I hurt my back this past fall (november I think) doing deadlifts. My doctor gave me a look over and said it was just a strained muscle, give it rest and I’ll get over it. Armed with months of research and a supply of Biotest products, I just got back into the gym this past week (I’m throwing together a 3month workout/diet plan which I’ll post this weekend some time for advice) and the lower back was still not what it should be. If I go back to the doctor he’s just going to send me to physical therapy. I’m hoping to avoid that by physical therapizing myself with your help. What lower back exercises are there beyond the deadlift and the good morning? ie: what lighter lower back exercises are there? Thanks.
FYI I’m 20 years old and not prone to injury. Between the injury and now I’ve spent plenty of time playing basketball, moved out of an apartment, and done the occasional weekend of heavy yard work without bothering my back at all. So I’m rather peeved and also slightly worried that I can’t do a deadlift right now.
Back hyperextension or reverse back hyperextension. Be sure to keep your spine erect. You can hold a weight in your hands or against your chest (or for non-mechanized reverse hypers, use ankle weights) for added resistance.
How did you injure your back in the first place? You mention lower back, so I am going to guess you failed to maintain lumbar curvature and suffered a disc injury. If you have been doing heavy yardwork I should hope that you were doing it “properly” and using your spinal erectors isometrically.
Well basically it was early in the morning, school was getting rough, and I was over tired so I got sloppy. Exactly how the injury occurred I couldnt tell you. If you look at this image though http://www.netterimages.com/images/vpv/000/000/005/5285-0550x0475.jpg the pain is almost exactly where the Erector spinae muscle line is pointing. Right side of my back only. Thanks for the advice.
There are many small muscles in there too. The erector spinae group consists of 3 muscles, but I wont make this an anatomy lesson. See a chiropractor certified in sports rehabilitation and he will give you the most accurate advice.
Focus on contracting your spinal erectors isometrically in the meantime. Lie prone and pretend you are superman. Your arms and legs should be off the ground. You will be using your back and glutes exclusively for this movement. Hold for X seconds and take a short rest, and repeat.
