You felt great after that workout. Until you didn’t.
We’ve all experienced the endorphin rush following a great workout. Whether you were in the gym pushing for that extra rep, you just got off the bike after a brutally competitive ride in the hills, or you simply weren’t feeling that great but felt like you needed to get some exercise in anyway. You usually feel alright after the workout: breathing hard, wiping the sweat off your face, feeling proud of yourself for “getting through that”. Suddenly, you feel your back start to tighten up.
For some, it happens the moment they bend down to pick up their gym bag on the way out, and for others, it doesn’t really set in until later that day when they’re sitting down on the couch and just “can’t seem to get comfortable”. The latter seems to be more common, but they both end up with a similar result: your back ends up becoming so tight that you’re walking around like you have a steel pipe taped to your back. You try to ignore it, but after it doesn’t seem to go away, you try some stretching, some foam rolling, or maybe even some ice or other anti-inflammatories. You start to worry about whether you’ll be able to work out again the next day, or for others, if they’ll even be able to get out of bed the next morning. No matter, your frustration sets in, because you really want to get back to your favorite activity, but have a fear of “hurting yourself again”.
I’m here to give you 5 tips to educate you on how to recover faster, and hopefully reduce your risk of reinjuring your back again.
1. This is a normal phenomenon for discogenic low back pain.
Your low back is tight for a reason. The muscles are going into spasm because they’re trying to PROTECT you, more specifically, your spinal column and its related elements. Therefore, if your muscles are trying to keep your back straight/stiff, then LET IT DO ITS JOB. They are trying to avoid further irritation to the structure in your back that you initially injured.
HOWEVER, just like any injury (i.e. cutting your finger, getting something “stuck in your eye”), if this initial inflammatory process continues for more than a few days, it can start to create long-term problems. You want to allow the initial phase to take place, and then slowly get moving again in a safe manner that will avoid aggravating the affected structure while its healing. I call this the “Don’t Pick the Scab” phase. I don’t expect you to put a cast on your finger for 4 weeks for a paper cut, but I don’t want you handling scissors for the next 2 weeks, either.
2. Stop Stretching It
At least, initially, that is. If you have a cut on your finger, you wouldn’t keep tugging at the skin around the cut, because then the wound can’t properly heal. So if your back is in the tight, protective phase, then stop trying to stretch it to “loosen it up”, as you are likely doing more harm than good.
The same goes for nerves and nerve irritation. If your “sciatica” is flaring up, then stop stretching your hamstrings to try and loosen up that nerve. You will likely feel some mild relief for a few minutes, but the pain will usually come back, and sometimes come back worse because you re-irritated the nerve.
3. Find a direction of preference
If you are experiencing pain with forward bending, but extending backwards provides relief, then you likely have found the direction that your back prefers to move in. Most often, the discs in our back undergo repetitive Forward Bending, which causes them to bulge, or “herniate” towards the back. Think about a Jelly Donut. Now stay with me, but think about smashing the front of that jelly donut, and imagine where the jelly would go. Exactly, now if we start to GENTLY extend the back towards a backward bend, we hope to push that jelly back into the donut.
Now enough donut talk, you gotta get back in the gym soon! But how?
4. Get Moving, Slowly
Just like any injury, there needs to be a “return to sport/play” protocol that needs to happen. It means scaling back the weight and intensity initially, while being mindful of your positioning and activating the correct muscles during a workout. Its not our faults, as with many injuries, the body likes to “turn off” (or decrease neuromuscular facilitation to, for all you nerds) certain muscles as a protective mechanism. So the goal is to initially begin reactivating the core muscles in a “neutral-spine” position. Simply put, focus initially on core exercises that involve a straight back to avoid picking the scab. Be patient, move slow, and focus on engaging the correct muscles. This is where step #5 comes in.
5. Go see a qualified professional if you’re unsure of what to do from here, or if what you did is not changing your condition
Again, this guide is to serve as Medical Information, but this does not mean that this is Medical Advice for YOUR condition. Our job is to help coach and guide you through this process, and progress you back to your sport/exercise as soon as safely possible. If you have any questions or concerns during any step of this process, DO NOT hesitate to call and schedule a consultation. I am happy to help you, and the sooner YOU get in, the sooner YOU can start getting YOU better!