Return to Deadlifting after a Back Injury

Have you recovered from a back injury? Are you unsure of how to return to deadlift? Are you currently experiencing back pain and seeking methods of recovery outside of medication and surgery? This is for you!

Returning to deadlifting after a lower back injury can be scary. There are many concerns, including fear of reinjury or uncertainty of when to try lifting again. This causes some to avoid the movement altogether. However, while this is a safe practice, you don’t have to. In this blog we will show you a simple progression that will help you return to deadlifting with confidence.

Now before you try this progression, we highly recommend you undergo a thorough evaluation by a healthcare professional so you can gain a better understanding of the root cause of your symptoms. You will also want to ensure that you have regained a good level of strength and flexibility around your lower back. This includes being able to bend forward, hip hinge, and tighten your abdominal muscles without pain.

The picture below shows 5 exercises we use in our return to deadlift program. These 5 movements are part of a much larger, detailed plan that allows us to safely load the spine and return to weightlifting. These exercises are designed to be done in order from the least challenging (or exercises that place the least amount of stress on the back) to the most challenging (or exercises that place the most stress on the back). Doing these exercises in order will help you gain confidence, strength, and identify any weaknesses or movement errors.

The goal of a progression like this is to promote long term self-management of your symptoms and to decrease your risk of getting hurt in the future. An injury to your lower back can take weeks or months to fully heal, so be patient. Go through the progression in order. Make sure you can do a single leg deadlift and hip thrust WITHOUT PAIN before attempting the barbell deadlift. If you have a bad day, it’s okay; just perform a modified movement and try again next time.

If you have any questions about recovering from lower back pain, please contact us or your local healthcare provider.