Back Spasm/Sprained Back

It happened picking up a bench in the second half of my workout and I’m getting really annoyed with myself. Almost a year ago this low back problem started happening. 3 Months ago I reoccured by warming up with 65 lbs on the squat for reps. My form was good. I don’t think I got past rep 10 until my low back spasmed and I couldn’t really walk right. This time im on day 2 of recovery and it’s healing faster. Anyone have any personal experience with this?

You may want to talk to a professional if you are truly experiencing spasms. I personally take baclofen for my spasms, but it made me drowsy until I got used to it because it’s a muscle relaxant.

Have you tried foam rolling or a deep tissue massage? Both seem to help with spasms. I don’t think we are experiencing the same kinds of spasms, but relaxing the muscle via medication or massage helps me. Please talk to a professional about this. In addition, I think bushidobadboy on these forms may have some knowledge. He offered to help me with musculoskeletal injuries: Forums - T Nation - The World's Trusted Community for Elite Fitness

Take care and good luck

Go to a doctor. I used to get back spasms. It ended up being a herniated disc which after years has not been healing. I wish I would’ve known this sooner. Only by getting a full MRI (not that open MRI shit) did they find the disc problem.

[quote]earthquake wrote:
It happened picking up a bench in the second half of my workout and I’m getting really annoyed with myself. Almost a year ago this low back problem started happening. 3 Months ago I reoccured by warming up with 65 lbs on the squat for reps. My form was good. I don’t think I got past rep 10 until my low back spasmed and I couldn’t really walk right. This time im on day 2 of recovery and it’s healing faster. Anyone have any personal experience with this?

[/quote]

First of all see a professional and get properly assessed!

There can be a myriad of things that are causing your back spasms, some serious and some not so serious. One thing that is quite common and not so serious is ischemia in the postural muscles of the spine.

Your lower back is made up of many muscles. These muscles like all muscles can become congested (through repetitive injury) to the point that blood and O2 cant flow in as they should. As a consequence any exercise that requires postural endurance, like squats, results in these ‘congested’ muscles fatiguing quickly’ and they fail to do their job. When you have muscular failure like this due to fatigue, the area momentarily gives way resulting in the surrounding tissue cramping or going into spasm to prevent anymore movement from occurring. The spasm then ‘locks’ the area protecting the spine from further movement.

The spasm will eventually subside but the muscles in question will have weakened / atrophied that little bit more and so the viscous cycle begins again…

This is where proper warm-up is essential! Increased blood flow = nourishment for the muscles. Deep tissue work will mobilise metabolites away from the worked muscles and will also work out any ischemic areas and adhesions that have developed through training.

But again see a professional because this will not go away!