How do you know?
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Mainly for quality of life reasons and injury prevention. I’d like to be a lot more flexible, but nothing crazy.
For what it’s worth. Mobility doesn’t always prevent injury. Control prevents injuries
Managing total training volume is most useful tool for managing injury IMO. But bit off topic.
Rehab wise it’s important to assess well so that we know where we are going or else it’s just shooting in the dark and there’s a large range of back pain presentations.
I had tight hamstrings but in the context of the whole back injury they were a by product of poor control of my lumbar/pelvis + posture, dysfunctional bracing mechanisms and shitty glute activation. Once that was sorted the hamstrings sorted themselves out. Going after the hammies with random mobility work would’ve been a waste of time.
At least for powerlifting and life in general mobility requirements are pretty low. The best way to develop hamstring mobility would be stiff leg deadlifts building up to doing em from deficit but back needs to be healthy to do em
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It sounds like there is an existing injury that never fully heals and you keep re-inuring the same spot. My first thought was to tell you to read McGill’s stuff, but @guineapig beat me to it. If you can’t somehow get a free copy of his book Back Mechanic, I would recommend buying it, it’s worth it. The main thing is do the “McGill big 3” exercises every day, go for a few walks daily, and avoid doing anything that irritates your back or doesn’t feel right, but it would be worth reading the book for sure.
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Thanks. Yes, I think that’s exactly what it is. Although my concern is in the past I’ve spent a year or so off the weights, and have had my back feeling great for months at a time, but every now and then it will get injured again — seeming really easily. I am wondering if it’s possible to have developed scar tissue that has permanently weakened that part of my back. Maybe it doesn’t matter and I should just read McGuill and continue working towards improving myself.
I appreciate the comments, it seems there’s an overwhelming positive recommendation for McGuill’s work. I will definitely check it out.
Probs isn’t the case and if so the approach to getting healthy again is still the same. What’s physically going on causing pain could be many things.
Flare ups are common with poorly managed back pain which can stem from structures being irritated/swelling/inflammation nothing as devastating as blowing out ones back. Often times if there was an original injury it has long since healed and it’s the remnants of instability, continuing or worsening movement patterns, fear of movement and psychosocial experience of pain lead to flare ups
Well, I bought the book (hard copy) based on all your (y’all’s) recommendations. Should be here early next week!
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Anything is possible, but you would need MRIs and maybe more to find out. One thing that McGill says is that figuring out the exact name of your condition isn’t necessary, you just need to learn to deal with it and let it heal.
Actually fibrosis (scarring) and fatty-infiltration of the Multifidus (deep low back stabiliser) is pretty much guaranteed to happen, but it isn’t at all guaranteed to have debilitating effects
Bruh y u finna scare him like dat tho
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Oops
2 star google review
Check out “Becoming the Supple Leopard” by Dr. Kelly Starett. A different thought to what’s been mentioned but maybe you could work on opening up your hip flexors if they are stiff/tight
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Well, I caved and bought a sleep number bed tonight. It’s coming in about 3 weeks though. Felt great at the store. I am hoping this helps me sleep for more than 5 hours without waking up with an aching back. I just can’t do memory foam anymore. I feel like I’m sleeping in quicksand and it’s a workout just to turn over at night. Usually I have to put a pillow under my hips just so they don’t sink in some much.