DO NOT do a deadlift with back pain
Have you ever wondered how do I get a stronger back without causing more damage?
I was at a CrossFit class this week chatting with one of the members. Those of you not familiar with CrossFit, it is a class-based exercise that combines cardio with weightlifting. For those of you that are familiar with CrossFit, yes you are correct, it is a CULT.
I’m joking, I love CrossFit. It has been a part of my life for the last 15 years and I will continue to do it, as with every exercise class there are limitations and if you know what these are you can do it safely and get the most from it.
And deadlifts are one movement that I approach with caution, and I urge you to do the same if you are a back pain sufferer.
I was chatting with one of the guys in the class, I was wearing my West Chiropractic ‘stash’* (available in the clinic if you would like a T-shirt or hoodie let me know) so he was asking me about his back.
*I must add this is NOT a ‘marketing’ ploy, it is JUST genuinely really comfy gym wear 😉
He was asking me if he thought there were any movements in CrossFit that were not good for your back. He was also telling me that he doesn’t have any pain but when he was living in South Africa he used to get adjusted once per month to keep everything in a good position and prevent problems. He wanted to know if I thought that was a good idea and how regularly people should visit?
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Let’s tackle the first question.
Are there any movements in CrossFit that are not good for your back?
CrossFit has bad reputation for causing injuries, at least I think that was the case when it started out 20 years ago. Now the coaches are a lot more in tune with how people move and how to prevent injury.
When I started back in 2012, it was all out for as long as you could, push through the pain. There is less of that now.
The main movement that I DO NOT like is the deadlift and the reason is that I feel (remember ONLY my opinion here) that it unnecessarily loads the discs when trying to build back strength. There are better ways to build back strength and hamstring strength without having to compromise the discs.
The number one way for me is a glute bridge.
You can do this without weight to start with and build it up slowly.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor and legs shoulder width apart
- Engage your core and squeeze your glutes
- Push your feet in to the ground and lift your hips up
- Pause at the top ensuring your low back is not engaging
- Repeat this 10 times, 3 sets
This keeps the low back in a neutral position without having to flex the back with load.
A lot of the CrossFit community will read this and say, ‘yes but you cannot put load on a glute bridge like you can on a deadlift’. Well fair enough, you can’t do a 150kg glute bridge. But you can put load and build strength without having to compromise the disc. I would take less load and healthy back every day of the week.
The other question he asked:
Is it a good idea to have a monthly check up at the Chiropractor?
The gentleman in question was mid 30’s, fit and healthy and knew what exercises and stretches to be doing with his body. He didn’t have any pain; this doesn’t mean everything is perfect.
Pain is the worst symptom to judge your health on. How you feel and how you heal are two very different things.
Let’s just say he was feeling great, and we couldn’t find much going on with his spine. I would book him a check-up in 3-6 weeks’ time to see how he is doing. Chances are he won’t have any symptoms still, but he could have some alignment issues that could develop into a problem.
Prevention is always better than cure.
If you are recovering from a back injury and you are ‘feeling’ good, then I usually recommend something from every 2 weeks to 2 months. We usually work out where the sweet spot is based on how you feel, and the spine is feeling to us. through the hips and core. Training these will give more stability to your back.
#DeadliftAndBackPain #BackPainRelief #SafeExercises
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If you do know someone who wants more advice, please send them our details. You can send them this assessment as well to diagnose their back pain. It is a great tool to understand where your back pain is coming from, it is free and takes 60 seconds. Click here for assessment
