Are you a gym rat? Or a fitness buff who enjoys different fitness routines, from running to deadlifts? Have you ever been excited to hit the gym for a grueling deadlift session, only to wake up the next day with a sore lower back? Do you wonder if this is normal? Or can it result from your poor posture and incorrect form after attempting to beat your record?
Lower back pain and soreness after a deadlift is not too common, but when you experience it, it's likely nothing serious. But what happens when it happens too often? When does the pain cross the line from normal muscle soreness to something more severe? What is a red flag for back pain? And how do you know when it's time to seek professional help?
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If you've never heard of it, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is the pain and stiffness you feel in your muscles after performing an exercise your body is not used to, like heavy deadlifts. If you've tried increasing your weight plates or added deadlifting to your routine, you may experience DOMS.
They usually take place within 24-48 hours and can last up to 72 hours. This soreness is caused by microscopic damage to the muscle fibers, especially during the eccentric phase of the lift when the muscles are lengthening.
While DOMS is a natural part of the muscle-building process, knowing the difference between normal soreness and severe pain is essential, which could indicate a more serious injury requiring medical attention.
As we shared earlier, experiencing lower back pain after deadlifting is uncommon, but it's not likely to be a serious condition. However, exercising extra precautions is always better. You may need to get yourself checked if you experience certain symptoms beyond the usual muscle soreness after your deadlift routine. These symptoms, or red flags, include:
If you're experiencing any of these red flags, seeking proper care is important. However, if the situation doesn’t cause for immediate concerns, there's a good chance that your pain will go away within weeks. But if they continue to linger even after rest, you may still need professional help. You can speed up your recovery, return to your normal activities, and enjoy your gym days again with proper care.
While low back pain can happen to anyone, even those who do not engage in deadlifts or regular workouts, your low back pain could be linked to issues in your neck, particularly a misalignment in your Upper Cervical spine.
When your Upper Cervical spine is misaligned, a chain reaction happens. Your posture gets compromised causing your head to tilt and your shoulders, hips and legs to become unlevelled. The postural imbalance can also impact weight distribution, increasing risks for problems like nerve compression along the sciatic nerve - the longest bundle of tissue that supplies sensation on your lower back and extremities. Additionally, a misaligned cervical spine can affect the brainstem, another delicate tissue that can affect your pain perception.
Correcting Upper Cervical misalignment through gentle chiropractic adjustments is necessary to alleviate the pain and improve overall spinal health. It is essential to address the root cause of the misalignment to prevent the issue from recurring and to promote long-term wellness. Misalignments can result from accidents, injuries, or repetitive stress and do not heal on their own.
An Upper Cervical Chiropractor will perform a detailed spinal analysis and understand your medical history to identify misalignments and their severity to draft a precise spinal correction routine and restore proper balance and alignment in your Upper Cervical area.
If you're experiencing chronic low back pain or soreness, consider seeking the help of an Upper Cervical Chiropractor near you to address any underlying issues and start your journey toward a pain-free life.
TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
