lowe · 07-19-2012, 08:54 PM

My right hip responds well to Single Leg Deadlifts with a DB. I feel stupid doing them but it seems to alleviate hip and lower back pain on my right side. On the left side, I just feel off balance but ehh. The Reverse Hypers tend to be my go to exercise besides a lot of hanging and support swings on Rings and PB. However, they aren't regular swings but pikey swings that focus on opening up my lower back. Straddle ring swings do wonders as do Ring Hip circles. Either that or just get the hip adjusted.

I hurt my back twice in 2010 when I was trying to get back under the bar after about 6 mo without doing 531. As well coaching and working out at the gym. Injured it pretty soon under the bar and then about a cycle or too later which I think had more to do with a spotting injury or training event injury than the bar.

That being said, it always seems I have to work on my hips and lower back or it starts creeping up on me. Maybe because I had a bad back hyperextension about 10 years ago on trampoline. No idea. The hip was always a problem from playing right handed sports and only got worse as I got older so I have to watch it or it'll start acting up eventually when vault or tumbling come to play.

Patrick Haskell · 07-21-2012, 02:32 AM

If it's a lumbar disc issue (and most of us probably have them), the reverse hyper is a great exercise, as it simultaneously strengthens the stablizers and glutes, which protect the back, and puts the back in traction which alleviates the pressure. I'd also look into where your hip mobility is limited, as tightness below will pull the back into flexion when under load, which is just about the worst thing in the world for a spine. I suffer the same symptoms, but our issues could well be different. Still, the stretches that are the most important for me are hip flexor stretches (which often alleviate the pain right away) and hamstring stretches (the latter using a belt around my foot with my back flat on the floor). Your mileage may vary. Let us know how it goes.

Steve Burke · 07-23-2012, 01:38 AM

Thanks Patrick!

Have started doing the hip flexor mobility stuff and have added some light back squats and some good mornings. So far mobility has improved a bit, guess it will take some time.

I'll have a go at the reverse hypers, I train mostly at home so might have to spread myself over the dining room table to do them ha ha!

Blair Lowe · 07-23-2012, 01:03 PM

Patrick, that is exactly what I have read about reverse hypers. I know Louie Simmons said something very similar about them putting them back in traction.

At my cousin's house I saw an inversion chair and it brings to mind I always here good things about these by people with active physical jobs.

Steve Burke · 07-24-2012, 06:24 AM

I have started doing some hip mobility stuff and a couplet of back squats and good mornings, very light for 5 sets of 10. Then some slightly heavier back squats for 5's.

So far so OK, will slowly ramp up the weights and see how i fair. Does this look OK?