Back problem

[Coach Mohrdieck]

Hello :D
Since maybe one year I have sometimes a tight back.
In july I went for four weeks to Rio for training BJJ, around five hours a day. After that my back hurts alot, esspecially at the lower third, most during twisting and bending movements. After taking training a bit easy for a couple of weeks and a few massages it's getting better, but not okay and the last days it getting even worse. During and shortly after moving it's almost free of pain, but after a few hours of rest it tense up.
I went to the doc but he said my back, muscle of front and back and tendons are better than most of it's clients.
Please post your thoughts and experiences,
thank you
Raimar

[rbibbs]

Welcome Raimar. I have felt a similar lower back tension from overexerting in BJJ. It took about two weeks to go away. The spine contains a lot of short stocky muscles that can be hard to stretch once they tense up. One of our senior motion experts can probably point you to a set of exercises that will loosen it and prevent that from happening again. I'd be glad to but being honest I'm not that expert.

Month in Brazil, I would sure like to do that. :D Did you meet Phil Cardella? He was there about the same time.

Rick

[Scott Sonnon]

Raimar,

Were you working predominantly from your knees in Brazil? If so, it is common to suffer lower back tightness and soreness if not actively resolved. I'd guess that you have tenderness on or around your knee caps (Patella) and in your hips (Trochantor Minor). Am I right?

As you know it's impossible to diagnose over the internet, however, some general recommendations would be:

Work through toes, ankles knees, hips, pelvic and lumbar Dynamic Range of Motion exercises from Warrior Wellness every day 10 repetitions both directions or until any crepitus/crunchiness resolves.

Smoothly and slowly practice Leg Threading, Two-handed Tripods, Double Leg Swoops, and Twisting Spinal Rocks 2-3X/wk until any soreness or tightness releases.

Keep me updated on your progress.

[Coach Mohrdieck]

to Rick:
Thanks for your help!
I didn't met Phil, but you know everyone is practising Jiu Jitsu in Brazil and Rio is a huge city. :)
If you have time (and money) you should make such a trip to the source of your favourite art. It's so wonderful to train with people who did this all their life.

to Coach Sonnon:
Thank you for your time and helping words!
You're right, we worked a lot from the knees in Rio and I had a tenderness around my knee caps. Although my hips were okay. Do you mean that the pain have another source and is send through my body?

Tonight I went to me old Judo school, we did only throws and on the drive home the pain was as worse as after the trip to Brazil.
I will update you in a few days.

Good night,
Raimar

[Scott Sonnon]

Raimar,

Yes, you absorb impact through your bones and it embeds in the soft connective tissue. The muscles tighten to armor and protect the area. This can cause inflexibility, soreness and pain.

Your joint connective tissue receives no nutrients (once adulthood) without movement of the joints. However, we rarely move (even in athletic outlets) in our complete range of motion. You need this nutrition and lubrication to help heal your connective tissue (and to smooth the bony profiles). Dynamic range of motion exercise will not only do this for you, but it will also help you release the "Fear-Reactive" tension armoring around the areas which are impacted (remember pain is referred structurally along the length of the bones.)

Throws and takedowns without recovery, and without special form, will always accumulate impact trauma. The first to feel this are your sensitive areas, the armoring muscles, and the tender attachments.

Assign the next two weeks to Active Recovery only in order to avoid serious injury and avoid progressing chronic conditions (i.e. no physical training, no martial arts competition or hard-work practice; only Recovery Training). Work on the dynamic range of motion exercises I suggest above. Explore the Biomechanical Exercise selection above smoothly and slowly. You should be fine totally within two weeks, but start to feel pain-free within three to four days.

Report back with your progress.

[Coach Mohrdieck]

Report back with your progress.

Hi Scott and all others!
First of all a happy new year - may your wishes will come true!

For the last weeks I worked with the exercises you adviced me. My back went better, but lately, without any change in training, it's getting worse. The last to 1 and a half week I made a ful stop of every kind of training. An expert made some observations I like to share:
The joint L 3-4 of my lower back (lumbal region) is probaly the origin of the pain, more on the left side, but also right-side. The ligaments of the ARTICULATIO ILIOSACRALIS (Ilio Sacral joint) are pretty much over tensed so that the joint is nearly stiff. I never noticed because other joint like hips are super flexible for compensation. There's also tension in the upper part of my spin, probaly sent out from L 3-4. The upper and under side of my tight is shlightly overtensed.

I would be very happy for some help for a painfree and graceful start in the new year.

Raimar

[Scott Sonnon]

My back went better, but lately, without any change in training, it's getting worse. Raimar,
This is impossible. Cause and effect. There was something which preceded this change, but it may be flying too low under your radar. What significant "unrelated" activities (physically, emotionally, mentally) happened before the time of the worsening? Whatever first comes to mind is typically your body throwing out a satellite to send your attention back to the "signal" (the stimulus which reactivated the issue.)

[Coach Mohrdieck]

Scott,
lately I had some unclearence und unsecureties in our relationship with my girl which were solve two days ago. The funny part is that most of the tension droped immediately.
Only the part between the L 3-4 and the ARTICULATIO ILIOSACRALIS is still stiff, but better, too.
It's like my mind is looking for a weakness in my body (which is my back at the moment) to give my a warning that something isn't like it should be.
If I'm honest to myself I already knew what's the cause for the extratension but for some reason I reflected it.
Well, thanks again Coach!

Do you have any more exerxises-suggestions for the ARTICULATIO ILIOSACRALIS. I already practise the Elevated Skorpion, the neck roll, leg threading, and ROM exersises for the legs, spin and arms.

Take care,
Raimar

[Scott Sonnon]

Raimar,
Work on the Body-Flow Twisting Spinal Arch and Twisting Tripod (two-handed if possible).

lately I had some unclearence und unsecureties in our relationship with my girl which were solve two days ago. The funny part is that most of the tension droped immediately. It's like my mind is looking for a weakness in my body (which is my back at the moment) to give my a warning that something isn't like it should be. If I'm honest to myself I already knew what's the cause for the extratension but for some. Everything you need to know, you have written here. Unfortunately, the conventional "fitness" industry does not 'recognize' (acknowledge) emotional tension as a form of conditioning. Unresolved relationship issues can bind sexual and reproductive energies. This may result in lower back issues.
Keep me posted on your progress, my friend. We wish you and your loved ones the best.