Please Help: Lower Back Pain

[[old] Monopolisf]

Hello,<br /><br />I started rowing about a month ago. As a golfer, I wanted to replace running as my aerobic exercise so that I could bulk up (I'm relatively lean). After my second workout I began to experience very strange lower and center back pain (close to my spine). It has since become worse and I haven't rowed or golfed in over three weeks. I'm going stir crazy and the injury doesn't seem to want to heal. <br /><br />It isn't terribly painful, but seems like some sort of strain. I think I make it worse each day after sitting in my office chair for 9 hours. <br /><br />Has anyone experienced this before? Does anyone have any tips for healing? Further, how can I prevent this from happening again?<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Sam<br /><br />

[[old] tditmar]

I am no doctor, but I would immediately be encouraged it is near the spine and not the spine. Maybe it is only a muscle strain, but just in an aggrevating location. If so, I think all you can do is be careful and try to rest it.

[[old] Xeno]

It is possible that you pulled a hip flexor. Have you stretched your quads? The hip flexors attach at the top of the quad and in the lower back.<br />Has anybody coached your stroke?<br />Go see a sports massage therapist.<br />Where do you live? Maybe we can seek one out for you.<br />XENO

[[old] Manda]

Don't dither about on this forum, go see a doctor about the pain!<br /><br />Once it's healed and if you still want to row, then YOU MUST go get proper coaching to ensure you're using correct form.<br /><br />BTW, yes, back problems are rife in the rowing community - it's due to bad technique. And can be coupled with poor fitness. Or alternatively, with over training and/or over-reliance on the erg as the sole cardio workout. <br /><br />But bad form is what that initiates and agrivates back problems.<br /><br />

[[old] shr0omboy]

it was almost certainly do to bad form. make sure you watch all the videos that came with your erg, and even better, get someone who knows how to erg to watch and coach you. don't even touch the erg until your back feels 100% again and you have a beter idea of how to do it.

[[old] thegbe]

I have been rowing for just over a year now and I have had to deal with my lower back the whole time. Good erging form is absolutely essential for injury preventation and optimal training results. One very important thing that I've personally realized is key to good form is adequate flexibility.<br /><br />The lower back is part of your core, which is a group of muscles focused around your lower torso and abdomen that links the entire body together into one unit. A good core allows all of the muscles (legs, arms, back ect) to work together and combine forces for the most power. Neglecting it in your training regime is an almost surefire path to back injury, especially since you personally are probably more prone to it seeing as it developed right off the bat. I have this problem too, but don't fret, there are a variety of things I can suggest for you to do that can greatly improve lower back health and prevent injury.<br /><br />When I started rowing as a novice I noticed that my hamstrings and the behinds of my legs weren't flexible enough. I compensated for this lack of flexibility by overbending my lower back to get an optimal torso angle during the recovery. This could be the source of your back pain. The solution? Stretch! This is a requirement! Both before, and even more importantly after your workout, which is when your muscles are most warm and loose, and therefore can stretch furthest, promoting increased flexibility.<br /><br />A few good streches:<br />figure fours - on your butt, one leg out, other leg crossed in so your legs make a "4" and reach for your toe, keep your back straight, and feel the strech in your hamstring and back of the knee. do for each leg<br /><br />touch the toes - either standing or sitting keeping your legs almost straight, but not locked, reach for your toes. again, do not cheat by bending at the small of the back, really feel the back of the legs strench<br /><br />cross overs (something like that) - standing, cross one leg over the other and reach for your toes in the same manner as said above. do for each leg<br /><br />There are many more other great ways to make your legs more flexible, I'd look around the c2 website for a good rowing stretch regime.<br /><br />going back to what I said about core training. Try and spend 15 to 20 minutes 3 times a week devoted to core training. I know. its lame sometimes, but it must be done.<br /><br />A few of my favore core exercises:<br />bicycles: lying on your back, alternate raising knees and touching them with the alternate elbow. start with sets of 30 touches, then move up to 50 or so when you get stronger<br /><br />leg lifts: back on the floor, raise your legs like a plank up and down<br /><br />body planks: (these can hurt, but really to the trick: balance on the balls of your feet and elbows and make a rigid plank with your body. hold this position for a duration of time. You will probably shake and vibrate at first. This is normal, and it means the smaller "stabelizer" muscles are underdeveloped in your core. The more you do it, the shaking will eventually go away<br /><br />again, there are many more exercises. search the c2 website.<br /><br />Strong abs are a neccessity for lower back health, as they are responsible for supporting your posture and are the opposing muscle group of the lower back.<br /><br />you also mentioned that you were concerned about sitting in your office chair. A tip on sitting: scoot your butt all the way to the back of the chair and sit upright with a straight back, don't slouch down - that will surely strain your back.<br /><br />I hope my thoughts helped. This is a very common issue with rowing so I'm sure there is plenty more help available. good luck!

[[old] Canoeist]

I find that using slides is easier on the lower back.<br /><br />Technique can make a big difference on back strain.<br /><br />Using a lower drag factor also helps reduce back strain. Most rowers use #3 and not #10.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Paul Flack

[[old] Neb154]

I founnd that at least in on water rowing, i had severe lower back pain, in the area you described, because of weak abdominal muscles. My back was over compensating for my abs. Too fix that I started doing daily ab workouts, and I have now been back pain free since.