lower back pain

[exitspeed]

recently i've been experiencing lower back pain. i am a student so i spend a lot of time sitting, whether in class or at my desk studying. i have on and off back pain which changes day to day. i want to know what is wrong with it and how i might be able to fix it. i feel somewhat sharp pains in my lower back when i bend over or move in twisting or bending directions. also, i have achy feelings when i am sitting down or lying down as well. does anybody know what might be causing this and what i can do to fix it. thanks for the help in advance.

i'm not sure if this is the correct forum to put this under...

[AARS]

Are you overweight?

[exitspeed]

i am not significantly overweight. i am 6' 1" and about 180-185 lbs. i have a small gut and am a little pudgy around the edges but other than that i am not really overweight.

[AARS]

Dont sound like that is your problem. 6'1" and 180-185, no weight problem there.
When I was overweight, I had bad back problems.
If you sit alot like you said, and never exercise your back. You probably have bad posture, which can cause problems like you say. You might try some exercises for your back, and concentrate on keeping good posture while you have to sit. If you experence back pain while trying to exercise, then you may have to see a chiropractor.

Cursor may have some good input on this subject.

[exitspeed]

thanks for the advice. i try doing back stretches and some very very light weight work like back extensions on the machines. i can't do even moderatly heavy weight without my back hurting.

[StevenD]

Go see a doctor.

[ebon00]

If this has been a problem for a long time, I agree with StevenD: go see a doctor. You really should do a few exercises for your lower back and your abs to make sure you have the proper support in your midsection though. Since weight exercise is too stressful (i.e. it hurts) try some isometric-style training. A few short sets of Supermans, Horses and Boards should be all you need right now. They shouldn't cause any pain if you do them slowly and use caution. You may also want to try some direct transversus abdominis work since this neglected muscle can be seen as the body's own girdle.

[tallpete]

I know opinons vary on this subject but I suffered with lower back pain for several years. I finally went to an ostiopath, she sorted me out in about 3 sessions followed by a regime of excersise including swimming and abdominal excersises.

It worked for me but i also agree, go see a doctor

[MoosemaN]

I'll post my back problem here as well then

MY problem is that after I have been walking for ex. Shopping for 30 min.. I get a sensation of Preasure"pain" on my lower spine.

I gradually gets worse(until it hits a certain amount of pressure and then it stays there) during the time I walk until I sit down.. then I can walk fine again for ~30 min...

Sounds weird does it not?

Any Ideas?

[ebon00]

This is actually quite common among weight trainers and it's getting more common in the public at large. Most physical therapists consider this to be a case of misplaced load. Thing is, all that lifting we do coupled with a rather sedentary lifestyle for most (read: sitting at your desk either at work or in school or driving your car) means that we have our hip felexors in a semi-flexed state at all time. This causes them to be tight and lose part of their ROM. Since hardly anybody stretches the hip flexors, there is a problem. Usually it will reveal itself as a more pronounced arch in the lower back since your hip flexors are pulling your pelvis out of alignment. The body attempts to counter this by arching the back (to retain an upright posture rather than knuckles dragging) and you get a nice little isometric workout for your erectors. These days the forward rotation of the pelvis is an almost universal problem among weight trainees and there is precious little to do about it other than to stretch properly (and it's hell trying to stretch the hip flexors properly) and working on your posterior chain.

[MoosemaN]

ebon00
Sounds like this could be part my problem.. But at the same time I am very flexible..

As I have been doing tae kwondo for a long period.. (at the same time, my hip flexor should be strong as you do a lot of high kicks)

But I have been told by the doctor that I have a bit of pushed forward hip (something like that).. And this could probably be the main cause...

What I think I will do is to go to a doctor and see what I could do to better the situation..

And hit the hip flexor a bit more with streching..

[4banger]

I used to have back problems all the time when I was heavier (250lbs), even when I was a kid.
I started bodybuilding around 9 months ago, never had a back problem since and I do 300lbs deadlifts. Exercise is the best thing to do if you don't have any serious back condition...
A year ago my back was hurting so bad that I could barelly sit in my car, there was no position that would feel confortable and it'd hurt like a b**ch... I'm just really glad I got into fitness...

Try to stretch and warm-up, then try to do some deadlifts with an empty barbell, if the exercise hurts you don't do it, but if you can do it without problems start adding weights after a couple weeks...
If the pain doesn't go away after a couple weeks go see a doctor, maybe a chiropractor..

[MoosemaN]

I thought Deadlifts where targeting the Hamstrings and not the back.. But back must be involved considering the movement..

[ebon00]

Originally posted by MoosemaN
I thought Deadlifts where targeting the Hamstrings and not the back.. But back must be involved considering the movement..

If you feel regular deadlifts (not SLDLs) mostly in your hamstrings you may have to check your form. It is a leg movement at the start (but mostly quads) but you need to keep your butt low, head up and back straight with as low an angle as possible at the hip for best results (and least chance of injury). About the back being involved, there's hardly a muscle in your body that doesn't work hard when doing deadlifts. That's why it rules.

[MoosemaN]

I actually change the way I do deadlifts on wednesday and I got so much muscleache in my back for 2 days..

So now I have deceided to put Deadlifts in my back routine and not on my leg day..

I feel doing squats and deadlifts on the same day is to much...