Dear Fitness Enthusasts,

At 2:30PM today (5-12-2004), I did something very stupid -- while performing my incline bench pressing routine, I allowed myself to go out of proper form. While the barbell was above my head, I slipped on the bench and allowed a slight arch to form in my back. Suddenly, as sharp, excruciating pain surged across the middle of my back. It felt like someone took a baseball bat across my middle back -- imagine for a moment if your spine "buckled" in an arch. Because of the pain, I could not get up off the bench for over 5 minutes. Thankfully, the weight was near the rack and I subsequently did not get trapped underneath the barbell.

It's now 10:51PM and I have been swallowing 3 Advil every 2 hours. My middle back has a dull ache which in turn, is radiating into the upper portion of my lower back.

What in the hell could I have done to myself?

Dear Fitness Enthusasts,

At 2:30PM today (5-12-2004), I did something very stupid -- while performing my incline bench pressing routine, I allowed myself to go out of proper form. While the barbell was above my head, I slipped on the bench and allowed a slight arch to form in my back. Suddenly, as sharp, excruciating pain surged across the middle of my back. It felt like someone took a baseball bat across my middle back -- imagine for a moment if your spine "buckled" in an arch. Because of the pain, I could not get up off the bench for over 5 minutes. Thankfully, the weight was near the rack and I subsequently did not get trapped underneath the barbell.

It's now 10:51PM and I have been swallowing 3 Advil every 2 hours. My middle back has a dull ache which in turn, is radiating into the upper portion of my lower back.

What in the hell could I have done to myself?

That just sounds horrible. I really feel for you. I hurt my back one time very badly... or so I thought. I could hardly get up to go to the bathroom. Everything hurt. Every move hurt. I ate Tylenol3's until I got the sweats and the spins.

I had X-Rays. Not a thing wrong. It got better. Haven't thought about it in years. You will get better too.... but you will be watching the inclines from now on I bet.

Go to your doc. Get yourself checked. The healing of piece of mind is well worth it. Hope all is well and gets well.

You pinched a nerve in your vertebre. VERY painful. You are probably OK, but it never hurts to see your Doc (except in the wallet!)

-Allen

DISCLAIMER: I am not a Doctor, but a single, one legged, recovering alcoholic DJ; take all my advice with a large grain of NaCl.

LEt me tell you, going to bed last night was the worst -- every move, cough, and breath casued my back to ache.

I think I may boost that advil up to 4x every 2hrs...

Thanks everyone for your input!

If it still hurts, see a doctor. You never can be too careful with back/spinal pain. His advice is much more valuable then some guy on internet who has only one lung, asthma and is a recovering alcoholic DJ.

-Allen

Icy Hot And A Heating Pad! Icy Hot And Heating Pad!

The maximum dose of ibuprofen (Advil) is 800mg every 6 hours.

I'm not an alcoholic DJ and don't even play one on TV!

Make sure you are eating something with your Advil, you shouldn't have that much ibuprofen on an empty stomach. It doesn't have to be a lot, but don't just pop them without eating something.

Make sure you are eating something with your Advil, you shouldn't have that much ibuprofen on an empty stomach. It doesn't have to be a lot, but don't just pop them without eating something.

Yup -- I take my advil with 1 full bottle of water and a small meal...

It's 2 days later and man, until the Advil kicks in, moving hurts...

If this continues to ache within the next few days, it's to the doctor I go.