Could my back exercises have caused a pinched nerve?

I recently started doing a lot of midsection exercises including leg flutters for the lower back. About a week later, parts of my left leg and foot started to go painfully numb for about an hour (two separate occasions). Could my exercises have caused a pinched nerve?

Pinched nerves usually occur within several hours of injury – if you’re doing the exercises daily, then it’s likely you’re not stretching enough (if you’re stretching at all) before beginning your routine. If the pain and numbness is down into the foot, that’s a pinched nerve in the lower lumbar area, between L4 and S1. You’ll be able to tell as it’ll feel like a 10gage needle in your back.

If the pain is just in the leg and you don’t feel anything in the back, then it’s probably not related to the exercises. The lumbar nerve pathways are specific and traceable, and if you’ve irritated a nerve enough to feel it in your legs and foot, then you should definitely feel it in your back. In fact, you’d have a hard time walking and standing at all.

It’s easy to pinch a nerve temporarily if you’re doing the exercises incorrectly (wrong position), are resting on something that’s pressing into the nerve, or as I said previously, if you’re not flexible enough. Most people don’t bother to stretch at all before beginning to exercise, or don’t stretch enough. Anything less than 20-30 minutes isn’t enough.

There’s an easy way to figure out if the problem is related to your exercises or not – stop doing them for a week. You’ll know one way or the other by then.

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5 Responses to Could my back exercises have caused a pinched nerve?

  1. fullofwonder37 says:

    Sometimes this can happen and cause numbness even if you feel no pain. However numb limbs can be a sign of other things and might not have anything to do with yr exercising.
    References :

  2. peanut says:

    Absolutely. Stop those exercises. Pain and numbness are dangerous symptoms. Please consult the doctor.
    References :

  3. RAVEN says:

    Pinched nerves usually occur within several hours of injury – if you’re doing the exercises daily, then it’s likely you’re not stretching enough (if you’re stretching at all) before beginning your routine. If the pain and numbness is down into the foot, that’s a pinched nerve in the lower lumbar area, between L4 and S1. You’ll be able to tell as it’ll feel like a 10gage needle in your back.

    If the pain is just in the leg and you don’t feel anything in the back, then it’s probably not related to the exercises. The lumbar nerve pathways are specific and traceable, and if you’ve irritated a nerve enough to feel it in your legs and foot, then you should definitely feel it in your back. In fact, you’d have a hard time walking and standing at all.

    It’s easy to pinch a nerve temporarily if you’re doing the exercises incorrectly (wrong position), are resting on something that’s pressing into the nerve, or as I said previously, if you’re not flexible enough. Most people don’t bother to stretch at all before beginning to exercise, or don’t stretch enough. Anything less than 20-30 minutes isn’t enough.

    There’s an easy way to figure out if the problem is related to your exercises or not – stop doing them for a week. You’ll know one way or the other by then.
    References :
    See Bio.

  4. l.f. says:

    When I exercise, if I don’t do my 20 min. of warm up’s, I feel it the next few days-even a week or two. If yo keep having the pain so bad, you’ll know if you need to go to see a dr. for either muscle relaxer’s or pain pills. Some Dr.s even offer pamplets with exercise routines. Like I said, you know your pain. If you don’t go to see a dr., take very warm baths everyday. When you feel you can start working out,remember to do your warm up exercises first-for a good 20 minutes. You will be o.k.
    References :
    Experience

  5. Pingback: Could my back exercises have caused a pinched nerve? | Excercises … | Treatment For Pinched Nerve

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