Lower back pain on leg ext?

[SuperLift]

I'm getting lower back pain when I do leg extensions (even light weight). Hurts as I get to the top of the movement. Anyone else experience this? Also happens on leg press when I get to the lockout position. Yet back is fine for any type of squat. Seems to just happen when my knees are straightening and hips flexing simultaneously. Any ideas?

 

[Therealone80]

Watch the way your hips and butt are positioned in the seat. I found that sometimes when my body is not in the right seated position, I have a bit of pain in my lower back down to my tail bone. Hope this helps!

 

[ctr10]

Thats different, I heard of lower back pain on leg curls but never extensions

 

[SuperLift]

Even if Im sitting on a chair and I extend my legs in a "leg extension" motion. Still hurts.

 

[Gissurjon]

Your hamstrings are too "short". Had the same problem until I gained some damn "flexibility" in the area. Stretch them and I guarantee it will get better.

 

[Kenny Croxdale]

Your hamstrings are too "short". Had the same problem until I gained some damn "flexibility" in the area. Stretch them and I guarantee it will get better.

Short Hamstrings
Dena Glazer | Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher

This could definitely one of the factors.

If the hamstrings are too tight they created low back pain.

Car Analogy

It the steering wheel of a car shaking when you drive. The problems is that the wheels are out of balanced and shake.

Thus, causing the steering wheel to shake.

Short/lack of flexibility in the hamstrings (as Gissurjon) stated is a factor in low back pain.

Strong Back

I have a strong back. However, my back use to hurt.

What I found by accident was that Elevated Deadlifts and Good Mornings not only worked the posterior chain but stretched my hamstrings out.

Back Hyperextension

Another factor in why Leg Extension and the Leg Press may be causing back pain it that in you may be hyperextending your back with these lift.

Hyperextending usually occurs when you are using more weight than you can handle. Thus, to get it up you do whatever it takes.

What ends up happening is by hyperextending your lower back you generate more force.

Hips and Butt

If your hips and butt are coming up in a Leg Extension ( like Therealone80 indicated), you are arching your back.

You may also be arching your back in the Leg Press. That will create some back tension.

Head Position

If you "look up at the sky" (hyperextend your neck) in a movement, most likely you are hyperextending your back.

Your head is like the rudder on a boat. It determine where you go with your body position.

Neck Packing
Neck Packing - YouTube

What you want to do in lifting is maintain a Neutral Neck Position.

Neck Packing insure you maintain a Neutral Neck Position.

That means you are going to maintain a Neutral Spine Position rather than hyperextending your lower back.

Kenny Croxdale

 

[ldzp]

^ great post above


is the pain centralized in your back or spreading down your legs? feels like pressure on lower back? be very careful with any lower back injuries man

 

[MDR]

Skip leg extensions. Worthless exercise anyway.

 

[Vision]

Funny I read this..I had a similar instance some years ago doing the same exact movement..I went to the ER one day because the pain hurt that bad, I got some -XRAYS only to find out that I had Spondylolysis/Spondylolisthesis..The experts claim it effects mostly adolescence athletes,and or genetics..Long and behold,I have a rack in the lower vertebra,the position is off and puts pressure on nerves on the area when i lay in a certain positions, or do a certain movements!

I'd look into this man..