Your back hurts after deadlifts. Getting out of the car is awkward. Your next gym session is booked, and you want to know whether to cancel it.
The useful question is what your back needs now. A diagnosis comes before arguments about discs, posture or which deadlift variation is morally superior.
First, decide whether this needs urgent assessment
Back pain after significant trauma, or with fever, feeling unwell, unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer, also needs prompt medical assessment. Pain travelling down a leg, pins and needles or persistent loss of function deserves review.
These features are part of the assessment. Their absence does not establish a diagnosis through a blog post. [1][2]
Is it a disc, a muscle or something else?
The painful movement does not tell us which structure hurts. An assessment considers how symptoms started, where they travel, changes in strength or sensation and the movements you tolerate.
For many adults with low back pain, clinicians do not identify one precise tissue source. This does not make the symptoms less real. It means treatment often focuses on restoring function rather than finding one structure to blame. [1]
Delayed general soreness after an unfamiliar session and sharp focal pain during a lift are different histories. Neither should receive an automatic diagnosis from the exercise name.
What does a scan tell you?
A scan shows anatomy. It still needs interpretation alongside your symptoms and examination.
A review of 33 studies involving 3,110 people without back pain estimated disc bulges in 30% of people aged 20 and 60% of people aged 50. These are modelled estimates from groups of volunteers, rather than predictions for your back. [3]
Read the figure as text
| Age | Estimated prevalence |
|---|---|
| 20 | 30% |
| 30 | 40% |
| 40 | 50% |
| 50 | 60% |
| 60 | 69% |
| 70 | 77% |
| 80 | 84% |
A disc bulge is therefore not proof of the cause of your pain. Equally, scan findings are not automatically irrelevant. Imaging is useful when the clinical question warrants it and the result will guide care. Routine early imaging is not recommended for uncomplicated low back pain. [1]
What to change in your next session
For uncomplicated back pain, guidance supports staying active and gradually returning to your usual activities. Long periods of bed rest do not help recovery. [1]
Staying active does not mean repeating the lift which triggered the problem. Start with daily movement you tolerate. Short walks, changing position and suitable gym exercises provide options.
| If this is difficult | An option to discuss |
|---|---|
| Pulling from the floor | Raise the starting position using blocks or choose a lighter variation. |
| Several heavy sets | Reduce resistance, sets or repetitions. Change one variable first. |
| Holding a bent-over position | Compare a supported exercise or a shorter working range. |
| All lower-body training | Identify tolerated exercises rather than removing the whole session. |
These are examples, not a prescription for every injury. Choose the dose which allows controlled movement without escalating symptoms. If your diagnosis requires protection, follow the specific advice.
Rebuild the task, then the dose
Your old working weight is a training target. It is not a deadline.
Start with a movement you tolerate and a dose you are confident repeating. Restore the range needed for your chosen lift. Then increase resistance, repetitions or sets in stages.
A trap bar, kettlebell or raised bar is an option if it suits you. None is a guaranteed safer lift. The appropriate choice depends on the movement, symptoms, equipment and training goal.
Review the response during the session, later in the day and the following morning. Increasing pain, spreading symptoms or reduced function means the plan needs review. Feeling better after a warm-up is only part of the response.
Look beyond the single repetition
Review the weeks before symptoms started. Did you return after a break? Add another training day? Increase both weight and sets? Combine lifting with more running or sport?
Sleep, stress, illness and previous symptoms belong in this discussion too. A change in training is useful information. It does not prove causation.
Seek assessment if symptoms worsen, daily tasks remain difficult or you are unsure how to restart. A useful plan should explain what to modify, what to keep and how to judge progress.
Read more about lower back pain assessment in Richmond.
Back pain deciding your training?
Book an assessment at Bridge Road Physiotherapy, inside Uplift Gym at 507 Bridge Road, Richmond. We’ll review the problem, your current activity and the next steps for your rehabilitation.
References and further reading
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard. 2022. Read the source.
- NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation. Acute low back pain. Emergency Care Institute. Read the source.
- Brinjikji W, et al. Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. AJNR. 2015;36:811–816. Read the source.
General education. An individual assessment is needed to diagnose your symptoms and choose appropriate care.