When you’re heading home after lifting weights, you should feel strong and accomplished, not achy or sore, but if you experience lower back pain from lifting weights, you’re not alone.

In fact, back pain after weightlifting is so common that there’s a name for it: weightlifter’s back.  If your back pain seems isolated to the muscles in your lower back, you may have strained your muscles or ligaments.

It’s important to monitor your symptoms to make sure you don’t have a more serious condition.

Lower Back Pain Symptoms

The following symptoms often result when you experience a back injury:

• Painful muscle spasms (These may be intense or they may just hurt when you touch the area, similar to the pain from a bruise.)
• Weakness in your spine (This can indicate a serious problem.)
• Losing control of your bladder (This is an emergency. Get medical attention right away.)

Lower Back Pain Causes

In the gym, back pain is most often caused by poor posture or technique.  When you flex your back muscles against resistance while weightlifting, you’re putting your back in a compromised position.

If your back is rounded during the exercise, it puts your hips at a higher angle, stressing your ligaments.  Then, when you add weight, you’ve created the perfect recipe for muscle strain.

Be particularly careful when doing the following exercises: clean-and-jerk, dead-lift, snatch and squats.  These exercises can be stressful to your joints and soft-tissues, especially if you’re over 50.

Lower Back Pain Treatment

We live in a country where there’s a pill for everything, but when you take over the counter pain relievers, deep-down you know that it’s only masking the pain for a short time.  Below is a list of proven lower back pain treatment options that will not only offer relief but will get you back on the road to healing.

Rest – Lower back pain from lifting weights will usually go away if you take the time to rest and refrain from doing exercises or activities that stress your back.  This may seem hard, especially if you’re training, but even two days of total rest can often give your body the time it needs to jumpstart the healing process.

See a Good Chiropractor or Physical Therapist – If your back pain lasts more than just a few days, you should seek professional treatment.  Licensed chiropractors and physical therapists specialize in identifying the source of your pain and providing non-invasive treatment to restore motion and decrease inflammation.

Chiropractors use chiropractic adjustments in conjunction with physical therapy to ensure that your spine is in proper alignment as your body heals.   They often suggest using a cold pack and doing some light exercises like the cat-cow or walking.  These can stimulate the strained area of your lower back, keeping it mobile, without adding any additional strain or irritation.

Consider Your Sleep Position – Sleeping on your side or your back with a proper pillow creates less stress on your lower back and neck than sleeping on your stomach.  If you’ve been sleeping on your stomach most of your life, now is the time to switch.

Ice – Ice decreases inflammation.  I good rule of thumb is to apply it consistently and strategically.  Our chiropractors recommend starting at 20 minutes on and 40 minutes off.  If you don’t have an ice pack, a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel can work just as well.  (Just remember to put them back into the freezer!)

Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet – Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response.  Without inflammation, we can’t heal, but when we have too much inflammation, it can cause damage.  Foods high in sugar and saturated fat can actually make inflammation worse, but some foods are known to reduce inflammation.  Conducer adding a few of these to your diet:

• Fatty Fish – such as salmon, tuna or sardines (Can’t stand fish? Take a fish-oil supplement.)
• Whole Grains – With the crazy mis-labeling that is allowed in the US, you can’t trust the word “Whole grain.”  Instead, look for foods with a whole grain as their first ingredient.
• Dark Greens – such as spinach and kale
• Nuts – Almonds and walnuts are great choices.

Lower Back Pain Prevention

Prevention is worth weeks of sitting on the sidelines, and preventing lower back pain from lifting often means training smart by keeping your health above your ego.

Keep these tips in mind the next time you plan to lift weights:

• Use lighter weights with more repetitions as opposed to heavier weights.
• Opt for an exercise machine instead of free weights. This can help to keep your posture correct, but it has the added benefit of additional support.  Machines can be used properly by someone with little or no supervision.
• If you choose to use free weights, use a spotter to protect your back from excess strain.
• Pay particular attention to your shoulders when lifting weights.  Keeping them stable and engaged will help to keep you from rounding your back.
• Squeeze your glutes when you’re lifting weights up.  This will engage your pelvis and can keep you from straining your lower back.
• Do not perform weightlifting moves such as clean-and-jerk, dead-lift, snatch or squat without supervision.
• Consider wearing a belt for weightlifting.  If nothing else, this will serve as a constant reminder to maintain proper form with each lift.

Although lower back pain from lifting is common, it can be easily prevented.  If you think you may have hurt your back, feel free to call and speak with one of our chiropractors over the phone.  They’re always happy to answer questions and help you to make the right decision.

Our chiropractors have been treating lower back pain in the Kansas City area for over 30 years.  They specialize in natural back pain relief and offer treatment 7 days a week.  Call our office today at 913-764-6237.