Great, another injury...just what I need

max silver

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
I think a few weeks ago I strained an abdominal muscle. It happened after I finished up an uber-heavy (for me) set of stiff legged deadlifts, and finished off my workout with a few sets of abdominal crunches. I noticed my abdominals felt pretty tired after a few sets of crunches so I cut the abdominal workout short after a few sets. The injury seemingly happened in a completely unexpected fashion that still irks me, I bent over to pick up my foam exercise mat off the floor and felt a twinge of pain. The area was fairly sore for a day or two but seemed to clear up with rest. What the hell, I'm fine after heavy deadlifting but can't handle picking a half pound mat off the floor. :mad:

I thought I was out of the woods, but found out otherwise when trying to do some crunches a few weeks after the fact. The area I originally felt the tweak in is still tender, and I feel a minor pain when trying to perform abdominal exercises. This got me to looking around for info, and I'm half worried this could be a hernia, although I'm more suspicious it is a pulled/strained abdominal muscle.

What methods of getting over this are generally recommended? I'm on a 9 day hiatus from lifting right now, so I'm resting the area. I hope to resume lifting next week, and may have to avoid direct abdominal training for the immediate future. I'm making an appointment with my doctor for next week to get it checked out and will go from there, but any other input is greatly appreciated.
 
lifted

lifted

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
Bro I would just say to wait it out man...I get those all the time it seems. But that is all you can really do. And of course if it persists for more than a week, I would possibly get it checked out...good luck bro, I know it has to suck w/ summer comin' up and all. Just do like ya been and take as many days off as you can...
 

max silver

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
No doubt it sucks, I am hoping to get back at things next week as I intend to start cutting up for the summer. I might have to take it easy on the lower body workouts, as I find that the 20 rep squats and sldl's I've been doing tend to tax my abdominals alot since I've been upping the weight progressively. I don't think most other exercises I perform will cause any problems here.

I don't really feel much in the way of pain right now, more like a mild discomfort. But I thought as I hadn't done any direct ab work for the last few weeks this would have cleared up by now. I've been slacking on working the abs for most of my 2 month bulk, and that may be biting me in the ass right now with this strain.
 

USOC

New member
Awards
0
I've been there before, and I know how frustrating it can be. I'd have to recomend resting the abs completely for at least 14 days, possibly 21. Then begin very slow with low reps/sets and keep them unweighted until you're back up to par. Otherwise try heat and ice to help with discomfort until your mended.
 

max silver

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
I was just pondering something today, although I know it's only a bandaid solution at best, and something I would abandon as soon as I felt I was able to do so.

Would it be a good idea to incorporate a weightlifting belt when performing heavy lower body work, until such time that this is healed up? I've found as I've been working higher in the weights with these that my abdominals really get hit hard, especially with the deadlifts. I suppose I could lower the weight on both of these and up the rep range instead as well.
 

azgymrat

Member
Awards
0
My undrstanding is a weight belt doesn't really support the back but rather gives the abs something to push aginst. I'd try the belt and lay off the ab work (for a while). Besides, everything works abs. :D
 

max silver

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • Established
  • First Up Vote
It was nice to get back to the weights today after a 9 day hiatus, very damn nice. I picked myself up a weight belt, but am wondering how tight they should be worn. I found that when I really had it cinched up it made it awkward to perform squats and sldl's, and ended up just tightening the belt until it was snug. It certainly does help to take the tension off of the lower abs, that much is for certain. I have a very slight amount of tenderness in the area after the workout, how it feels tomorrow should be a good indication of how things are healing up.
 

azgymrat

Member
Awards
0
Hey Max, good to be back at it eh? Just snug that belt a bit, you'll get used to it over time. When you go up in weights just snug it a notch tighter. When I get up to weights where I'm really working I'll wrap one end around the safty racks and cinche that thing up like a 1890's corsette. Dieing to get it off by the end of the set though.
 
Trapark666

Trapark666

New member
Awards
0
I think you're on the right track by starting to wear a belt on some of your lifts. I know it has made a difference in my squat workout. If I were you, I would go ahead and wear it for your squats and deadlifts but I'm not sure if it serves a purpose on your SLDL's.
 

Similar threads


Top