Back Pain And Weight Lifting Exercise

One of the most common medical problems with human beings is back pain. Lower back pain is the most regular form of all chronic pain. In the US, acute low back pain or lumbago is the fifth most common reason for physician visits. About nine out of ten adults experience back pain at some point in their life, and five out of ten working adults have back pain every year.

In medical vocabulary back pain is also called dorsalgia. It is defined as pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine. The pain can often be categorized into neck pain, upper back pain, lower back pain or tailbone pain. It may exist as a dull or sharp or piercing ache or as a burning sensation.

Back pain can occur in any one region of the back or in multiple areas at the same time. In addition, the pain could either be localized to one side or can be felt in the form of a band of pain wrapping across the width of the back. The pattern of the pain might be the consequence of a certain movement or could occur continuously. Back pain can be a symptom all by itself or might be connected with other sensory feelings. The most common of these supplementary symptoms are numbness, tingling and weakness. The spine is a complex interconnecting network of nerves, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. All these structures are capable of producing pain. Large nerves that originate in the spine and go to the legs and arms can make pain radiate to the extremities.

Weight training is believed to be a brilliant way to build muscle mass. It is also the finest known way to develop strong bones and muscles, through muscle or skeletal loading. However, weight lifting back pain is a common side effect of resistance based exercise. During weight training, free weights, universal machines or Bowflex or Soloflex machines are used. Free weights are the most risky of all types of resistance training. It is healthy to use moderate weight training to amplify muscular and skeletal strength. Although, the spine is designed to handle extra weight, there is a limit till when the weight lifting becomes detrimental. Weight lifting back pain occurs very frequently when weights are lifted in a condition of over stressed muscles. Most injuries caused by weight training are muscular. It is rather easy to sprain a back muscle or ligament. It is important to allow this type of muscular injury to heal. If not, the injury can worsen and become a chronic back pain condition. Recurring injuries in the same muscle will cause scar tissue to develop. This scar tissue in turn could cause pain problems.

Certain exercises put tremendous pressure on the neck or lower back. Pinched nerves are common to experience in the neck area. Muscles that are in a spasm can impinge on a nerve and cause moderate neurological symptoms. Lower back injuries are the most grave of all weight training back pain conditions. It is very essential not to lift heavy weights with a bent back. When the spine is straight, the vertebrae are much stronger. The force of bending alone puts increased pressure on the lumbar spine. Adding weight to this posture can exponentially increase lower back spinal pressure, which results in serious lower back problems. Herniated discs are often the consequence of a sudden increase in pressure in the lower back region. A herniated disc injury can be serious and requires moderate to drastic treatment. It is prudent to prevent this type of injury than to undergo treatment and recuperate from it.

Thus, it is crucial to ensure that one always maintains a good posture and form when lifting weights. One must not rush through a set or an individual repetition. Also, one should not attempt to lift more than one’s potential. In light of all these facts, one should avoid working out alone, especially with free weights. It is good to have a spotter, who can actually hold the weight one is lifting as and when required.

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Back Pain And Weight Lifting Exercise