My back/spine is sore and red from working out. Help? (Photo included.)

Annanna91

For the past 7weeks I've been doing circuit training at my home which involves lying on the floor for the ab exercises. I always use a mat when doing so but recently, say the past two weeks, I've noticed that my back has been tender when doing so. I finally looked at it in the mirror earlier and was slightly alarmed by it.

What can I do in order to carry on exercising without hurting myself further?

Angel_Grove_

Is it chafing? Try a top in a performance fabric?

ajff

It looks like a rug burn? Alter your form? Add a yoga mat (or two - or fold it up to add cushioning)? I had saccrum issues (the bone your tailbone is attached to) when I first started doing crunches and this helped me get over the hump (hahaha), until my body got out of its funk! Now I'm good... and I should be doing crunches right now. LOL!

DancingMoosie

I get that too when I crunch at the gym--its just like rug burn on your back because your vertebrae stick out and rub. I got it on my knee the other day, too, because we did some donkey-kick type exercises on one knee and elbow. Get a better mat or use a towel for extra padding. Do you have a yoga mat?

hill8570

Wear something tight and breathable? Like a one piece swimsuit or bodysuit?

auddii

It looks like you've bruised your back. Until you have healed up, I'd look into some ab exercises that don't involve lying on your back (side bends, standing bicycle, etc).

Then, when you are fully healed, look into using extra padding. If you're using a yoga mat, double it up, or used a towel folded in quarters. A lot more padding than you're currently using.

And you likely do not need daily ab exercises. Make sure you aren't over doing it and that you have adequate rest days.

ninerbuff

Can't see how you do ab exercises, but it's obvious that there's lots of contact on your back. As mentioned above, do standing ab work, till you're healed up.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

arditarose

ah! I can't look at it. Ouch.

feisty_bucket

I get spots like too, from benches. I don't worry about it much, but try not to press those spots.

uconnwinsnc1

You should see my shins the day after deadlifts.

arditarose

uconnwinsnc1 wrote: »

You should see my shins the day after deadlifts.

I can put on a fancy dress and high heels and still look a hot mess because of my dead lifting shins.

Annanna91

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the tips. I think I'm currently using a yoga mat, but I'm definitely going to buy a new one and see if that gives me any more padding because I appreciate that my back/spine is rather bony.

amandarunning

I get the same if I perform sit ups but mine is much lower and I literally skin my *kitten* - that hurts for days...ouch ouch ouch. It didn't matter how much extra padding I used in terms of mats - it just seems the movement skins the top of the bony sticky out bits!

So for abs you could look to planks and also leg lifts rather than curling up your top half. I do Insanity and really like the "C Sit" abs work Shaun T teaches where I really get a burn/ab tremble without having a sore *kitten* for weeks!

DancingMoosie

try putting a towel under your yoga mat:)

margianir

Hello @Annanna91, I have the same problem, but I don't do any exercises currently, so it's appeared out of blue. Could you tell me how did your red spots end?

yweight2020

Standing ab work or on a exercise ball.