Recurring back pull

_tim

_tim

Well-Known Member
Back in 1997, I was cutting up a rather large amount of wood with a chainsaw, and somehow moved wrong and pulled a muscle in the center of my back. It was a bad pull - I could hardly walk back to the house, and it felt as though I couldn't breathe. It took maybe 2-3 weeks to resolve. I was 21 back then.

Then, in 2004, I was in a bad car accident. I have permanent neck damage from it - one of the many reasons I train as I do. Thing is, I've noticed since the accident that the pull from '97 is really easy to revisit. I'm dealing currently with one such situation now. You might think that the gym would be the source of the pull - but in actuality, it's more like a random occurrence. I've pulled this thing tying my shoes, reaching for a pen across my desk, getting in my car, and sleeping wrong. I'm sure there were more instances of this, but those are the ones I can remember.

The current situation notwithstanding, I've had way more than enough of this damn pull. For a pull in the middle of the back, what exercises can you guys think of that would allow me to very specifically target the problem area - and strengthen it? My guess is seated rows would be good because I could adjust the height and angle of the pull movement. I've been avoiding machines like the plague for a while now, so I'd rather stay from them, but I honestly can't think of exercises I can do to address the problem area. I currently do chins and DB Rows, but I think I have to add to my back repertoir to quash the pull. I'm just not sure of the physiology of the middle of the back; seems pretty straightforward, but there has to be a connection point between multiple muscle groups in my problem area due to how easy it is for the pull to present itself with the actions that incur the pull.

So - thoughts? What can I do (once I heal up) to fix a recurring back pull?

Also (completely out of curiosity) - aside from stretching, can light weight-based stimulation help a pulled muscle heal faster due to increased bloodflow?

Thanks for reading my rant - and for your help.
 
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(_tim @ Feb. 04 2008,10:48)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">My guess is seated rows would be good because I could adjust the height and angle of the pull movement. I've been avoiding machines like the plague for a while now, so I'd rather stay from them, but I honestly can't think of exercises I can do to address the problem area.</div>
Obviously. if it's a serious problem you should get some professional advice. However, if you are like me you don't go to the dr. until your near death.
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I'd try some face pulls to see what their effect is and then, after any DOMS have passed, try the seated cable rows.

I personally don't put cable exercises in the same category as machines. Cables don't lock you in to a predetermined groove.
 
Thanks el_viejo. I'll see my massage therapist on Thursday - he's incredibly well versed in physiology and I'm sure will tell me if I need to see a specialist. Just so you guys don't think I pamper myself with massage... These sessions last 30+ minutes and are about as painful as you can imagine. My therapist will not allow the session to end if one of the damaged muscles won't relax - he works those fibers until they are beaten into submission.

I digress...

I'll give the face pulls a shot, e_v. Thanks so much for the suggestion!
 
Sounds like the mid-upper back area? Pendlay rows or T-bar. But as TR said, try the face pulls first; they're more gentle. I'd play safe with an empty bar or nearly so, with the others and just do some highrep work to see how it pans out, but not so high rep that you get into spasm territory. I think it's okay to stop in the middle of a set and stretch too, since hypertrophy isn't the goal here.
 
Yeah, quad - it's almost dead-center on my back. I'll try both the Pendlays and T-Bar rows and see how they feel. Thanks!
 
Tim, you are really good with your training except you have one problem... like others here, you want to dive into the heavy weights. Training wise, deload big time by starting with empty bars (or DB's) for all exercises that use your back (including DL and Squats). Health wise, you do need to see a specialist about this pain. What happened in 1997 sounds like the usual bad pull that happens every once in while, but your issues seem to stem from the accident. Best of luck with your true and full recovery!
 
Colby - I hear you, and truly appreciate your concern.

I'm going to defer to my massage therapist as to what my next steps should be specialist-wise. He tends to be a whole lot more cautious than I am, and isn't afraid to use the tough love when telling me what to do. I'm staying away from the gym this week - so I'm not deloading at all as I'd originally planned. If this is a muscle related injury, a specialist would refer me to a physical/massage therapist. I only know that based on experience. If this is like what I have to deal with in terms of my neck, it may be a constant presence that I have to fend off with strength and regular massage therapy. If it's something else entirely, well, my weight training focus will shift considerably - and that in and of itself would have disastrous affects on the rest of me.

So - as I said in my log - this is a catch-22. If I stop strength training around my knees (squats have been the best thing thus far), I may be back to having issues walking. If I stop strength training my back, my cervical spine will straighten due to the injured muscles around it, putting me at risk of serious spinal injury. (That was the affect of the accident, and why I both have regular massage therapy and train as I do). I hear you on the deloading thing - and though it makes very little sense, in order to take the lesser of two evils, an extended deload from my back (and knees) isn't possible.

I'll see what happens on Thursday and go from there. That's honestly the best thing I can do. Regardless of anything else, thanks for your input.
 
Hmmmm. From Rippetoe himself... A fix?

Worth a shot guys? I'm not yet a full Rippetoe disciple, but this makes sense to me.
 
Hmmm, I wonder what the effect will be when cutting? Well, the injury would keep one from progressing in weight anyway. It's just a hyper HST cycle in a way - seeking lactic acid in a big way. I would dread that ice treatment though. Never could stand much of that;, but my elbow could sure use some healing.
 
Update....

At the spot of my pull, my therapist felt something strange - the space between my vertebrae was much smaller than the rest of my vertebrae. The muscles all around the area were so tight that it took over 40 minutes to get them loose. Apparently, they formed something of a ridge in appearance.

So - I'm going to have to figure out what I can do in the gym until I can get to see a back specialist. This sucks. Bad.
 
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(_tim @ Feb. 08 2008,16:07)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Update....

At the spot of my pull, my therapist felt something strange - the space between my vertebrae was much smaller than the rest of my vertebrae. The muscles all around the area were so tight that it took over 40 minutes to get them loose. Apparently, they formed something of a ridge in appearance.

So - I'm going to have to figure out what I can do in the gym until I can get to see a back specialist. This sucks. Bad.</div>
i feel for ya, im having similar problems in my lower back ,not recurring though.

havent done deads for 2 months now, my muscles are just starting to work free.

i think rows or perhaps cable rows should help strengthen the middle upper back .

just take it easy.
 
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