11/03/2026
I did exactly what I’ve heard so many patients describe to me over my years of treating as a physical therapist, I was deadlifting and 3 reps in, I felt a sudden pain in my lower back and I felt my muscles tense around the area. This was the first time this has ever happened to me and I immediately wondered why. I thought back to my morning and realized I was sitting on the bench at my dining room table for more than a couple hours getting work done and then I went right to a noon lower body strength class. Heavy deadlifts was the second move I did and I just don’t think I warmed up enough or properly. Here’s what I’ve done for the first 24 hours.
1. Since class had just started I stayed but used the time to stretch at each subsequent block, avoided dead lifts-squats were ok-and modified wherever I needed.
2. In the car, I jacked up the lumbar support as far as it would go and moved my seat back more upright. As soon as I got home, I took ibuprofen and iced my lower back.
3. I did not sit much the rest of the day. If I needed a break, I laid on the floor on my stomach.
4. If I had to lift my toddler, I bent my knees and squatted down to lift him instead of bending over
5. At the end of night, I sat with a pillow and an ice pack, took another dose of advil and slept on my back
Today I woke up feeling a little stiff, but honestly better than I expected. I understand how easy it is to start to stress and worry about the week ahead and how I will be able do my day-to-day but I tried to shut down those worries right away and stay positive. Today, my kids are home, so I made it a point not to sit for any length of time and get a good amount of steps in with them. I’ve used ice a couple times today but have not felt the need to take ibuprofen, so I’m taking that as a win! Stay tuned for a 48 hour update tomorrow!
