Trigger points and chronic myofascial pain

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hello all. I'm a 18 year old weightlifter and basketball player. I've been squatting heavy weights for a few years now. Never ran into a pain like this.

Flash back to September 2016. I was squatting, and suddenly once I got done my back felt fine. But when I got home it was everything but. I felt an intense pain in my lower back. Previously, I was squatting 315lbs for reps, ass to grass with proper form. I had been squatting this much months ago without any pain whatsoever. But, with this pain I was rendered unable to squat the bar. I told my dad about it and he suggested me to take a month off, assuming it was a spinal issue.

It was a bummer at first, but I figured that it was for the greater good in the long term. Plus, I could focus on my lagging bench press in the mean time. I couldn't leg press by the way, so I did heavy glute bridges in an effort to maintain glute strength. I did this for a month and went to basketball practice and what not. The pain only eased when I was active and stuff. I could pass the straight leg test, but I couldn't stand up and lift my leg forward too far. I never got numbness or shooting pain in my leg.In In dance class, sometimes I couldn't keep up with everyone else. Acetaminophen didn't work either, whatsoever. I couldn't determine the problem. The end of the month was upon us, and I hadn't gotten any better. I started reading up on what was wrong. I found a tennis ball, and started massaging my back....

It was a miracle, just in time for the end of the month. I immediately invested money into a pair of weightlifting shoes (previously I had been squatting in socks) and thought about getting a weight belt... but I ended up only getting the shoes. As I expected, I had a lost a very significant amount of strength on my squat, nearly 100lbs in one month (I think I'm genetically prediposed to lose strength fast). I was so excited to be back!

The pain came back here and there but I ended up actually finding the culprit trigger point. When I applied pressure to this point, which was below my left shoulder blade, I could feel pressure easing off my lower back. It was a funny "stretching sensation" between this point and my lower back, and I was good as new.

On yesterday, I was squatting in strength class. The muscle knot had irritated me a little bit when I woke up, but I rolled out the pain. I was squatting 3 sets of 295lbs for 6 reps, after a final warmup set of 315lbs for 3 reps (my warmup involves lots of ankle and hip mobility and calf stretches and hamstring stretches) I failed the second set due to lack of sleep I suspect, but my back begin to bug me, so I thought it best to dismiss the workout and listen to my body, because I didn't want to hurt my body because of ego.

Fast forward 2 hours later and my body is in ridiculous pain. I couldn't lift my leg up again. The pain was the same as before, similar to when I first experienced it. I must have irritated the trigger point, I thought. I immediately got my tennis ball out of my pocket (I carry it on my person during school) and put it against the chair and trigger point, and applied pressure.

I felt the same sensation as before, but the pain still persisted. I was surprised! I started contracting my lower back and massaged the ball against the contracted muscle, which exposes the lower back more and feels better. This was to no avail though. I couldn't lift up my leg as far as I could earlier that day. I came back home disappointed. I started stretching for a long time, and self massaging vigorously with a tennis ball and a self massage tool (the toy-like device with spheres on it's legs). The stretching only helped a little bit. I got deep in and found new trigger points (or what I assume to be trigger points), one near the L1 disc on the left side, below my rib cage. Other things that felt like trigger points near my glutes and backbone area. I massaged my hamstrings and glutes, and hip flexors. The pain ceased a little bit, but it was still quite present. This morning I woke up pretty painful. I started massaging again. The pain was eased temporarily. In school, I was tempted to go to the weight room, but I knew my back couldn't handle it. It was so stiff. It hurts to twist either way. I'm not getting any radiating pain or sciatica like electric pain, its more like a terrible toothache mixed with a bruise and a touch of soreness. Earlier this morning, I also coincidentally twisted my neck weirdly in Chinese class and got a very painful crick. Double whammy. When I went to gym class and started moving, my pain almost completely left. I still had to take it easy, but I could jump as high as ever, take landings. It felt natural.

I could touch my toea, but hints of pain were involved. Usually when I got this back pain, I would squat down to pick stuff off the floor.

Anyway, I came home early and now I'm laying down making this thread. The point near my L1 disc is hurting bad, but there's pain further down near my pelvis and gluteal muscles too.

I told my mom this morning that I should go to the doctor, so if no solutions are found in the coming days, I might try to request treatment like a TPI or acupuncture, something of the sort.

My worst fear is that I won't be able to squat. My form is good in socks, and improved even more when I got the shoes, I just don't see how I could have hurt myself like this. I used to squat in socks with poorer form and not get hurt.

I also like to note that the pain gets worse when I'm seat

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    I meant 16 year old by the way.
  • Posted

    Your back has probably had enough of al the weight lifting and you may have slipped a disk. One day we will look back at the way we train in the gym now and say we were crazy thinking it was heavy to lift man made weights for no apparent survival reason. I think you should get a MRI. Not being able to squat again (unless it's to stand and sit from a chair) should be the least of your worries. Look after your back. I was a gym bunnie for 8 years and learnt the hard way too. I'm saying these things because I care and I'm also a qualified PT and yoga therapist xx

  • Posted

    Hi goku, firstly you need to stop your training for now before you end up not being able to train at all, now that's a scary thought, go see your doc and I'm sure he will be able to do some test and maybe a scan if needed, hopefully you havnt done anything serious but chiropractic treatment is worth a try and acupuncture, try some ice/heat 20mins on 20 mins off, if it's inflammation I would stick with ice, keep mobile but don't over do it until you know what you've done and give yourself time to heal, I can imagine that youl find that hard given how active you are but if you dont take care now you will regret it later, also get yourself that weight belt before you start heavy lifting again, good luck I hope you heal soon but listen to your body 😊

  • Posted

    Hi Goku

    PLease go see your dr, and don't lift any till you do.

    Let us know how your doing

    Hope you have a pain free life

    Paul

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