Pain during sit ups and crunches

sofiachohdary
sofiachohdary Posts: 74
in Fitness and Exercise
Even though I use a mat during my strength training exercises, I am having a lot of back and tailbone pain when I do sit ups. I also tried crunches, and sit ups modifications, towels / pillows....

How do you people do it? I end up skipping them completely and do push-ups and elbow planks instead.

Replies

  • bv109
    bv109 Posts: 83
    1) is the pain primarily on your lower back during ab isolations?
    2) if you were to do leg raises, would your lower back also be in pain?

    if so, you may have apt. and you need to start improving posture, strengthening hamstrings, and glutes on top of abs.
  • sofiachohdary
    sofiachohdary Posts: 74
    1) is the pain primarily on your lower back during ab isolations?
    2) if you were to do leg raises, would your lower back also be in pain?

    if so, you may have apt. and you need to start improving posture, strengthening hamstrings, and glutes on top of abs.

    Thank you for your reply.

    1) Yes.
    2) And yes, but not that intense.

    One thing I noticed when I was pregnant with my 2nd one, and didn't go away even 2 year later, is I could feel my body imbalanced, it's like my one leg became longer than the other, I know it sounds crazy but that's how it feels, and I can feel the pressure on my lower right leg. Like it's a spinal misalignment. I can also feel it during my yoga poses, I can do the tree pose while standing on my left leg perfectly, but have big issues while standing on my right leg.

    Perhaps I need more yoga? I have been only doing power yoga so far.
  • ContraryMaryMary
    ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,780 Member
    Pregnancy and childbirth is rough on the body and it's quite possible your hips are 'out' as a result. I'd make an appointment with an osteopath.
  • grantjl5
    grantjl5 Posts: 2 Member
    Some people don't believe in it, but consider a Chiropractor consultation. I know my left hip has a tendancy to sit higher than my right and some simple adjustments keep it in check. The body and joints don't sit perfectly symmetrical sometimes.
  • Pjames95
    Pjames95 Posts: 20 Member
    If you have any pain in the lower back whilst doing sit-ups stop doing them, you really don't want a prolapsed disc. Here's an article by famous spine expert Dr Stuart Mcgill about this http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2009/06/situps.html

    It gives some safer alternatives.
  • sofiachohdary
    sofiachohdary Posts: 74
    Thank you all, yes, I think at some point I will have to see a specialist, as I've been doing all this yoga, even though spinal twists gave a temporary relief, it's not working I am afraid.

    My first baby was 9 months old when I got pregnant with my 2nd one, so not only it was too quick for a 2nd baby, the only help I had was from my husband when he came home from work, so I really put strain on my body while carrying one baby inside me and one baby out all the time lol.

    Ok, I will stop doing the sit ups then, and check for an osteopath or a chiropractor, and yes I do believe in these doctors.

    Thank you all for your advice. :)
  • jellybeansmamma
    jellybeansmamma Posts: 122 Member
    I'll go one further and suggest bowen therapy. I'd had lower back pain my whole life, my dad was going to see a bowen therapist who offered a group discount thing so I went along too. After examining me she said my coccyx was not sitting straight, it was off to the side putting pressure on my back hips and legs.

    She worked some kind of magic on the muscles down there, and when I got up, it took me a couple of minutes to learn how to walk again because for the first time in my life both my legs were the same length and I didn't have to use my back to compensate for the different lengths.

    Sounds like voodoo, but for me it was a miracle! It's been 6 years and another baby since my visit, and the only time I ever get lower back pain is after hours of shoveling dirt.

    http://www.bowen.asn.au/bowen-therapy/what-is-bowen-therapy/
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    Some people don't believe in it, but consider a Chiropractor consultation. I know my left hip has a tendancy to sit higher than my right and some simple adjustments keep it in check. The body and joints don't sit perfectly symmetrical sometimes.

    Definitely a good start. Really try to focus on improving your hip mobility. Joe DeFranco's Agile 8 or Limber 11 are great mobility & stretching videos even if you don't strength train.
  • Jinnie69
    Jinnie69 Posts: 22
    I have Ankylosing spondylitis so my tailbone is a big issue and my hip joints. I started doing them on my bed, but I do lots of stand up ab work as well.

    And try a chiropractor, it can help if your sacrum is out of alignment.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    i had pain in my back and tailbone area till i started working out on a much thicker mat. most mats are pretty thin, and apparently weren't protecting me from the floor. i finally started doing situps on my bed, and now i can just whip 'em out with no pain in the lower back / tailbone. but a significantly thicker, dense-enough mat, while expensive, would probably work as well.

    if that doesn't do it, definitely check with a doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor.

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