T Nation

Lumbar Pain In Spinal Extension

Injuries and Rehab
#1

I think I arch my lower back too much when I’m lifting. Especially when I’m doing power cleans etc, I feel like I’m catching the bar with a very arched back and pelvis tilted forward and it’s making my vertebrae crunch together and giving me pain afterwards when I extend my spine in daily life.
I think it could be partly because I have some strength imbalances in that my back is probably stronger than most of the rest of me.

How do I fix this? Should I do lots of glute and ab work to sort out my posture? Or are there tips to fix my form so I lift with a straighter back?

thanks.

#2

Strengthen your abs with thing like planks, side planks, weighted planks and variations with focus on time (15 - 30 second holds) with focus on good form (ie. not letting your body sag down or bow up but maintaining a nice straight line). Sounds to me like you are hyperextending rather than maintaining a neutral spine with a mild arch. End result is you are pounding on your facet joints an causing some irritation.