Why Does My Back Hurt After A Workout?
The day after a workout, there can be some pain and not always a good type of pain. The goal of a workout is not to be sore. Most of the time, if you are sore, it means you overdid it. The two days after a good workout, it is ok to feel like you did some exercise and have a little tenderness. However, you should not feel like you’ve aged twenty years or feel like you hurt your back.
Exercise is supposed to make you feel better. You should leave the gym feeling better than when you walked in. Since that is not always the case and sometimes your back hurts for a few days after a workout, let’s talk about what happened and what you can do about it.
*Disclaimer: this article makes broad generalizations about the most likely scenario. If you are in pain, see a doctor ASAP.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Likely you fell victim to one of these three blunders:
Your Form is Terrible
Learn how to properly do exercises before considering loading them. Hire a trainer, or videotape yourself performing a movement and compare it to a professional. Do not try anything you aren’t sure how to do. The number one goal of exercise is to prevent injury not to create it.
You Didn’t Brace
To lift weights effectively, you need to create a certain amount of tension in your body. If you ever watch a strong man, powerlifter, or Crossfitter before they lift, you can see them breathing in and bracing. Before lifting something heavy, take a deep breath into your diaphragm, brace your abs and glutes, and don’t exhale until the near the end of the concentric portion of the movement. Always bracing when lifting heavy weights will decrease your risk of injury.
Your Butt Doesn’t Work
Lifting weights without the help of your butt is hard. Your glutes are some of the largest muscles in your body and should be a significant part of the equation when doing any lower body exercise. Glute activation is a big buzz word in the fitness industry for a good reason. If your glutes don’t activate or take their share of the load. A lot of weight is going to fall onto your back.
AND WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?
The bad news is, the damage is done. It is going to take time to heal. Time in which you should not lift weights but instead focus on very low impact exercises like walking. Spend your time working on getting better. I realize you may be looking for a more actionable piece of advice, here are a few things that may help at the moment.
Epson Salt Bath
A hot bath with some Epson salt can reduce inflammation, pain, and stiffness.
Acupressure Mat
These things are all the rage lately, but unfortunately, I cannot give you the scientific reason for why they work. There are a lot of theories but no true evidence. The best guess is it can release tension in the myofascial tissue around your muscles. I have one, it works.
Ice or Heat
Ice for swelling, heat for stiffness. Most people are going to want heat. If you have swelling, see a doctor. Heat can help loosen up the tension in your muscles and provide much-needed relief. Heating pads, hot showers, or even tiger balm are all excellent options.
Time does heal all, but it takes a lot less time if you take action to help yourself improve. Just because you tweaked your back, doesn’t mean you cannot walk. It does mean you should think twice about your workout routine, though. When you return to the gym, do so slowly, allow your body time to adjust. Your first-day back, start with bodyweight exercises and gradually add load as you feel more comfortable. Remember, you should always leave the gym feeling better than when you arrived.
