What is wrong with my back?

[ultimate steve]

Every now and then I'll feel a small pinch while working out in the upper middle area if my spine or slightly left or right of it. It usually doesn't hurt so much that it interrupts me from finishing the workout but afterwards it causes my back to tighten up and hurt for a few days. Usually lasts 3-5 days.

Whenever this happens it's usually during something simple. For instance it happened Sunday during my freakin warmup. I stepped under the unloaded squat bar and when I got into position I felt a pinch.

Activity usually makes the pain go away, for instance I woke up stuff and in some pain this morning, stretched and played ice hockey and didn't feel a thing until after my nap. I just woke up for work and was tight again.

It's the kind of pain that you feel it when you lower your chin to your chest. I'd like to know what it is exactly, muscle pull or a nerve or whatever. And If there's something I can do to prevent it. It's annoying because I don't want to miss any workouts.

Any ideas?

[::xander::]

I had this same problem (it sounds like) tony helped me with it

do you unrack the bar with both feet, or just one?

[ultimate steve]

Both, but it's not specifically related to squatting. This is something I get every now and then, other things have triggered it. Last time it was barbell rows, but it was a warmup set as well. Other times it's happened just un-racking dumb bells for bench press.

[Egilbe]

I get those once in a while. Usually right between my shoulder blade and spine. It might hurt all day, but when I go to sleep and wake up, it's gone. It's an odd little thing.

[pops]

Every now and then I'll feel a small pinch while working out in the upper middle area if my spine or slightly left or right of it. It usually doesn't hurt so much that it interrupts me from finishing the workout but afterwards it causes my back to tighten up and hurt for a few days. Usually lasts 3-5 days.

Whenever this happens it's usually during something simple. For instance it happened Sunday during my freakin warmup. I stepped under the unloaded squat bar and when I got into position I felt a pinch.

Activity usually makes the pain go away, for instance I woke up stuff and in some pain this morning, stretched and played ice hockey and didn't feel a thing until after my nap. I just woke up for work and was tight again.

It's the kind of pain that you feel it when you lower your chin to your chest. I'd like to know what it is exactly, muscle pull or a nerve or whatever. And If there's something I can do to prevent it. It's annoying because I don't want to miss any workouts.

Any ideas?

I get something similar and I'll tell you what my PT told me: you have these tiny little muscles called multifidus that "knit" your vertabrae together. Because of their proximity to the spine, they're actually incredibly powerful. They are also the first muscles in the back to activate when called upon.

Sometimes they spasm and the vertebrae become a bit "sticky". When it happens to me, my PT evaluates each vertebra by pushing down on it and feeling how it moves relative to the other around it. She can tell where it's sore without me telling her just by feeling how stiff the vertabra are.



More reading: http://www.coreconcepts.com.sg/mcr/m...werful-muscle/

[::xander::]

I was feeling something similar and it pinched like you said but went away, but every time I would squat, it would hurt. It got so bad I took a few weeks off squats, came back, and it hurt again. I started unracking and reracking the bar with both feet and the pain instantly went away.

spoolin is really good at this stuff

[ultimate steve]

Pops that makes a lot of sense and sound like what I'm getting. Does your pt have you do anything to prevent this or maybe to help the pain go away?

[Hulk...]

Try rolling with a foam roller perpendicular to your thoracic spine. You'll probably feel a self manipulation or pop or two as you roll over it. Sounds like a stuck facet joint that's causing the multifidi/ middle traps to spasm around it.

[ultimate steve]

Try rolling with a foam roller perpendicular to your thoracic spine. You'll probably feel a self manipulation or pop or two as you roll over it. Sounds like a stuck facet joint that's causing the multifidi/ middle traps to spasm around it.

I've never used those before, only recently started seeing them being used frequently by other people, will try that tomorrow. I forgot to note that when I twist and try to stretch out the tightness sometimes I do get a satisfying crack/pop from the area.

[pops]

Pops that makes a lot of sense and sound like what I'm getting. Does your pt have you do anything to prevent this or maybe to help the pain go away?

Yeah, she said to try rolling with a foam roller perpendicular to your thoracic spine. You'll probably feel a self manipulation or pop or two as you roll over it. Sounds like a stuck facet joint that causing....nevermind.

[ultimate steve]

Yeah, she said to try rolling with a foam roller perpendicular to your thoracic spine. You'll probably feel a self manipulation or pop or two as you roll over it. Sounds like a stuck facet joint that causing....nevermind.

Haha It was feeling much better today, probably shouldve skipped the gym, but went anyway feeling it again but on the right side now, it always seems to move around. Gonna skip Friday if it's not gone.

[BsickPassat]

sometimes massage therapy can help. A deep tissue massage can be beneficial if they locate and work out knots in the muscles if they can find them.

a muscle knot, in order for them to work it loose, it can hurt... no pain, no gain.

[ultimate steve]

My parents have this massager that looks like E.T.'s head that used to work pretty good. Going there tonight I might steal it.

[pops]

For me, a foam roller works best. As you get used to it, you can feel which vertebrae are stiff as you roll over them.

[ultimate steve]

Is there a method to foam rolling or do I just start rolling around trying to find something that feels good like my dog

[pops]

http://youtu.be/8caF1Keg2XU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8caF1Keg2XU

Edit: Same link. Does the forum support youtube embedding?

[ultimate steve]

Cool. I just used my gf's rolled up yoga mat. I felt and heard three cracks on the first roll. Feels a lot better already I'm amazed.

[Egilbe]

http://youtu.be/8caF1Keg2XU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8caF1Keg2XU

Edit: Same link. Does the forum support youtube embedding?

seems to. Have to click options under share. Choose long link, then copy that and paste it into the "insert video" text box

[10Ten]

sounds like you have a subluxation, which is a mild structural misalignment that can be fixed by a chiropractor. OP can you find and get to a chiropractor?

[pops]

seems to. Have to click options under share. Choose long link, then copy that and paste it into the "insert video" text box

Thanks, I never paid attention to those little icons above the text box before.

[DTMTrini]

I get something similar and I'll tell you what my PT told me: you have these tiny little muscles called multifidus that "knit" your vertabrae together. Because of their proximity to the spine, they're actually incredibly powerful. They are also the first muscles in the back to activate when called upon.

Sometimes they spasm and the vertebrae become a bit "sticky". When it happens to me, my PT evaluates each vertebra by pushing down on it and feeling how it moves relative to the other around it. She can tell where it's sore without me telling her just by feeling how stiff the vertabra are.

This [for me as well, at least.]

[ultimate steve]

I got my perform better roller in the mail this week. Haven't had a back problem since this post minus my sciatica acting up sometimes after hockey, but I use the roller before every workout now. My hips feel so much better during squats after warming up with some foam rolling.