Question for fitness buffs about pushups and back problems

[The Shadow]

I have mild buldging disks at L4 and L5 because someone rear ended at me at 60 mph about 15 years ago, when I was at a dead stop in my car.  (Lucky to be alive).  My car was was smashed in from the trunk through all the way to the front seat of the car.    My seat was broken too.

    A lot of times when I do pushups my back is pretty soar afterward, even though my form is good.  (I don't sag my back when I do push ups.)  I only do 4 sets of 25.  It takes me about 10 minutes to finish.  Is it possible I could be causing more permanent damage by doing push ups? 

[DownwithIslam]

Yes, you could  be doing more damage. The first rule always is that if something doesn't feel right when you are working out, stop immediately. I think you shoud focus and traditional bench presses and some dumbell presses as well. The will be less stressful on your back and give you much more chest growth. Hope that helps.

[The Shadow]

Another thing, situps really aggravate my back, could that be causing permanent damage too?

[DownwithIslam]

Yes, anything which feels painful while your are performing the rep is something that should not be done. Even perfectly healthy people have certain exercises which dont agree with them. I think that you should be doing traditional exercises and you should feel better. Any documentation on working out will say that pain during the motion means that you need to stop what you are doing.

[The Shadow]

When I do pushups, I dont get pain, during only after.  With situps, I get pain after 60 situps, right away

[DownwithIslam]

The shadow, do not perform push ups anymore. I can assure you that any muscular person you meet at the gym will not be caught doing push ups. That is as antiquated as it gets. Compound movement like bench presses, squats, and deadlifts are the staple of a muscle building routine. Also eat lots of protein hehe. I hope you feel better. Listen to my advice on this because I know a ton about this. I am going to sleep now but feel better and dont hurt yourself further.

[The Shadow]

Another thing, situps really aggravate my back, could that be causing permanent damage too?

If it aggravates it, then you could be getting more damage. I do suggest you seek a doctor's opinion first!
Better safe than sorry. Please take LOTS of care ma'dear!
I suggest you don't do anything that causes you pain like that but get a Dr's opinion-after all I'm not a doc. You should be nice and healthy always (then you can post in the forum without having to deal with extreme back pain  )

Thanks Mills- good advice from a  nice Jewish girl

[MassuhDGoodName]

Experiencing back pain?

Immediately stop any exercises causing it.

You may very well have a bulging vertebral disc or a herniated disc, which is a dislocation of the cartiligenous "cushion" between the bones of your spine.

If they move out of position, they will press against the sciatic nerve, etc...causing a burning type sensation accompanied by a shooting sharp pain shooting down the buttock down the hip along one side of your back and leg...sometimes accompanied with numbness, lower back spasms, a limp, or inability to straighten up your back when walking.

Perhaps you've only "overdone" working out.

Rest the back, and if the pain continues seek medical help.

A bulging disc can recede back into position but will always tend to be trouble.

A herniated disc is much more serious, producing crippling pain, and often requires major surgery.

Simply put...pain out of the ordinary after exertion is your body giving you a warning which you'd best not ignore.  Modern techniques can treat disc issues, especially if caught early on.  If you suspect a disc issue, have it checked out...they don't improve with age...just the opposite.

A great deal of this current "fitness" craze serves only to pay the mortgages of skilled neurosurgeons.

[mord]

Probably sit ups i had 3 bulging discs had a cat scan by neurologist once when he found it the 2nd time when they went back into place

[q_q_]

If you are exercising with any injury, then you have to consult your doctor, he will know or know who to consult, to tell you whether the exercise is exasperating the problem..

The only "pain" in exercise should be standard muscle "soreness", which you should be familiar with. 

I do not do pressups but it may be that they can use your back muscles,  if doing as many as 60..
There is an exercise for the back(called "the plank), and the situp is covers that position, so that is possible.

But since you have an injury, you should consult your doctor..

And even he will probably be cautious in answering, and probably monitor it and request your feedback, and follow-up visits, to know for sure.

[Ari]

I agree with the others that you should definitely consult a Doctor who will probably send you for physical therapy.  The physical therapist will know whether or not the pushups are beneficial or doing extra harm.  You also might consider consulting online health advice such as webmd.com.  Best of luck.   

[Americanhero1]

You can hurt your back when doing push ups if not properly Alined you might want to get one of those palate balls and some dumbells and do chest press while trying to maintain balance after a while pushups get easier

[MassuhDGoodName]

Mills:  "...WOW! what great responses!
It's so great to see how fast we respond to help a fellow JTFer!

Wait until he receives my bill in the mail!

Then he'll really feel pain!   

[ItalianZionist]

Crunches are less straining on the back.