By - Nishat Tasnim

Waking up with sharp pain in one side of your back the next day after deadlift is simply a nightmare. It can hurt both your work and personal life.

Deadlift lower back pain one side can even take you to the emergency room if ignored. Is it normal to have lower back pain after deadlift? Does it often indicate something serious? Or it will go away on its own. On top of that, what causes this sharp backache?

These are the common queries that most people ask when they have lower back pain on one side after deadlift.

Well, don’t panic! In most cases, it is just a normal physiologic response of your body before adapting to new things.

But, in some cases, it can indicate something serious. This article has all the details about the causes, symptoms, and how to fix lower back pain after deadlift. So stay put.

Sharp Lower Back Pain After Deadlifts

Should my lower back hurt after deadlift normally? Well, the unpleasant reality is it is not normal, but the good news is, in most cases, it’s not serious either. So, how would you know if it’s raising a red flag or not?

If your back discomfort is accompanied by the symptoms listed below, you should seek medical attention for lower back pain when lowering deadlift.

Otherwise, you don’t need to worry about how to fix lower back pain from deadlift. You will get out of it soon.

However, it’s mandatory to figure out why you’re getting back pain after this workout. It will save you from developing further complications. 

What Causes Deadlift Lower Back Pain One Side?  

Well, it’s quite difficult to point out one thing that is creating this havoc. The problem may initiate for a multitude of reasons. It could be anything from the adoption of faulty techniques to program error.

Let’s take a look at some of the common mistakes dead lifters often make.

Failure to keep your back straight 

Have you noticed the guy who can do deadlifting effortlessly in your gym?  If yes, then you might have seen his back during lifting. His spine remains straight like a rod, right?  

Why am I asking you this? Because most of us fail to keep our back straight during lifting. It’s indeed pretty hard to maintain due to the maximal loads. Surprisingly, the human body comprises certain curvatures. 

Even though you stand in the neutral position those curvatures will remain fixed similarly. More specifically the lumbar curvature is directed inward towards your stomach. Then, how could you keep your back straight during this exercise? 

Well, this inward direction is considered as the neutral position. And when you are asked to keep your back straight it means at a natural position. 

All you need to be conscious about is maintaining this posture throughout the entire deadlifting. Otherwise, you have to start thinking about how to stop lower back pain from deadlifts immediately after the gym.

So, the first & foremost thing to consider if you’re having a backache is incorrect posture. When you fail to keep the lower back straight or make it round,  it may cause you potential health injury. 

Not engaging your latissimus dorsi muscles

Your back is supported by a large muscle called the latissimus dorsi. It extends from your shoulders to your pelvis. The main function of this muscle is to conduct extension, adduction, internal rotation, and much more. 

On top of that, it helps you to lift heavy weights and do deadlifting-like activities. But, if you fail to use it properly, your arm will get tight & you will end up getting back pain in one side. 

When you are transferring weight from lower to upper back, the transition needs to be slow and steady. A quick transfer is one of the main reasons behind lengthy deadlift lower back pain treatment. 

Mispositioning of the bar 

Deadlift lower back pain one side invariably occurs due to the mispositioning of the barbell. Most of the people positioned the bar too far away. And when you hold the barbell far away from your body, it creates a poor lineup. 

Consequently, the heavy load will put a strain on your back, and you feel the pain later.

Not bending your knees properly 

There is a fine line between knee bending for squats and deadlifting. The conventional knee bending for the latter is in such a way that you can get down on the bar.

This sort of bending offers you the best position to apply force to get off. Failure to do so can make your leg straight and you won’t be able to get off the floor. Also, the wedge shape required for fluid deadlift movement will be hampered.

Most importantly with this poor posture, you may hurt one side of your back badly. People often ask can deadlift cause lower back pain. The answer is affirmative and this is one of the most common reasons.

Pulling or Pushing: Myth to Debunk

Tell me one thing. What do you think about deadlifting – a pulling or pushing movement?  

Well, you can call it both. But the thing is it is not as simple as normal pulling. In normal pulling, it is ok to come up your hip first but in deadlifting it’s strictly forbidden. People mistake it and put their back at risk.

In overall consideration, deadlifting is more likely to be a push-up exercise. You apply vertically on the floor to lift the barbell over your shins. It keeps your back in a neutral position. Instead of that if you think about pulling it makes your back round, and causes back pain.

These are one of the most common mistakes people usually make while doing these exercises. Hopefully, you get to figure out the factor that contributes to backache in your case.

How Can You Prevent Deadlift Lower Back Pain One Side?

As for now, you may come to know why this thing is happening to you. Whether the problem is associated with mispositioning the bar or keeping the back straight, you should work on it.

Before that, Take a break!  It is indeed the best deadlift lower back pain one side treatment sometimes. Such non-traumatic pain goes away usually within 2-3 days with rest. However, you can take some effective measures to aggravate the healing process.

Like, applying ice on the affected side for 15-20 minutes. You have to apply it every couple of hours for the first 72 hours. Next, you should apply a hot pack to that injured area. However, the rest is the secret sausage here.

Check to Erase My Back Pain For Complete Pain Relief

If you continue doing a physical activity the hot/ice pack does nothing but discomfort. Perhaps! Doing exercises with back pain makes you completely bedridden for the next couple of weeks!

Why does my lower back hurt after deadlift? Perhaps you are doing it too often. However, when you feel better, you can do some basic exercises. It could be anything like pelvic lifts, dead bugs, and even glute squeezes.

FAQ

Why should you keep your back straight while deadlifting?

To balance the shear forces. Shear forces typically refer to force driving one part of the body in one direction and the rest part oppositely.

Experts pointed out that this force increases at the joint when you are unable to keep your back straight. As a result, it causes you potential injury at one side of the back.

Can you deadlift with a lower back injury? 

The answer is both yes and no. Well, let me tell you why. It entirely depends upon how strong your back is. If it can support deadlifting type heavy lifting, then you can deadlift with back pain.

Some people reported that they even get relief from that annoying pain doing this sort of activity. But, if your back is not strong enough, it would be wise to take a break and then resume this exercise.

Can deadlifts permanently damage your back?

Unlike other exercises, you have to deal with heavy barbells in the deadlift. So, if you fail to do it properly, it may hurt your back hard. It can cause you serious sprain or strain.

Conclusion 

Deadlift lower back pain one side should never go overlooked. It can lead you to permanent disabilities. Well, it will not happen to you if you have gone through the aforesaid causes and tips well. Thousands of people doing deadlift like a pro who once went through with this suffering.

Among them, most of the exercisers claim that making back rounds is what creates the problem. A negligible amount of people develop back pain due to program error. However, if you find out what contributes to your case and fix that, you will also get out of this easily.