Lower back issues

[Evenflow80]

Im wondering if anyone else on here is having lower back issues.

Been training for a little over 6 years now. Even though I'm a hobbyist, I have been consistently training 4-5 days a week. Im now 39 years old

For much of the past year , my lower back has been stiff and hurts a little when getting up or getting out of bed in the morning, but aside from those inconveniences, any actual pain was minor and getting in a few rolls usually helped loosen it up a bit.

Yesterday though.... oh man. Out of no where I got off the couch and this INTENSE pain nearly made me scream out in pain. I couldn't move at all and had to take a few seconds to slowly get up. This kept happening next few times i sat down and got up, and the sharp pain was constant for a few hours. I even considered going to urgent care but these days thats the last place you want to be.

The sharp pain went away after a few hours, but its still hurts getting up or sitting down and I cam definitely feel it still there. Getting in and out of my car I have to do it slowly and at an angle.

Im afraid to go see a doctor and they tell me I can't train anymore. Jiu jitsu is honestly the only thing I do in my day that isn't work that I enjoy and it's keeping me sane and in great shape for my age.

What do i do guys ? Anyone else has this issue and has or had a good outcome? Im resting my body for a few days to see.

Are there any tools or items I can get to help with these issues ? I saw those things people hang upside down from and its supposed to be great?

Any help or positive words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated

 

[Sweeptheleg7]

Im wondering if anyone else on here is having lower back issues.

Been training for a little over 6 years now. Even though I'm a hobbyist, I have been consistently training 4-5 days a week. Im now 39 years old

For much of the past year , my lower back has been stiff and hurts a little when getting up or getting out of bed in the morning, but aside from those inconveniences, any actual pain was minor and getting in a few rolls usually helped loosen it up a bit.

Yesterday though.... oh man. Out of no where I got off the couch and this INTENSE pain nearly made me scream out in pain. I couldn't move at all and had to take a few seconds to slowly get up. This kept happening next few times i sat down and got up, and the sharp pain was constant for a few hours. I even considered going to urgent care but these days thats the last place you want to be.

The sharp pain went away after a few hours, but its still hurts getting up or sitting down and I cam definitely feel it still there. Getting in and out of my car I have to do it slowly and at an angle.

Im afraid to go see a doctor and they tell me I can't train anymore. Jiu jitsu is honestly the only thing I do in my day that isn't work that I enjoy and it's keeping me sane and in great shape for my age.

What do i do guys ? Anyone else has this issue and has or had a good outcome? Im resting my body for a few days to see.

Are there any tools or items I can get to help with these issues ? I saw those things people hang upside down from and its supposed to be great?

Any help or positive words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated

The back is a complicated issue and you should go to an orthopedic and get an mri and have them check out your back. It might be a smaller issue that you can fix now. You don’t want to wait until it’s a big issue.

Bjj is a tough sport on your body but getting the most info is a good idea. It may be as simple as doing more stretching and warming up and cooling down or even just changing your game from playing open guard instead of closed guard.

You should also check out the silver fox dvd for the old guy bjj. He shows exercises he does under water that’s good for you. I haven’t done them because it’s a lot of extra work and I don’t have access to a pool but I think it probably should work. Good luck man.

 

[Sweeptheleg7]

Fluid BJJ: Scrawny "Middle Aged" Guy's Guide to Getting Submissions https://www.amazon.com/dp/1523883936/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_8MVQYCW1W9KQD5EE9842

There is a dvd too and you can just search for it online

 

[THEfightsAREfixed]

https://www.google.com/search?q=sciatic.nerve+pain&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS798US799&oq=sciatic.&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0i273l2j0i20i263i512j5i10i44.2052j0j4&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#sbfbu=1&pi=sciatic.nerve pain

that’s a bummer, i had lower back stuff from wrestling bent over stances, but you can be healed and get stronger and fix it but you are most likely if not assuredly going to need to change something, best of luck bro

 

[Evenflow80]

Thank you both. I am primarily a bottom/butterfly guy but lately been working on my top game as well

 

[Smato_rules]

I am not a pt or anything of the sort, but I am a stone mason and have been doing bjj on and off for 8years, so my lower back as been through the ringer even though I’m 30. This may sound counterproductive, but my lower back always nags me to say the least if I stop lifting, especially deadlifting. If you don’t lift I’d recommend starting and seeing how it goes

 

[Sweeptheleg7]

I wanted to share my experience with back issues. My orthopedic basically said to give up bjj and had me do pt but my pt said I could do it, I just need to work on flexibility and strengthening and balancing my core because I have a lot of muscle imbalance. It’s also good to watch how much load your back gets. You have to space out your training in bjj with any weight training like deadlifts and squats because your back needs to rest and recover. Orthopedic doctors don’t always understand bjj and it may be easier to tell you to quit

 

[rmongler]

This may sound counterproductive, but my lower back always nags me to say the least if I stop lifting, especially deadlifting.

Not counterintuitive at all, resistance training is essential for habilitation through the strengthening of muscle, connective tissue, and bone. Good reps though good patterns puts 'money in the bank' that is drawn from by repetitive movement through bad patterns, that not infrequently happen in competition.

I would surmise that OP's ass is not nearly huge enough, and he should look into sled drags, weighted carries, and hip thrusters, to develop the muscles around erecting the spine.

Also, the persistently hunched over and crunched in posture of buttscooters is angering to Just Bleed God, who smites the joints of such apostates with slipped discs, that they may know the wages of their sin.

 

[maximus__]

Im wondering if anyone else on here is having lower back issues.

Been training for a little over 6 years now. Even though I'm a hobbyist, I have been consistently training 4-5 days a week. Im now 39 years old

For much of the past year , my lower back has been stiff and hurts a little when getting up or getting out of bed in the morning, but aside from those inconveniences, any actual pain was minor and getting in a few rolls usually helped loosen it up a bit.

Yesterday though.... oh man. Out of no where I got off the couch and this INTENSE pain nearly made me scream out in pain. I couldn't move at all and had to take a few seconds to slowly get up. This kept happening next few times i sat down and got up, and the sharp pain was constant for a few hours. I even considered going to urgent care but these days thats the last place you want to be.

The sharp pain went away after a few hours, but its still hurts getting up or sitting down and I cam definitely feel it still there. Getting in and out of my car I have to do it slowly and at an angle.

Im afraid to go see a doctor and they tell me I can't train anymore. Jiu jitsu is honestly the only thing I do in my day that isn't work that I enjoy and it's keeping me sane and in great shape for my age.

What do i do guys ? Anyone else has this issue and has or had a good outcome? Im resting my body for a few days to see.

Are there any tools or items I can get to help with these issues ? I saw those things people hang upside down from and its supposed to be great?

Any help or positive words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated

See a sports doc that hopefully trains. Heaps of people have back issues in BJJ and train around it. Listen to the doc, but also make your own decision.

Just avoid getting stacked for a bit and working on stretching and strengthening everything up.
I use basic strength training (Tactical barbell) and Yoga for BJJ/ stretching myself.

I always give up my guard if I get stacked back to hard and use turtle to control an arm and turn back in. I also do most of my training at about 70% and save actual fights for at most 1-2 rolls a week or if I ever get to compete. I am a smaller guy with a few bigger guys at my gym. I roll with them but I always keep things safe and mix in lot's of easy technical rolls with smaller people where I can. Just remember BJJ is a hobby and treat it accordingly if you aren't a competitor.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

Im afraid to go see a doctor and they tell me I can't train anymore

this is an illogical thought that a lot of us get when we get injured.

dont be stupid, just go see an orthopedic and get it checked out.

i will say, i was also told by an orthopedic surgeon to never squat or deadlift again, because my low back is fuckkked up. at the end of the day, you still make your own decision. but you should be informed about what the state of your spine is, and what the increased risks are when you engage in strenuous behavior with an unhealthy spine.

ive been through a fair amount of physical trauma in my life. I would endure all of the acute pain ive ever felt again and 10 fold if it meant my neck and low back pain would go away. trust me, you want to do your best to not make things worse.

 

[mattemate]

Do you stretch?
Do you lift?

 

[TheBigJuicyGuy]

Your symptoms sound strikingly similar to what I have going on. I strained it or possibly popped a disk, but I had coverage, the message worked a bit over 10 visits, I found that the licensed chiropractor was the best. He gave we stretches, the MGILL big 3, and he said I may need to get it look at further.

Link: The big 3
https://squatuniversity.com/2018/06/21/the-mcgill-big-3-for-core-stability/

The rehabilitation has been about 3month and I hit the mat for the first time in ages, so much fun. Anyway, the wrestling went well but I hoped something while sitting on the pavement after practice @Sweeptheleg7 gave the best advice, see the doc.

I'll let you know after my MRI to let you know what my diagnosis is. But ya, my issue sounds very similar to yours.

Question:

1. Do you get pain or shooting pain down a leg or is it localized?
2. Are you using heat on it and do you have access to a bathtub? (I ask this because a hot sits bath can help.)

 

[Ishaq]

Im wondering if anyone else on here is having lower back issues.

Been training for a little over 6 years now. Even though I'm a hobbyist, I have been consistently training 4-5 days a week. Im now 39 years old

For much of the past year , my lower back has been stiff and hurts a little when getting up or getting out of bed in the morning, but aside from those inconveniences, any actual pain was minor and getting in a few rolls usually helped loosen it up a bit.

Yesterday though.... oh man. Out of no where I got off the couch and this INTENSE pain nearly made me scream out in pain. I couldn't move at all and had to take a few seconds to slowly get up. This kept happening next few times i sat down and got up, and the sharp pain was constant for a few hours. I even considered going to urgent care but these days thats the last place you want to be.

The sharp pain went away after a few hours, but its still hurts getting up or sitting down and I cam definitely feel it still there. Getting in and out of my car I have to do it slowly and at an angle.

Im afraid to go see a doctor and they tell me I can't train anymore. Jiu jitsu is honestly the only thing I do in my day that isn't work that I enjoy and it's keeping me sane and in great shape for my age.

What do i do guys ? Anyone else has this issue and has or had a good outcome? Im resting my body for a few days to see.

Are there any tools or items I can get to help with these issues ? I saw those things people hang upside down from and its supposed to be great?

Any help or positive words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated

Majority of back issues develop from weak core and bad posture. Strengthen your core, especially abdominals before it gets any worse.

 

[rande028]

I have had to deal with lower back issues in the past. I'm 37 and what I have been doing for the past year is strengthening my lower back and stretching my hamstrings. It has worked out really well. Just google up some stretches/exercises and you should be good to go, just as long as it is muscular and not a disc.

 

[CFGroup]

Two week rule....

If rest and really light restorative training ie Tai Chi or Yoga and dedicated stretching don't improve it...go...see....your....doctor!

It doesn't have to be 100% recovery, just slow steady improvement with your own attention to the injury.

I've torn tendons so obviously it's right off to the hospital, but when I tweak something that's not noticeably better in the morning and stays at the around the same level of pain with training, I give myself two weeks to try to heal.

I'm minutes away from a full training day after a month of lower back pain that's radiated into my right hip. Stupid me had been digging up old kickboxing shadow footwork rounds for almost a year to warm up for home Uchikomi. I started shadowboxing with just roundhouse kicks but got all inspired to throw in the spinning shit I only do static as a regular part of training. My back didn't give out until the cool down stretch and something popped. I stopped everything and just rode my bike for a week and then brought back the resistance tube Uchikomi every other day for three weeks before returning to classes. It still hurts, but I can breakfall again and shadowbox so now back to trying stupid things....

If I hadn't seen significant improvement I would have made an appointment.

That "two week" formula has served me well for years and the times I have gone to the doctor in hind sight were legitimate needs.

For the future make sure you stretch religiously and take up Tai Chi or Yoga as well as any of the weight lifting(I don't, ultimately unnecessary wear and tear) others have suggested.

 

[Evenflow80]

Your symptoms sound strikingly similar to what I have going on. I strained it or possibly popped a disk, but I had coverage, the message worked a bit over 10 visits, I found that the licensed chiropractor was the best. He gave we stretches, the MGILL big 3, and he said I may need to get it look at further.

Link: The big 3
https://squatuniversity.com/2018/06/21/the-mcgill-big-3-for-core-stability/

The rehabilitation has been about 3month and I hit the mat for the first time in ages, so much fun. Anyway, the wrestling went well but I hoped something while sitting on the pavement after practice @Sweeptheleg7 gave the best advice, see the doc.

I'll let you know after my MRI to let you know what my diagnosis is. But ya, my issue sounds very similar to yours.

Question:

1. Do you get pain or shooting pain down a leg or is it localized?
2. Are you using heat on it and do you have access to a bathtub? (I ask this because a hot sits bath can help.)

Hey man, very interesting stuff and I'd be very curious what your MRI says. Please let me know!

No shooting pain down my legs, just that one time sharp pain in lower back. Felt like my.nerves were on fire

I have access to a jacuzzi if that helps?

 

[Evenflow80]

Majority of back issues develop from weak core and bad posture. Strengthen your core, especially abdominals before it gets any worse.

I dont know if I have a weak core, but I do sit on a desk 10 hours a day and im sure my posture isn't the best. Sometimes I do wonder if jiu jitsu has nothing to do with my bad back and its really from my job sitting on a computer all day

 

[Evenflow80]

Do you stretch?
Do you lift?

Not really to both, aside from stretches we do as part of the class warmup.

I think I'll start actively stretching every day at home though. And stick to it

 

[mattemate]

Not really to both, aside from stretches we do as part of the class warmup.

I think I'll start actively stretching every day at home though. And stick to it

Yeah I'm glad I had a karate background before I got into BJJ, because I loved the stretching, which led me to PNF, then yoga, then resistance stretching (look up Bob Cooley).
Also look up yoga for BJJ. They have a good IG page.
Stretching is the key, but most BJJ gyms are bad at it lol

 

[rmongler]

Majority of back issues develop from weak core and bad posture. Strengthen your core, especially abdominals before it gets any worse.

Crunches would likely make his issues even worse, not better. The number one problem 88%+ people have is lack of strength in extension, not contraction.