I’ve been using a weights-and-pulley machine for a few weeks, doing what I thought were mild arm, leg, and abs exercises, but I seem to have caused my back (right between the shoulder blades) some ongoing strain that isn’t going away. It’s definitely NOT normal post-exercise strain, which I’ve felt and recognized in the muscles that got a workout.
I’m guessing that I inadvertently used my back to help out with the ab crunches: I’ve been using a part of the machine that has me seated with a padded bar against my chest, which I push down (and slowly allow back up to a full sitting position) with my chest some 20 times. Does it seem to you experienced workers-out that my back could have gotten strained doing ab crunches with such a machine?
I could just stop working out completely until it felt okay and then start again more slowly, but I would prefer to eliminate only the part of my routine that caused the back strain in the first place.
I don’t know what arm excercises you are doing, but if it is between the shoulderblades, I might start with those. The other thing to remember is that if you hurt a muscle, it doesn’t always hurt right away so you might have lifted something a day earlier to set it off. They also take time to heal, so you might avoid the gym for a week.
Folks, I’m getting fatter by the minute, and it’s been three days since I suited up and hit the workout room. (Still have a pain right square between the shoulder blades.) So I’m using up my magical one-time-only bump.
If anyone has every had a sharp pain right threre, and got it by working an ab-crunch machine (or an arm exercise, or by masturbating like a motherfuck WOO!!! for that matter) I’d sure like to hear about it.
The ab machine you mentioned doesn’t sound like it should have cause the problem since your up-body is pretty much isolated. Some ab machines that involved you holding on with your hands may cause such a problem because people tend to help themselves do the crunch by pulling with their arms instead flexing their mid-section.
I don’t think the problem is with your arm exercises either. I’m thinking shoulders and back (presses and/or lat pulldowns). I have a bit of arthritis in my back and when I do heavy shoulder presses or lat pulldowns it causes the muscles in my shoulder blades to impinge a nerve. I get a burning sensation right in the middle of my back and along the shoulder blade that is affected.
I know that chiropractic is viewed as quackery by a lot of people (and there ARE some real ducks out there, no doubt), but I’ve had only good experiences using it. So I’ll offer this suggestion with the knowledge that some will pooh-pooh it as a ridiculous notion.
If this back pain is accompanied by soreness in the sternum, or if it hurts when you inhale, you might have a rib out of joint. This happens to me once in a while (last week, as a matter of fact) and I have to go see my crunch-o-practor and get adjusted. (I’ve also been using weight machines pretty regularly lately.) Last week I hurt so bad that even swallowing was painful. It took a couple of days for the residual soreness to go away, but what a relief it was!
Nothing I could do for it except I remember piling on the Icy Hot (which, since I used copious amounts, was both way too icy and way too hot) and having to sit the bench for a few games. I probably got some drugs for it as well.
Unless the pain is dehabilitating, push through it. In fact, embrace it and work the muscle group that hurts. Gently and slowly but continue to work it.
Most people who have not worked out for a long time do strain muscles when just getting back. It hurts and they back off and wait for it to heal and then don’t really go back.
I’ve been a gym rat for longer than I can remember and have experienced the odd injury now and then. 9 out of 10 are just strains that benefit from gentle continued work and an anti-inflamatory after each workout and before bed time.
Of couse, joint pain is a little different and you’ll want to let it rest by doing something else. Still do the anti-inflamatory though. Advile works. So if you’ve straigned your shoulder joint, lay off the military presses and do curls and lots more cardio and ab work. Use injuries to focus on other muscle groups… not an excuse to not exercise.
Bottom line… no whining. Suck it up and keep working. You’ll see how the body adapts and changes if you stick with it.