Back Workouts After Back Injury

I hurt my back more than a few months ago while doing deadlifts. What is a good way to ease myself back into working out, especially strengthening my back, without hurting it again. It was already an extremely frustrating injury that really hindered my progress and I don’t want to do it again.

[quote]hawki15 wrote:
I hurt my back more than a few months ago while doing deadlifts. What is a good way to ease myself back into working out, especially strengthening my back, without hurting it again. It was already an extremely frustrating injury that really hindered my progress and I don’t want to do it again.[/quote]

I am also a victim of back problems. But mine are probably more long term (1 herniated disc, 1 bulging) and are still with me since January. I found an awesome thread while searching for the info that your looking for now:

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_strength/the_lumbar_stability_thread

I’ve been going to physical therapy since March and they really stress stretching as being just as important as strengthening the back. So I’d say try and stretch 3 times a day while your injured. I do the following:

Bird dog:
http://www.healthline.com/hlbook/dia-bird-dog

Double Knee to chest:

The Cobra(like a pushup but keep pelvis on ground):
http://www.dcdoctor.com/pages/rightpages_wellnesscenter/homeexercises/back/exercises/exer_back_ex_pronepress.html

Bridge:
http://www.dcdoctor.com/pages/rightpages_wellnesscenter/homeexercises/back/exercises/exer_back_ex_bridging.html

Hamstring Stretch: (3rd picture position works best for me)
http://www.lanimuelrath.com/content/view/39/

You’ll need to make sure you get more flexibility in your hips and hamstrings to reduce pressure of your back in your daily activities. If you lay on your back and bring only one leg straight up, you should be able to get a 90 degree angle betweent the lifted leg and the ground. If not, keep stretching your hamstrings until you can achieve this.

hawki15 - I am a physical therapist, an avid weightlifter, and a person who has had two herniated discs in my life. Sam gvae good advice about stretching your hips and hamstrings. also the exercises for back strengthening he gave were good. If you have the capability light (no weight) reverse hyper extension are a good exercise. Make sure you do lots of ab work that does not involve flexion (i.e. crunches/sit-ups)

Also have someone you trust and is a good coach to monitor your form, you could als videotape your deadlift. Most injuries from this lift occur because of loss of the tight arch in the back causing a rounding of the low back forcing the discs backwards. If you cant maintain this tight arch drop the weight and work on your form

[quote]flipdaddy wrote:
hawki15 - I am a physical therapist, an avid weightlifter, and a person who has had two herniated discs in my life. Sam gvae good advice about stretching your hips and hamstrings. also the exercises for back strengthening he gave were good. If you have the capability light (no weight) reverse hyper extension are a good exercise. Make sure you do lots of ab work that does not involve flexion (i.e. crunches/sit-ups)

Also have someone you trust and is a good coach to monitor your form, you could als videotape your deadlift. Most injuries from this lift occur because of loss of the tight arch in the back causing a rounding of the low back forcing the discs backwards. If you cant maintain this tight arch drop the weight and work on your form[/quote]

Hey Flip, what exercises do you recommend for abs? My physical therapist has me doing crunches and while they don’t bother my back, they’ve pretty much lost their affect since I can’t add weight. The only other ab exercise I do are hanging knee ups and just started planks (awesome).

The one exercise I forgot to include is hyperextensions. These make my lower back feel great but don’t over do them. I pushed myself too far one workout and did more harm then good.

Planks and side planks are a greatg exercise for your abs, crunches on a swiis ball w/ a dumbell on your chest, planks w/ elbows on a swiss ball, hanging leg raises, and an exercise i use w/ some of my patients for stability is to get a cble machine, stand perpendicular to the pulley with the handle held out in front of you like you were going to do rotations/twists, but instead just hold the weight isometrically, you can also make this harder by stepping sideways, or extending and flexing your arms while trying to keep the handle directly in front of you.