Back pain after exercise, stretching ideas anyone?

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abijones75
abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My back is killing me, did a brutal circuits class this morning plus 40 mins on cross trainer and my lower back started to really hurt shortly afterwards. Can anyone advise on some good stretches to do? I've done laying on back with knees to chest, both together and singly. Really don't want to cancel gym tomorrow :/
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  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Use a foam roller and roll it out? And some heat.
    It is hard to stretch a touchy back very well, and I have found it can be counter productive. Maybe because the muscles involved are large ones?
    Wait! Your back is killing you and you want to go back to the gym tomorrow? Be careful with that.
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
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    Well I'm hoping I can sort it by then! I have an abs class tomorrow but I'll tell the trainer about my back, if he doesn't think I should do it then I won't. I haven't got a foam roller, will have to get one. The pain is an inch or so above my tail bone, it's bloody sore!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I think you need to cancel the class until your lower back starts feeling better. I am guessing you need stronger abs before you do such an aggressive circuit again. Kind of ironic, isn't it? Cancelling the abs class you need.

    This is a minor setback. But you want to take care of that back. So that you can keep going for years to come.
  • sftbllcoachlp
    sftbllcoachlp Posts: 11 Member
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    abijones75 wrote: »
    My back is killing me, did a brutal circuits class this morning plus 40 mins on cross trainer and my lower back started to really hurt shortly afterwards. Can anyone advise on some good stretches to do? I've done laying on back with knees to chest, both together and singly. Really don't want to cancel gym tomorrow :/

    Do you stretch before your class or working out? I have low back problems too, so I always stretch out my body before and after working out. A good stretch for my lower back that seems to help me is. Open my legs wide and bend my upper body as low as I can, with my hands I try to reach as far back behind my legs to stretch the back out a lil more. I hold the stretch for around 10 seconds or so, I repeat it a few times. Also like the other person mentioned, get a foam roller to roll out before and after your session if you like. Hope this helps and your back feels better.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    abijones75 wrote: »
    My back is killing me, did a brutal circuits class this morning plus 40 mins on cross trainer and my lower back started to really hurt shortly afterwards. Can anyone advise on some good stretches to do? I've done laying on back with knees to chest, both together and singly. Really don't want to cancel gym tomorrow :/

    Have somebody who knows what they are doing check your posture. Often back pain comes from bad posture. If that isn't the issue, you need to start slower and work up to your current workout. You may be doing too much too soon. You really don't want to fool around with the back.
  • CasperNaegle
    CasperNaegle Posts: 936 Member
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    Definitely get someone to check your posture and form. It's not uncommon to be sore from lifting.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    Yoga - child, downward dog, forward bend, triangle are the ones that help me loosen a tight lower back!
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
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    Thanks everyone, I've ordered a foam roller and I'll try out those stretches, and I'll have a chat with my pt about it tomorrow.
  • CassidyScaglione
    CassidyScaglione Posts: 673 Member
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    I'd get a trainer to check your form. Once you get into heavier weights it's easy to hurt yourself. If you're talking about muscle stiffness rather than pain, then there are multiple yoga routines to stretch back muscles and improve muscle strength.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,135 Member
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    I have intermittent back pain issues that I have tried to learn how to manage. I spend every workout, whether its exercising or just running (I hurt my back on the treadmill last time, go figure) by stretching before and after each workout. It's amazing how much of my back pain is related to my legs and how tight they get.

    There are specific exercises my doctor gave me after I really hurt it 5-6 years ago. Cat/Cow (get on all 4's, arch your back up, then lower it down and stick your butt out), back extensions (lay on your tummy propped up on your elbows, and raise your torso up by pushing down on your elbows), alternating hand/leg extensions (on all 4's again, stick out your right hand and your left foot at the same time, hold for 5-10 secs, then switch to alternate leg/hand), pelvic tilt (lay on your back, knees up, feet on floor, tighten your core and push your lower back into the floor, hold for 10-15 sec, repeat), side planks (30 secs or so each side). There's a few more but I'll spare you!

    Foam rollers do nothing for my back pain. Good advice above, a lot of back issues are related to core strength, but don't forget to work all of your core: front, sides and back!

    Best advice: if your back hurts today, do not push it. I had to take a week off last time. 7 days of rest is nothing compared to trashing your back for months on end. Let it heal up and enjoy a few days of rest!
  • davidcliff
    davidcliff Posts: 144 Member
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    Stretch your legs! A lot of Low Back pain is the result of the tightening in your upper leg muscles.
  • southportmom2fab5
    southportmom2fab5 Posts: 49 Member
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    Be smart about pain. It is a signal from your body. I had back surgery, not fun!
  • arac62
    arac62 Posts: 65 Member
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    davidcliff wrote: »
    Stretch your legs! A lot of Low Back pain is the result of the tightening in your upper leg muscles.

    same with your glutes!!

  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
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    Thanks everyone, pain is nowhere near as bad today thankfully. I did lots of yoga stretches last night before bed, and slept with a hot water bottle against the sore part of my back plus took ibuprofen. I have an abs class today which is a lot of core exercises, and it starts and finishes with stretches so I'm going to go to that, but I will discuss my back pain with the trainer first. The pain is around the sacroiliac joint area and I've had problems there before, just hope this isn't going to be an ongoing thing cos I've really got into the gym lately and would hate to have to give it up for any length of time. But I will be sensible about it.
  • AshetteKetchum
    AshetteKetchum Posts: 26 Member
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    It could be a variety of things, but don't let it discourage you. Take a break if needed.
    Back pain could just be the muscles sore from working out, improper form (I see this a lot with people doing squats), improper posture, weak back muscles, or another health condition or prior incident that may make your back more sensitive to certain activities.

    I found that my back would hurt a lot when I first started getting into weight lifting and training. My trainer advised me to start trying to focus on keeping proper posture in regular day-to-day life, and doing more back exercises to build the muscles up for more support. After a few weeks I never really noticed the pain again, well, unless I have an extreme back workout day, but its definitely a sore muscle feeling =P
  • rachiegreen937
    rachiegreen937 Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm a crossfit athlete and my best stretch afterwards is using a roller- you can buy them online or in certain shops and they're brilliant for loosening your muscles and keeping them well afterIintense workouts.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    tcunbeliever wrote: »
    Yoga - child, downward dog, forward bend, triangle are the ones that help me loosen a tight lower back!

    I second this, doing yoga has been wonderful for my back (I'm tall and have alot of back). I also do planking for a minute and a half almost everyday. I seldom have back pain anymore.
  • CaitlinW19
    CaitlinW19 Posts: 431 Member
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    Might be worth your time to visit a chiropractor. I had chronic upper back and neck pain for years and migraines that just kept getting worse...a chiro made all the difference for me because all my problems were related to each other. Yoga also seems to help...I notice I have to adjust my rearview mirror in my car after yoga. This past weekend I couldn't get to a class, so I got a yoga DVD from the library...it was called Yoga for Stress Relief or something like that. It was really easy yoga (seemed geared toward an older crowd) but all focused on releasing tension from back and neck.
  • sftbllcoachlp
    sftbllcoachlp Posts: 11 Member
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    Do you see a chiropractor? If you don't you might want to start and get your back adjusted. Have you tried Epsom salt baths yet? If you haven't your missing out. If will relax your muscles after a tough workout.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Work on strengthening your core and do a thorough dynamic warmup before the main part of the workout.

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