Pulled Back Muscle

T

The Long Run

New Member
I pulled either a muscle or tendon in my mid back while doing (what I now found to be incorrect) bend over rows.  I stopped doing the bend over rows and squats as these heavily involve my back.  I'm just now trying to get back into both having been away from them for 3 months now, and even when I only just go through the motions of the bend over row (without a barbell or any other weight) or I bend over to pick up something, etc. I still feel a "pull".  

Its not a sharp stabbing pain like its been for about 2 1/2 months now but its still a "tingle" that instantly makes me stop doing what i'm doing for fear of making the pain come back or straining what has healed.

I'm wondering is it ok to stretch and work this muscle lightly even though I feel just a slight pull or tingle? I'm thinking the reason I haven't healed for so long is I haven't stretched or worked it at all.  

I was also supposed to start pro wrestling training almost 3 months ago and this has really stopped everything.  

I'm getting quite tired of the whole thing, thinking it would just go away by itself, and to say I'm eager to start training is a major understatement.  

I'm to the point I'm thinking of going ahead and starting anyway and using some kind of torso wrap that will maybe protect the muscle and I can ease into training that way.  

Any suggestions?
 
TLR, you may want to copy and paste this and save as a text file for future reference:

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">All injury questions: Look Here First

Here is the tried-and-true injury rehab method for muscle-belly injuries we got from Starr and that has worked for years better than any other method I've ever used. It also works well on orthopeadic injuries in general, and should be tried before anything more elaborate is used. Wait 3-4 days until the pain starts to &quot;blur&quot;,which indicates that the immediate process of healing has stopped the bleeding and has started to repair the tissue. Then use an exercise that directly works the injury, i.e. that makes it hurt, in this case the squat. Use the empty bar and do 3 sets of 25 with perfect form, allowing yourself NO favoring the injured side. If it's ready to rehab you will know by the pain: if the pain increases during the set, it's not ready, if it stays the same or feels a little better toward the end of the set, it is ready to work.

The NEXT DAY do it again, and add a small amount of weight, like 45 x 25 x 2 , 55 x 25. Next day, 45 x 25, 55 x 25, 65 x 25. Continue adding weight every day, increasing as much as you can tolerate each workout. It will hurt, and it's supposed to hurt, but you should be able to tell the difference between rehab pain and re-injury. If you can't, you will figure it out soon enough. This method works by flushing blood through the injury while forcing the tissue to reorganize in its normal pattern of contractile architecture.

After 10 days of 25s, go up in weight and down in reps to 15s, then to 10s, and finally to fives. During this time do NO OTHER HEAVY WORK, so that your resources can focus on the injury. You should be fixed in about 2 weeks, squatting more than you hurt yourself with.

This method has the advantage of preventing scar formation in the muscle belly, since the muscle is forced to heal in the context of work and normal contraction, using the movement pattern it normally uses. The important points are 1.) perfect form with 2.) light weights that can be handled for high reps, 3.) every day for two weeks, and 4.) no other heavy work that will interfere with the system-wide processes of healing the tear.

It is also very important through the whole process of healing the injury that ice be used, during the initial phase after the injury and after the workouts. Use it 20 on/20 off, many times a day at first and then tapering off to morning, after the workout, and before bed. Ice is your best friend in a muscle belly injury, holding down inflammation and fluid accumulation (&quot;swelling&quot;) while at the same time increasing beneficial blood flow through the injury. But DO NOT USE ICE MORE THAN 20 MINUTES AT A TIME. More than that can cause more damage than it repairs.

This may actually be the most useful post on this entire little forum of mine, and if you use this method exactly you can save yourself many weeks of lost training and long-term problems with muscle-belly scarring. Try it and see.</div>

As far as supps go, I don't think you will make tendon injuries heal much faster whatever you take unless you can also increase the blood supply to the area. I'd recommend a decent chondroitin and glucosamine sulphate supp and some higher rep sets of an exercise that will increase lactate in the area you are concerned about.
 
Ah! Thanks for that info Lol. I tried doing a search and must have overlooked that somehow? Its right along the lines of what i thought i might start doing, too.

Also, thanks for the supplement suggestions. I had heard of glucosamine but didn't know what others here thought about it. I'll give those a try! 5 for you!
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Its probably not a tendon. Can you be more specific with the location of the injury? Is it right at the bottom of the ribs near the spine or is it more between your shoudlerblades?
 
At the bottom of the ribs. The sharp pain was near the spine when I experienced it. The &quot;pull&quot; stretches all the way to the outside though, going slightly up. I worked it yesterday just going through the motions of a correct bend over row and I didn't feel one bit of pain, just some of the &quot;pull&quot;. I took an ibuprofen afterwards and took it easy. Today I haven't felt it much at all, and I can bend over as I usually would without thinking much about it.

Its like it just needed stretching or some blood to get to it or something, as its now healing.
 
Yes, that is typically the issue. When a muscle has become distressed they tend to bunch up and as a result constrict bloodflow, which then obstructs healing. Stretching is the easiest way to relieve this, but if the problem is severe enough actually will make it worse. Proper massage can be helpful in all situations.

The spot you describe is a very common spot for back issues. It can be from the erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, or the serratus posterior inferior. The muscle itself doesnt matter. Just find the sore spots and work on them. Massage will loosen the muscle returning full ROM as well as increase bloodflow.
 
Thanks bgates. I was thinking of getting something with heat/massage for the computer chair and car as those generally make my back stiff too.
 
The muscles that get tight from sitting in a chair or car are the glutes, hamstrings, and sometimes the piriformis. Tightness in these areas tend to refer pain to the lower back and down the legs.

Typically the glute min/med are the ones most effected.
http://www.audreysmassage.com/featurepage/gluteal.html
The glute min/med are kind of a pain to massage. One way is to use a tennis ball against a wall, but the muscles require some decent pressure and you may not be able to get enough this way. It also tends to overtax the glute min/med on the other side. Sometimes a tennis ball isnt enough either and you may need something harder. A foam roller will simply not cut it.
Another way is against the floor but it can take some decent coordination to do that. The best way is for someone else to do it with their elbows provided they know what they are doing.

The piriformis is also a pain to get to. Your best bet is to sit on a ball and roll around on it looking for sore spots. If you feel the need to get more specific, find the greater trochanter and follow a line inside and slightly up.

The glute max is easy. Sit on a tennis ball and roll around searching for sore spots. Address them when you find them.
 
I know the pull you are talking about, it's a muscle and it can take 6 months to fully go away. Mine has just recently completely cleared up. You need to get yourself to some massage sessions. Proper massage will stimulate blood flow and vastly speed your recovery. VASTLY.
 
<div>
(bgates1654 @ Feb. 20 2009,9:52)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The glute max is easy. Sit on a tennis ball and roll around searching for sore spots. Address them when you find them.</div>
So basically the advice here is &quot;sit and rotate&quot;
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