So, I did squats. Now I feel pain in the middle of my back.

[jan]

It feels as if my back has been compressed, and it's been hurting for two days. It's as if it's the middle of my back, around the spine somewhere on both sides... Any idea what it can be?

[Rahf]

It feels as if my back has been compressed, and it's been hurting for two days. It's as if it's the middle of my back, around the spine somewhere on both sides... Any idea what it can be?

Did you do the squats with proper form and technique? Did you tense your middle regions before squatting and made sure to keep your back straight all the way through?

[anfeyd]

I've had similar problems. I'll post information whenever I get a free second.

[kristo]

Is it a very SHARP and LOCALIZED pain? If so...possibly a bulging disc of sorts.

I've had similar problems - it was from folding a bit too much during the squat instead of keeping the back upright.

[Karlnold]

After trying a new personal best @ backlift tonight, something "crunched" inside my head, my nose started to bleed a little and I felt strange afterwards... Like headache except it doesn't hurt... I guess it was some bloodvessel or something...


Use support for your back Jan if you're lifting heavy... But I guess you already do that...

[jan]

I never use a belt or anything of the likes.

I was lifting 330 lbs, that's why it's so frustrating. I can normally do 6 reps, but now I only managed to do 4 hard ones, and my back hurt from it. It pissed me off.

[Rahf]

I never use a belt or anything of the likes.

I was lifting 330 lbs, that's why it's so frustrating. I can normally do 6 reps, but now I only managed to do 4 hard ones, and my back hurt from it. It pissed me off.

I can imagine it would be frustrating but if you feel that the pain is recurring in the future I strongly suggest using a belt for safety. You don't want to pop any discs.

Have someone spot you and look closely how your form is on your next squat.
Make sure they know what they're looking for and above all be bloody careful! 330lbs is heavy stuff. Even if it feels lighter, the body still gets the same amount of punishment as last time.

[jan]

But belts are shit. I can't even find a belt at my gym that fits my waist, because I don't have a belly.

[chicanerous]

The belt is not needed.

Does it feel like it's a muscular or spinal injury?
Is the pain sharp and localized?
Do you have stiffness, soreness in the muscle?
Did you notice the injury during the set or after exercise?
If during the set, how deep were you going and where in ROM did this occur?
Was it harder to come out of the hole than usual?
Or was everything just feeling heavy and "off?"
What was your warm-up and how did you ramp up to the weight?
Did anything abnormal happen when unracking or reracking the weight?

Elucidate as much as you can!

[jan]

Does it feel like it's a muscular or spinal injury?

Hard to say. I feel pain in the middle of my back, haha. That part is stiffer than usual, and if I try to rotate my upper body while laying on the ground, it stings.

Is the pain sharp and localized?

It's more or less numb most of the time, but if I move my back around a lot, it sometimes creates a sharp sting. My spine in that area cracks easier than usual too.

Do you have stiffness, soreness in the muscle?

Yes.

Did you notice the injury during the set or after exercise?

Unsure about this. I seem to remember my back hurting after the set, because I stopped squatting immediately and started doing military presses.


If during the set, how deep were you going and where in ROM did this occur?

ATG squatting (as always). At the bottom and on the way up.


Was it harder to come out of the hole than usual?

If by "hole", you mean the bottom of the squat, then yes.


Or was everything just feeling heavy and "off?"

Everything that session did feel heavy and "off", yes. I definitely had one of, if not the worst session I've had. I almost fainted during military presses. That's why I could only handle 330 barely.

What was your warm-up and how did you ramp up to the weight?

Rowing on a rowing machine for about 3 minutes (intensive), then some very light dynamic stretches, followed by a couple of 80 lbs snatches and two warmup squatting sets of 15 and 12 reps with 120lbs and 160 lbs.

Did anything abnormal happen when unracking or reracking the weight?

The weight felt unstable, but other than that, not really. I had to rack it off of a higher level than I'm used to though, so I had to "tip-toe" slightly to get it off the rack.

Elucidate as much as you can!

I hope my elucidation was satisfying.


... as a sidenote: I'm not sure how to arch my spine anymore. I mean, I don't know to which degree I should arch it. My lower back has grown a lot (all my friends and relatives say it looks like a second ass, haha), whereas my upper back hasn't grown as much. So when I arch my lower back, my ass sticks out, but my back is totally flat. If I try to stay as straight as possible, it archs outwards.

I just don't know how much I should arch any more, haha.

[chicanerous]

Does it feel like it's a muscular or spinal injury?

Hard to say. I feel pain in the middle of my back, haha. That part is stiffer than usual, and if I try to rotate my upper body while laying on the ground, it stings.

Is the pain sharp and localized?

It's more or less numb most of the time, but if I move my back around a lot, it sometimes creates a sharp sting. My spine in that area cracks easier than usual too.

Do you have stiffness, soreness in the muscle?

Yes.
Egh! I would probably see the doctor. Sharp stings and numbness are not good signs.



Did you notice the injury during the set or after exercise?

Unsure about this. I seem to remember my back hurting after the set, because I stopped squatting immediately and started doing military presses.


If during the set, how deep were you going and where in ROM did this occur?

ATG squatting (as always). At the bottom and on the way up.
What might have happened is that at the bottom of the squat you allowed your pelvis to tuck (rotate backwards slightly), which deformed your posture and probably led to an injury while you compensated in order to return to good posture. That's a complete guess though.

What was your warm-up and how did you ramp up to the weight?

Rowing on a rowing machine for about 3 minutes (intensive), then some very light dynamic stretches, followed by a couple of 80 lbs snatches and two warmup squatting sets of 15 and 12 reps with 120lbs and 160 lbs.
OK, so you were warmed up. Muscular system ready to go. Check. Nervous system? :bad:

You really should acclimate. It's not so much of any issue when you're not squatting more than the mid 200's because the weight isn't so heavy in relation to your bodyweight, but, for you, it's essential now.

Just a quick couple sets, ramping up 15x120, 12x160 (fine) then 3x185, 3x225, 2x275 would have been good since you were going for 6 reps on the squat (e.g. it was already at least 10% less than your max).

Did anything abnormal happen when unracking or reracking the weight?

The weight felt unstable, but other than that, not really. I had to rack it off of a higher level than I'm used to though, so I had to "tip-toe" slightly to get it off the rack.
You should put it a little low, rather than a little high, when you are forced to do so. You're much more stable lifting the bar off flat footed than on your toes (obviously). It's also much easier to return the bar to the rack when you're finished and (temporarily) fatigued / exhausted. Prancing around your tip toes in that state is also asking for injury.

A quarter squat with a weight you're expecting to do for 6 reps ATG is literally no problem for your muscles -- it's not going to have any negative effect on your set.

... as a sidenote: I'm not sure how to arch my spine anymore. I mean, I don't know to which degree I should arch it. My lower back has grown a lot (all my friends and relatives say it looks like a second ass, haha), whereas my upper back hasn't grown as much. So when I arch my lower back, my ass sticks out, but my back is totally flat. If I try to stay as straight as possible, it archs outwards.

I just don't know how much I should arch any more, haha.
Well, it's not the spine that's supposed to arch and it's not the lower back either. When you arch, what's actually happening is that you tilting your pelvis forward and then constricting your core musculature around your spine so that it is stabilized. The second part is that when you're doing a back squat you also squeeze the shoulder blades together to, of course, create a good trap shelf for the bar, but more importantly stabilize the upper and middle back, helping preventing the chest from dropping or the back from deforming under strain.

The arch is all about pelvic tilt, which opens up the hips to make it easier to descend deep and helps activate the core musculature to maintain the spine's natural curve. If you're doing more than that little movement coupled with one big isometric contraction there's a problem.

[anfeyd]

"I have a weird feeling in my lower back. It's to the left of my spine and in my glute (left). It is not a stinging pain, but more of a 'sore' kind of feeling, espically if I hang my left leg in the air while standing only on my right foot."

I got a few responses at another forum-

Chicanerous- "Is your pain at the top of the glute kind of in the middle of the side of the back (adjacent to the spine)? I had a similar "sore" / weak kind of feeling a while back on my right side. I think it was a slightly strained muscle. I was careful to not to sleep or sit with my hips twisted for about a week while taking it easy on training and it recovered."

I was suggested to activate the glutes prior- http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=46D48ED1F0091FAF85323893FC 9721A0.ba13?id=495189

and to stretch the hip flexors following.




The pain subsided afer a few days, but sometimes I feel it a little bit- not as much as previously.



It appears your pain is in a different area. I misread the inital post. Maybe this information will help a little anyways. Upon reading your post again, I had the same pain when I overdid dynamic trunk rotations. I was injured for a long time- over three months. I went to a chriopractor but he did not do anything for me- I just iced it and was very catious, I also did some light rehab work near the end of the injury. I'd suggest seeing a doctor as soon as you can.

When it happened to me, I heard a pop. I knew something wasn't good, but it did not really 'hurt', I ended up tricking that night as well. The next day I woke up and it was sore. The day after the pain was unberable- it never subsided no matter how I sat or layed.

[jan]

I usually rack the barbell at about shoulder level. I had to squat in between someone else's sets though, and they didn't see that I needed the barbell lowered. It only happened for two sets, so...

It's not like the area is numb. It's more like a constant soreness. Also, my spine makes "cracking/popping-sounds" easier than before (might be because of weakened muscle around the area, I dunno).

I did one set of 240 x 10 before doing the 330 squats. I forgot, sorry:P

I will begin to prepare my nervous system better in the future though. It's already a lot better than it used to be, but it still hurts, and well.. I just wanted a second opinion:) The local doctor can't help me for shite. The last time, I said "my back is injured". I walked out knowing that "my back is most likely injured, and I should rest it".

The doctors are fantastic at making money.

[chicanerous]

I usually rack the barbell at about shoulder level. I had to squat in between someone else's sets though, and they didn't see that I needed the barbell lowered. It only happened for two sets, so...

It's not like the area is numb. It's more like a constant soreness. Also, my spine makes "cracking/popping-sounds" easier than before (might be because of weakened muscle around the area, I dunno).

I did one set of 240 x 10 before doing the 330 squats. I forgot, sorry:P

I will begin to prepare my nervous system better in the future though. It's already a lot better than it used to be, but it still hurts, and well.. I just wanted a second opinion:) The local doctor can't help me for shite. The last time, I said "my back is injured". I walked out knowing that "my back is most likely injured, and I should rest it".

The doctors are fantastic at making money.
Your original elucidation was unsatisfactory then! :tongue:

Heal up quick, buddy. :good:

[Fanya]

Ouch.... I hope you can still deadlift with your injury. I had an issue with a bulging disc last fall and it was very slow in healing. Fortunately after a couple months I was able to deadlift without pain, though it took longer for squatting to become comfortable. I still have to be really careful.