RN16's Logboek, 17 dec 22

These last couple of years are the first that I've noticed how sensitive my spine is to resistance exercises. A couple of sciatic episodes is a horrible but teaching experience. You are wise to take it slow, RN16. 

Just go slow be nice to your body you can sit and do your arms I sit and do legs too leg weights when I walk helps too can put them on your arms too I learned from a friend that broke her back you can find little ways to keep moving your body she lost 10 lbs with a broken back doctor was amazed at her. Keep trying you got this. 

sorry that stinks not being able to get back to the things you enjoy. hope they can get you back up to it soon 

I hope you follow his advice.  

Did they say what was wrong? The only reason I ask is that I have hurt my back before and told my trainer and he worked around it.  

Chiropractor.... talk to a physical therapist or a trainer. They know more about the muscle and bone relationship. 

I understand some exercises can compress the spine. I stopped using the standing calf raise machine as I could feel the effects on my lower back. Seated calves were just as effective. I also found the single most helpful exercise for my low back was the one that is like a reverse crunch. You lean over a pad and lift your upper body while legs remain still. Yeah I don’t know it’s name. I definitely had to start slow with it, but now I include it daily and I have seen less and less of my chiropractor. Still do deadlifts but use the hack squat rig at the gym as it is easier on my back 

Daddy Manatee hyper extension 👍  

That's disappointing but definitely your research and be careful!👍 

Thank you all, @redporchlady, my L5 disk is compressed and I have arthritis in my back and both hips. He said the right hip worse than the left. I have been doing non surgical spinal decompression there at his office and he said stuff like barbell back squats and other things that would compress my spine would just go against what we're trying to do. It's frustrating, but I'll just do stuff like lunges, Bulgarian split squats and other leg machines. I did do light sumo deadlifts and my right lower back is sore, but I did go walking before hand for an hour and we went shopping for hours so it's hard to say what caused the pain. I'll try the sumo deadlift again later this week and see if I get the same, then I'll know it's from that. He said my disk got like this, because I fell hard on my butt a few times in my life, he showed me the chipped bone.  

@supergainz1 the Trainer I work with at times told me the chiropractor was right and that we would do other exercises to work around it. I work with her at times, but I don't have money to consistently pay for a trainer 

Hang in there and train light . Ease into it. Enjoy the gym time and time for yourself!!! 😅😊 

Yea I don’t know why your trainer would choose to work around the problem unless you can’t do the movement without feeling pain? I’m no trainer but I have just read the pt book, and their solution to lower back pain is to strengthen the erector spinaes. As that becomes stronger it’s able to take the load off of your spine and overtime allows the spine to expand itself again. And vice versa... if that muscle is weak then your spine take the brunt of the load and get compressed. But if it’s still painful you have no choice but to rest it. And like Lonnie said start light. I remembered when I had low back pain, I started with 45lbs rdls. I’m now deadlifting heavier than I ever have. And free of back pain.... just back soreness, from the muscles, which is a good thing 😂 

Also I’d like to add. The importance of bracing. Fill your belly up with air and flex them as hard as you can! Back straight and do not arch because then you are taking away the strength of the brace and just adding load to your lumbar erectors  

Thank you supergainz1. I do brace my core and have been trying hard to keep my back straight, because in the past I have arched my back, especially with overhead stuff like overhead press, Arnold press, etc. I've been working on only doing a weight where I can keep my back straight without arching. When my back is up to it, I'll start doing lower back exercises.  

Overheads definitely takes a toll on the core. It’s to me is the one you have to be most strict on form wise. One way to test your bracing ability is to suck in air to the belly with a straight posture then flex and try to crunch yourself as much as you can. You will notice that the ball of air in your stomach prevents the flexion and keeps the integrity of your lower spine. Now with you still trying to crunch in, place a hand on your lower back and release the air. You will feel with the release of air, your lower back starts to bend more now. Most people as to not bend the back they often arch, I was one of them. So with a strong brace you can trust that the amount that’s allowed to bend is within the safe zone. All that said tho, how is your standing posture like? Some people naturally arch cuz they an arching posture(butt sticking out) that is a sign of weak abdominals. And should be addressed also Just giving you the informations that I’ve read. Hope it helps! Low back pain sucks ass for sure 

don't mess with your back. listen to the doctor. I don't know what age you are, but this Ole lady knows listen. 

Thank you supergainz1. When I did overheads yesterday I made sure to tuck my butt in and made my body stiff, including my core. I didn't arch and my back didn't hurt afterwards thank God. I'm trying hard to brace my core with every lift so I don't hurt my back. 

You could try back brace to keep back in right alignment they have metal bars in them for support ☃️ 

Pain is never good. Hopefully you can find ways to work around this or improve this. I’ve noticed that yoga and consistently doing the McGill big 3 exercises has helped me (see squat university on YouTube)