I had no idea....

I had no idea that doing a workout exercise that is so simple could cause such long lasting damage and discomfort. The straightforward dead lift exercise started the now daily endeavor I am facing with lower back pain. It all began as a self motivated goal to add some beef to my 120 pound 6ft body frame. Every week I would slowly approach the weight scale with anticipation of seeing a pound or two gained, mostly to just be discouraged. I look back and it seems I was my undoing to my own back, I got frustrated adding maybe more weight than could have or should have. Regardless, I had no idea that the back was so fragile and complex.

I should have listened to my body, the months leading up to the incident I was feeling more sore than usual. Muscles would cramp during the day during mundane activities. The night at the gym was like any other, I would do my typically routine, squats, lunges, etc. I was prepared to finish up for the night with a set of the deadly dead lifts. I loaded the bar up with weight as usual before lowering it to the floor. I figured I could crank out 10 reps, at about the 8th rep, I was stuck. I was in the forward bending motion trying to slowly lower the bar to the ground. I was stuck in deadlift limbo, I couldn't bring it back up to put it on the holder as it was too heavy and I didn't want to drop it (looking back I should have...). I lowered it as far as I could then I felt a sharp pull/throbbing in my back, dropping the weight the rest of the way. The pain wasn't so bad that I was screaming in pain, but it felt strange something I haven't felt before. I arrived home and iced packed with anticipation that pain would be gone when I awoke in the morning. How I was so wrong. This was the beginning of the mental and physical battle with my back...