Weak Back

[Dead_And_Gone]

I wonder who else is normally pretty well good to go, but has a lower back that gives them grief.

Granted, i had surgery to remove 2 bone spurs 1 year ago, and had instant relief from alot of numbness. not pain, just numb.

I work out 7 times a week, but my weak spot is still lower back.

I planted 45 pepper plants, 8 tomato, 20 ockra, 18 cucumber, 6 squash, some other stuff, and 300 icickle radishes, and 300 green onions, and i'm not done yet..

I felt like i'd been beat up and left to die.. lol...

My co workers blithly said i looked like XXXXXXXYYYY.. Being the kind and loving crowd that they are.. hehhehehehehehee

I work lower back 2 times a week, but still just can't seem to get ahead

[Duke{CLR}]

Back in 2001 I had strained a muscle in my back while pulling my flight bag out of the cockpit. I didn't notice the back pain because at the same time my thumbnail got lifted off my thumb slightly. 24 hours later I fell to floor while showering, It was the worst health experience I had and thankfully I was able to get better by just stretching it and being more careful with how I lift things.

Sounds like a nice garden though.

[K PhaNTOM]

I don't work out. It's just that the lower back does most of the work. It's tiny and yet it has to support my entire gigantic body. I feel bad for it. Then I lay on my bed and I get that "OH MY GOD I CAN'T BREATH! THIS FEELS SO GOOD!!!" feeling when I let my back go into my bed.

[Apache Warrior]

You need to stretch too. Do warm ups and range of motion drills before a work out. Stretch after a work out. Do not stretch before.
It is best to stretch your muscles when they are warmed up and tired. Cold muscles are more likely to pull.
Do not bounce and do not over stretch the muscles. You should feel discomfort but sharp pains means back off a little.
When stretching the back try not to arch the back. Keep your back as straight as possible when doing stretches like touching your chest to your knees.
Apache

[MR_MADHATTER]

A high school coach told me once "as go the abs, so goes the back." Strong abdominals = Strong lower back. He said gymnasts are the proof of that.

http://wzus1.ask.com/r?t=p&d=us&s=a&...lower-back.pdf

[goldenfooler]

you might want to check on your feet as well. You might be compensating for bad arches ect.

[S-Man]

Yeah, I'm only 31 and I've had a bad lower back for some years now. I know exactly when I hurt it. In my mid/early 20's I was doing dead lifts improperly with 265 lbs. and using my lower back to lift instead of my legs. I felt it go and tried to walk it off, but it was excruciating and numbing at the same time. I think I bulged a disc or two. It's never been the same since.
I've hurt it several times since then trying to do what I used to do but it gets injured so badly that anything other than standing up straight is just blindingly painful. I couldn't even wash my hands at the sink without nearly crying.
To this day I still can't dead lift or squat very much weight, because it feels like it will slip out very quickly and easily. I've come to learn what not to do, so I stick to light weights and do higher reps. This seems to help it feel better too. Otherwise too much sitting and my left hamstring gets real tight and tingles down to my foot. I think it affects my sciatic nerve.
Other than that I'm in pretty good shape, it's the only thing holding me down. So I totally feel ya. Speaking of that, today is leg day. Better get to it...

[goldenfooler]

May want to try less lifting and more things like yoga.

[harpy]

Yeah, I'm only 31 and I've had a bad lower back for some years now. I know exactly when I hurt it. In my mid/early 20's I was doing dead lifts improperly with 265 lbs. and using my lower back to lift instead of my legs. I felt it go and tried to walk it off, but it was excruciating and numbing at the same time. I think I bulged a disc or two. It's never been the same since.

Bummer. Dead lift is dangerous. I think the reason so few people are injured from them is because so few do them :-).

I still do them and I'm 38. The key is butt down, head up. If the bar is rubbing your chins you're probably doing them right.