Help! Deadlift injury

hopefully, someone out there will know what to do. Here is the situation. I have had a nagging injury for the past few years, just above the rear portion of my left hipbone. I have been able to manage it in the past by keeping my abs tight and really “bearing down” on my midsection and glutes while deadlifting. (I am sure someone will point out that I should be doing that anyway.)Of course, maxxes or even triples have been out of the question. Just this week I re-injured it in a major way. To give you an idea, just sneezing hurts enough that I have to hold onto something, and giving mama a pickle tickle just ain’t gonna happen. To make matters worse, I am on wk 3 of my Mag-10 program, and had been making great progress, esp in arms and chest. I am sure that in a few days I will be able to do upper body, and maybe leg extentions, but the lifts that mean the most won’t be possible. No squats, SL deads, or deads. No BO Rows. I think this will really limit my gains. At this point I am considering shelving all my gear for a month, and starting over. Too bad since I have already used a lot of Biotest stuff, and the entire program is costing close to 5 bills. Anybody know how to quick fix this kind of thing? My doctor is clueless, just wants to prescribe muscle relaxers and pain pills. Thanks in advance.

Where exactly is the pain? is it more towards the center of your lower back, or more out to the side directly above your hip? I hate to suggest this, and I hope I am wrong, but you may want to check out a condition called myofacia (I think). it is where scar tissue builds up on the facia (butt/hip plate) and pinches nerves. Do you have any numbness in either leg?
I only suggest this because my father has the condition, and the symptoms you describe are similar to his. Like I said, I sincerely hope I am wrong, because they have found nothing that helps my old man. But he has an immensely horrible case of it. He had surgery, which evidently helps many people, but the scar tissue came back, worse than before. The surgery he had performed is called a myofaciotamy (i know I killed the spelling of that). Were you checked out by your general prac? Cuz my dads gp had no clue. It was his 80 year old chiropractor that told him what it could be, and what it ended up being. I hope to God you dont have it, or if you do it is a mild ‘case,’ if that is what it would be called. I dont know the procedure for checking if it could be this, so I cannot describe what you should talk to your doc about. I will talk to the old man and see what they did to diagnose him and get back with you. Hopefully it is just a strained muscle or ligament. But if it is the same thing my dad has, getting it now may just save you a lot of pain in the future. Good luck, and I hope I am totally and absolutely wrong about this.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you may have joined the herniated disk club. Your symptoms mimic mine, and I’ve got all kinds of issues at the L4-L5 disks.

You can’t undue it, but you can make it feel better. Use lots of ice, take anti-inflammatories, overload on glucosamine (thought to keep the disks more hydrated), and stretch (To relieve nerve root compression…try lying on your back, bend one knee, and cross that bent leg over to the opposite side. You can also do it seated…cross your legs, and pull the raised knee to the opposite side.)

And forget the doctor…they’ll either want to medicate you to hide the pain, or send you to a nuerosurgeon to slice you up. (I was approved for L5 disk surgery 8 years ago, and at the recommendation of my martial arts instructor decided instead to rehab it myself. I’m not about to give the IPF champs any nightmares, but I’m using respectable pounds again in deads, squats, etc.) Last recommendation: see a chiropractor! I know some still consider them controversial, but even the AMA has now recommended them for back pain similar to yours. Plus, they’re not allowed to perform surgery! Good Luck…

search ART (Active Release Therapy)on this site.

DA MAN – I should have been clearer in my first post. It is to the side. Place your left palm on your waist, directly to your left side. Now slide it around to the back about a hand width. Thats it – A few inches above the left edge of the left rear pocket on your jeans (or a foot if you are under 20). The initial injury was during a SL deadlift – on a warmup set! It is definately a pull or strain of a muscle or tendon. BTW – Sorry about your Dad. Goes to show that there is always someone that can make your problems seem minor.

Thanks - I don’t think it is to my back (see prev post) but your recc are in line with what I am doing regardless. Problem is that this will not get me back into action quick enough, and you can only eat so many advil. I guess I was hoping that one of the PLifting guys or maybe one of the experts at T-Mag would know a quick fix that would enable me to lift while healing. I can deal with some pain, just hate to put all on hold while I heal. And of course, it will just get injured again at some point.

Im glad to hear it isnt that myo thing. And thanks for the concern. I hope they can figure out what it is. How many docs have you been too? I find that sometimes doctors arent the best at things that dont fall EXACTLY into their area of expertise. But im sure you know that.

I from what it sounds like it is just a strain. I did that to myself about 3 weeks out till a meet last year. What really helps if you have access is a reverse hyper machine.It really saved me.It was basically that and stretching, the use of a foam roller( this initiates self-myofacial release)and patience. I worked at a gym and had one of my buddy trainers help me with some stretching. Sneezing hurt the most on me too. Hope this helps

Thanks to all for responses. Big pull, I didn’t think of stretching, since it f-ing hurts to move, but I will try this after a hot soak this PM, and see if it loosens up. (I figured it would be a Plifter with experience in this, as it is from DL)I don’t have access to a reverse hyper, since I am using a home gym (nice one, if I do say so myself, but limited to free weights, cage, bars, Dbells, etc). What is this foam roller? Is it something I can duplicate on my own? I will continue Advil, ice, heat, add stretching and see how it goes. Have decided that I will just do upper body, if I have to. Having way too much fum w/ MAG-10 to quit now. Arms look like f-ing legs compared to 2 weeks ago.

My back injury happened with Stiff Legged dead lifts too. All I know is reinjuring it is very easy. It has never really went away. Mine seems to be similar to what hucks is, and sounds also kind of like what da man’s…uhhh old man has. I think I’m finding ways around it but it’s difficult. I’m interested in what big pull said about the roller and the reverse hyper. Thanks Guys. :slight_smile:

it was the same think for me, I have to stretch a lot my hamstring every day and my psoas are to strong so I avoid all leg raise exercices of my abs training. If it doesn’t work you will be more flexible!!

Renald Dulac M.Sc.
Personnal Trainer in Quebec City, Canada

OK. Stretching helps considerably. Hurt to do it yesterday, but went through it this am, and easier. Tired of eating Advil as well, but will be back at it by Monday or Tuesday. Sorry part is I know this will happen again, but at least now I guess I know what to do. Will take extra week at lower intensity, giving me 3 weeks off Mag-10, and then hit it hard. Just too bad there is no permanent fix. Thanks for all responses. Dave Huckabay