If you’ve done RDLs before then you know stress it places on your lower back. Deadlifts are such an elite exercise but Is it worth the risk? In this blog, we’ll give you the tools to prevent lower back injury from RDLs while keeping the exercise in your training routine.
Lower Back Pain From RDLs - Quick Fixes
Right off the bat, there are some things you can do to help prevent low back pain from RDLs. The first thing is not trying to be a hero and maxing out. Poor form is one of the most common reasons people experience lower back pain from RDLs.
Not engaging your core or activating your glutes can result in back pain when doing RDLs or B-Stance RDLs. You should feel like you're pulling back and away from the bar instead of just straight up. Make sure the bar is as close to your shins as possible to take the most pressure off your lower back.
Going in cold and rushing the exercise is another common way people injure their lower backs from rdls. Lifting the weight off the ground in a jerking-type motion is never going to do your lower back any favors, especially without any warm-up or stretching. Fast twitch movement limits how quickly your stabilization muscles (erector spinae) can activate, forcing the burden on the lumbar spine.
Lower back pain from deadlifts and lower back pain from squats also have the same effect.
This can potentially lead to muscle imbalances, strains, sprains, disc problems, or other serious injuries.
Do RDLs Target The Lower Back?
When completed properly the RDL can be a phenomenal exercise for strengthening the lower back along with the glutes and hamstrings.
Although the hamstrings and glutes are the main targets of RDLs, the muscles of the lower back are also important for maintaining spinal stability during the exercise.
Keep your back straight and hinge at the hips. This stability supports the load which helps in maintaining appropriate spinal alignment. Lower back muscles must work in unison with the hamstrings and glutes.
RDL Lower Back Pain - Post Lift:
Whether it be the RDL exercise or not, if you're experiencing any lower back pain from lifting, it is critical to tackle it before getting back into your routine. Distinguishing the difference between pain and soreness is important in understanding what you're dealing with. Lower back pain tends to ache and cause sharp pain, especially when bending over, lifting, twisting, or making an awkward/sudden movement.
Pain has the potential to become chronic if ignored. Soreness on the other hand can be tracked by how tender the muscle is to touch and normally goes away in one to three days.
Feeling RDLs In The Lower Back? Try This
Pain from RDLs can be debilitating. A common cause is muscle tightness. With a high risk movement such as the RDL, a lot of surrounding spinal muscles find themselves in "overprotection mode" and don't know how to function properly.
These muscles, when tight, can wreak havoc on the lower back.
How To Release A Tight Lower Back:
For targeted release of the muscles that tense up from RDLs, check out QL Claw. QL Claw releases the main muscles that get tight from lifting - so you can get back into pulling heavy again.
There are two main muscles I would release with the QL Claw (or with a professional in a clinic) if RDLs are the pain source: Quadratus Lumborum (QL) and Gluteus Medius. Both can cause a ton of lower back pain when tight.
QL Lower Back Release:
The QL is the deepest layer of defense to the spine, and when the muscle breaks down or becomes tight, it can cause a great deal of lower back pain, especially post-RDLs.
With an exercise such as the RDL, stress is placed on the QL muscle that is higher than other exercises which can affect its capacity to handle the excess burden.
Gluteus Medius Release:
Gluteus Medius is an upper glute muscle that can lock up and cause lower back pain from lifting. Gluteus Medius supports the pelvis, keeps you upright, and allows you to balance on one leg.
Lifting off the floor requires work from Gluteus Medius. This is good, until the muscle comes under a load it's unconditioned for, where it can spasm and tighten - leaving you in pain.
How To Get Back Into The Gym
If you’re a regular lifter, you know how much it sucks to miss a workout.
How INCREDIBLY frustrating it is leaving progress on the table, even if it’s just a couple of days.
All that work just to get set back with a lower back flare up, it doesn’t seem fair.
What would it cost to get back in the gym doing what you love? If you could fix the problem on your own?
That’s where we come in. We lived through this problem, researched it, and designed a solution.
Made for the common person who doesn’t want to take multiple trips to the chiropractor before they see results.
Take it from a few of our customers, they were in the same boat as you.
Don’t wait until the problem gets worse, tackle the pain today and get back in the gym doing what you love.
The QL Claw is the only massage tool designed specifically for Quadratus Lumborum muscle release and muscle-induced lower back pain for cases like this.
Stretching For Lower Back Pain Relief
Stretching and deep tissue massage are best-used hand in hand with RDLs to increase mobility and release chronic lower back pain.
This will help improve your flexibility and speed up your recovery between lifting sessions.
Other at-home remedies include warm or cold therapies as well as active recovery methods. But, to avoid aggravating any further problems, it's crucial to allow enough time for recovery in between lifting sessions. Over time your body and especially lower back will thank you.
RDL Lower Back Pain FAQ
Is it normal to feel pain from RDLs in your lower back?
Yes, it's normal to experience some lower back pain following RDLs, particularly from poor form, lifting too much weight, or if the muscles aren't properly warmed up.
What muscles do RDLs work?
RDLs is a full-body exercise that primarily targets the hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and erector spinae of the lower back.
What's a good alternative to the RDL?
Stiff-legged deadlifts and good mornings are popular substitutes for RDLs since they focus on the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. A few less strenuous RDL alternatives include back extensions, hyperextensions, glute bridges, and hip thrusts.
Is lower back soreness normal after RDLs?
After RDLs, lower back discomfort is common, especially if you're new to the exercise or have just upped the weight or intensity.
Now that you've read about lower back pain from RDLs, check out our page on how to do barbell RDLs!
Sources:
[1] Donnelly, Joseph M. Travell, Simons & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2019.
[2] Davies, Clair, and Amber Davies. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief. 3rd ed., New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2013.