Ahh! Back Problems. Question?

[PDubb75]

Ok, so I hurt my back in the gym a couple months back. It was noting serious at all. In fact, there wasn't even pain. Just felt like I needed a massage, or to crack my back, or something.

So, I continued doing what I was doing, but just keeping on eye on it. About a month ago I had a softball game, golfed 3 times in a week, and went to the gym 6 times that week, and my back got really bad. After talking to a trainer, I started with some stretches he recommended, and took a break on a lot of my workouts.

Fast forward to this week. The pain was horrible. For the first time since this happened, it was effecting daily life. I went to a chiropractor yesterday, and shes worried it might be disc issues, and may have me get an MRI on it. In the meantime, we are just doing some ultrasound and electro-therapy on it to see how that helps.

On to my question: She told me to take at least 2 weeks off from the gym. Absolutely no exercise for at least 2 weeks. I am worried about losing muscle/gaining weight during this time. Is there anything specific I can be doing/eating to at least minimize the negative side effects of a long time away from the gym?

 

[ThreeStorms]

I'll tell you what you probably want to hear: Don't worry the two weeks at all. They are nothing in the big picture. Just eat a little less carbs than normally, you won't gain any weight.

To be honest, I'd be much more worried about the spine thing. Hope for you that the two weeks won't become a lot more, buddy... Best of luck.

btw, to me it sounds like you did some serious overtraining. Gym x6, golfing x3, softball...??

 

[PDubb75]

I'll tell you what you probably want to hear: Don't worry the two weeks at all. They are nothing in the big picture. Just eat a little less carbs than normally, you won't gain any weight.

To be honest, I'd be much more worried about the spine thing. Hope for you that the two weeks won't become a lot more, buddy... Best of luck.

btw, to me it sounds like you did some serious overtraining. Gym x6, golfing x3, softball...??

Yeah, that was just a ridiculous week. That's not a normal thing, and I agree it was temporary overtraining. But 2 of the gym days were just cardio.

Based on how I described the injury, she was worried it was something disc related. However, the tests she did told her otherwise. So, keeping my fingers crossed. I kinda hope we do the MRI either way just to put my mind at ease.

Thanks for the response.

 

[WhitePimp]

I had a similar problem, caused by improper technique while deadlifting. My injury really flared up on a visit in NYC while playing football in a park, I literally couldn't walk and had to be carried back to my friend's apartment. I freaked out and thought I'd be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I'm pretty mine was disc related

I began taking NSAIDs, and stretched my back until it felt healed enough to do at least some working out (I definitely took a few weeks off from the gym altogether). Fast forward a few years later to now, and I have ZERO back pain and am able to lift MORE than what I lifted before, and am in much better shape.

Take the time to heal your back. I'm lucky I didn't cause any severe damage to restrict my future workouts. I don't really mess around with heavy deadlifting anymore, but that's just because of my own workout goals/fears.