Better technique => Lower back pain?

[insen]

Hi

I have been rowing on the erg for about 6 months, getting 350Km . I am now in my 4th week of the UK site 2km training plan. I can maintain 2.05 - 2.10 splits and 19-22 stroke rates at my AT2 zone (up to 45 minutes, have not tried more), with not that bad power curves (at least they look like spanish gumdrops or haystacks). My problem is that I have developed now a mild lower back pain (only when I wake up in the moning) I've never had before. I can not identify any new other changes in my activity (I keep riding my motorcycle 1 hour a day, I stopped skating 2 months ago due to adductor strain, and my work is still 6 hours a day at a computer desk)

From the many posts I have read about technique, splits, stroke rate and HBR, my diagnostic is that due to my better efficiency and pushing unstrapped mostly with the legs, the weak link is now the trunk. My problem is that if I take it easier and concentrate on technique (even more!) I dont even enter AT2 zone, something I need for the training I am looking for.

This is on top to my real training zones being higher than those calculated with the 220-age rule that I am using, since I can row in the theoretical oxygen transport zone for 20 minutes . I do have a slow beating, quick recovering heart, but I am afraid of doing a max heart rate test for fear of back injury... but I digress

Any suggestions? (sorry for the long post)

[jamesg]

http://www.biorow.com/RBN_en/2005RowBiomNews07.pdf

Have a look at this. It seems, if I've understood correctly, that lower back injury can be caused by not keeping pelvis and lumbar region at the same angle, iow by letting them rotate fore and aft separately. We have to keep our back straight and not let the pelvis roll on the seat seems to be the moral.

Also, it says never give priority to training over technique.

[insen]

I was reading that article just now! (I've just discovered biorow.com through the last post.. ). Thanks anyway!

[LJWagner]

My leg drive always has a slight lean to "bow". I push as if I am lifting weights, back in a strong position. Never a back injury in 35 years, Including rowing with HWTs at 145 lbs for three years.

If new to rowing and rowing leaning a bit forward (over the legs), try with a slight lean away from your legs. Some people are more sensitive to the lean, one way or the other.

[mrow]

http://www.biorow.com/RBN_en/2005RowBiomNews07.pdf

Have a look at this. It seems, if I've understood correctly, that lower back injury can be caused by not keeping pelvis and lumbar region at the same angle, iow by letting them rotate fore and aft separately. We have to keep our back straight and not let the pelvis roll on the seat seems to be the moral.

The idea is that you want to reduce the amount of hinging you do between your pelvis and lumbar vertebrae i.e. reducing the flexion of your lower back. That means that if you want to lean your pelvis must rock. In particular, some people row with their pelvis staying at a fixed angle on the seat, which means that there must be a large amount of back flexion. It also means that they don't use their glutes properly and their stroke is too quad focussed.

[igoeja]

I've been researching rowing studies in the NIH database, also known as PubMed, a compendium of abstracts of published medical studies, compiling into a single file studies I'd find informative and useful.

Anyway, two potential causes of lower back pain arose, one is a more deeply angled swing in the stroke, and the other centers on correct breathing. Exhaling on the drive seems to stabilize the torso, and anecdotally this seems to help me avoid lower back strain.

[igoeja]

Personallly, I've found that weight training seems to reduce and/or prevent lower back strain. I hypothesize that the effort in stabilizing my torso during the lifting exercises help compensate for the overdevelopment and tightness of my lower back from rowing.

[Bob S.]

I've been researching rowing studies in the NIH database, also known as PubMed, a compendium of abstracts of published medical studies, compiling into a single file studies I'd find informative and useful.

James,

Welcome to the forum and congratulations for making such valuable contributions in your first four postings.

Bob S.

[LJWagner]

I'm also a "drive exhaler", to go along with having a slight "lean to bow" back angle and sitting tall.

And a strong back from good weight training is always a healthy part of ones history.

[johnlvs2run]

I can maintain 2.05 - 2.10 splits and 19-22 stroke rates

Those are very low stroke rates for that pace, unless you are 7 feet tall.

I go at least 29 spm 2:10 and 30 spm at 2:05 pace.

You are probably over-reaching, and over-bending your back.

As others have pointed out, be sure to hinge at your pelvix, and keep your back and ribs straight.

Most of all be sure to avoid over-reaching, by making sure to keep a balance between your drive and recovery.

[michaelb]

I would ignore John Rupp's comments on stroke rate.

I would suggest really making sure your form is correct and solid. Your form may also be changing (gettting worst) as the row goes on and you get tired. If there is a rowing coach in the area, they may be willing to give you feedback.

If you have a video camera and can get a clip of your technique, PaulS on this forum is a rowing coach, and he may be willing to review it for you if you PM or email him and ask nicely.

Xeno, olympic gold medalist, will do a whole video analysis of your technique and send you back a DVD if you send him a clip. That costs around $120 I think.

[Citroen]

Any suggestions? (sorry for the long post)

Look at your drag factor.

You may be rowing too much arms only by having the damper lever set too high and therefore having too high a drag factor.

http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=1
http://www.concept2.co.uk/guide/guide.p ... mper_lever

I would ignore John Rupp's comments on stroke rate.

I have Rupp on my ignore list, the signal:noise ratio veers to close to noise in the stuff that he writes. [Especially when he spouts his opinions about medical matters.]