Pain in my back :(

Papillon started this discussion · 7/17/2015

Hello all! I'm quite a new pole dancer learner, I've started a couple of months ago. I got a pole at home, so I advanced faster than my colleagues at the Studio. I've started to do inversions, and new tricks, however, after trying to invert some times, I got this pain in my back, that is so strong that it's hard for me to take a deep breath or sneeze. I've seen other Posts about this issue, and I've seen Veena's exercises to reinforce the back and to learn the right posture. But I've seen These too late and now I have this pain for more than 2 weeks and I cannot get back to the pole or do any exercise :( Normally, I would stop for one or two days and the pain would go, but now it doesn't seem to be getting better... I miss the pole a lot and I'm scared I might be losing the strength I got in These past 2 months (it's not that I got a lot of strength, but I was getting better)... Do you have any tips to stop the pain, and to Keep the strength until I can finally get back to Training? Thanks a lot for your help... Gisel

12 replies

Adventures of Alice · 7/17/2015
Hi Gisel I've only been poling a few months and had a similar pain after attending classes and being told I was ready to invert. The 1st few times were fine but after practicing at home it felt like a very deep muscle pull/tear or as if I had bumped my ribs badly from the back (if that makes sense)? It hurt to cough, breathe deeply, sit up. I had just started Veena's lessons and was thinking that maybe I hadn't the strength to invert safely and that I needed to condition a lot more. Then the studio I was going too said I had to leave beginners and join the intermediate class which was all about inverted moves. At that point I chose to trust in Veena and have since been self teaching at home, concentrating on strength training, dance flow, climbing and a few spins. I've not inverted at home since as I still don't feel quite strong enough. Anyway, the pain has just about gone now but it has taken a few weeks. I think Veena's lessons on scapula placement are helpful. Inverting is not really for most beginners as I found out! Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.
Papillon · 7/17/2015
Thank you so much for your useful advises!! I totally understand what you mean about pain in your ribs, I also have pain in my ribs, but in front just under my boob. I even thought I had broken a rib or something! I intended to get Veena's classes, but in my condition, I cannot even do spins without pain starting to kill me again... I will wait a bit longer until the pain leaves and I will try to postpone any invert until I feel I'm completely ready and strong enough. Thank you so much for your help!
Lyrael924 · 7/17/2015
From everything I've read, this sounds like a strain possibly in the rhomboid muscles of the back (disclaimer: speaking from personal experience, not a doctor). I had this issue when I was trying to progress from a basic invert to an inverted V. I wasn't engaging the correct muscles, obviously. I rested while the pain eased, and then started doing exercises on the pull-up bar. I think the exercise that was most helpful was a Crossfit move called knees to elbows. It helped with getting the backwards tuck position. I also did an open straddle exercise where I went into a quick flexed arm hang and then brought my legs up in a wide V. Also lots of pole holds and knee tucks and general ab work. Be patient! Inverts are still a work in progress for me, and I have been poling for almost a year (still not very long). :)
CD Hussey fka Jivete · 7/17/2015
I moved way too fast when I first started and ended up with injuries like you describe. The pain between the ribs is likely from Pulling the intercostal muscles (I pulled one on each side). If you have pain on one side of your spine when inverting, it's probably a strained rhomboid. I had the rhomboid injury for nearly a year. The ribs took about a month each to heal. I was able to keep doing silks with the rhomboid injury because I could center myself and avoid any moves that put the body off-balance. Unfortunately you can't do that with pole.
Veena · 7/17/2015
Sounds like you need to rest and once you're feeling better begin with conditioning to help ease the body back into pole. Feel better soon!!! 💜
PolarGirl · 7/19/2015
I would see a physical therapist. Often, if it hurts to cough or sneeze, it is because a rib is dislocated. For some people, this happens very easily and can happen in your sleep. It could also be an intercostal muscle (the muscles between your ribs). These are major muscles of breathing; they are responsible for moving your ribs closer together when you exhale and further apart as you inhale, and thus the ribs move with breathing - so it could either be a muscle strain or a dislocation. If you strained a rhomboid (this muscle group is located directly between your shoulder blades), you would be very unlikely to feel sharp pain with coughing, sneezing, deep breathing, or anything else that involved forced exhalation. I pulled an intercostal muscle in the front of my ribs when first learning to pole climb. That will heal with rest. You would want to rest for a few weeks and gradually work into your strength training program. If it's a dislocation, it could self correct and pop back in, but is not super likely. A physical therapist or chiropractor could diagnose and correct this. A PT, however, could also answer a lot of your questions about training and give you pointers on invert preparedness. None of us can diagnose you from s distance but I hope this info helps somewhat. Happy poling :)
Papillon · 7/22/2015
Thank you SO much to all of your for your Messages and advises, you are wonderful Girls!!! The pain in my ribs have ceased a bit, but I still have strong pain in my back. I went to a physio today, and she told me I have very hard muscles on my back, so apparently, there's nothing broken. I think I had the wrong technique when inverting, I was not engaging my right parts, and I was doing all the strength with my back, I guess it's not secret why I hurt myself.... The Problem is that during my pole classes, I was advanced to the intermediate level too fast (around my 4th class) and I'm naturally so anxious I always Need to be a bit ahead. And here I am! :) Right now, as you say, I will rest and Keep on going to the physio. And watching your Videos and wishing I was able to touch my pole again...buaaah! :( Thank you so much for your great advices Girls...it is very much appreciated. xxx Gisel
Louisejanefreeman4235 · 7/22/2015
The same thing happened to me when I learnt to invert V about 2 months ago. I tore a rhomboid muscle - after a couple of trips to the physio and dry needling and 5 acupuncture sessions, it seems to be nearly healed. I think my problem isn't getting into invert V position - it's after I've done it, I just let go of all the muscles and flop down so now I've started locking on to the pole and sliding down instead and so far my back is ok. I'm also making sure I warm up properly now. (having a pole at home, it is so tempting to just walk past my pole room and go in for a few inverts with no warm up at all - I was so excited to learn these moves after the basic beginner spins and climbs but now I now I need to warm up.
Papillon · 8/6/2015
Hi Louise, Yes, I've heard that's a common problem with students! In my case, I did this only a couple of times, so I think the problem was lifting myself. Finally, after one month of rest and physio, I'm back to pole with simple positions and spins. I'm terrified of even trying inverts again! I will wait until my wedding is over and then I'll get Veena's lessons :) Thank you for your help!!
Papillon · 3/6/2017
Dear all, I just wanted to update you about my back issues. After I wrote this post, I was in and out of pole due to continue injuries in my back. No matter how much I rested, and tried conditioning exercises, I was getting injuries after a little move a bit stronger than my back could endure. I went to a physio, which helped a lot, but didn't solve the problem. However, around a year after I wrote this post, and after coming back from, again, a back injury, I realized that I was able to do tricks with much more ease than before. Things I was not able to do in the past, were super easy to perform. Also, tricks that I was already doing, felt way easier and lighter than before. So, my assumtion is that I just got stronger! When having these pains, my back and body overall was too weak, but for some reason, after a break, suddenly I got stronger! Now it's been more than 8 months totally pain free!! :) don't get me wrong, I'm now VERY conscious every time I invert, or go down from a shoulder mount (this is how I used to get injured), but even though I've been training 2 to 3 times a week, I haven't had pain in many months. Just wanted to post this in case someone is having similar issues as I had, as I think this might give some light to some people. I really appreciate your comments and advises, and I HOPE not having to write back here never again! haha! Hugs, Papillon
ptkells3642 · 3/6/2017
So glad to hear that you not only made it through the pain and back to pole, but that you made it back even stronger than before!
Papillon · 3/6/2017
Thank you!! I'm so glad too haha! It's amazing how strength can increase so suddenly! Waiting for my next strength peak to get iron X and deadlifts now LOL!