Knee Bar Back Injury

**ClintEQ** · Posted On: 2/01/2006 4:15pm

About three years ago I was in a car accident that has given me back spasms that show up intermitently in my life. I'm really stiff so I've been working on stretching out my ham strings to try to prevent this.

Yesterday I went back to class after having not been able to train because of unrelated issues and things were going great until right before I was going to leave. I went for a kneebar and as my partner tried to stack me out of it suddenly my back tensed up and I was in immense pain. It's still very stiff today, making it hard to walk and impossible to bend over.

Do any of you have back issues and do you have any specific strategies that allow you to roll without exacerbating them? Thanks.

**Te No Kage!** · Posted On: 2/01/2006 6:11pm

go to a chiropractor, seriously, it's done me wonders in the past

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 2/01/2006 6:32pm

Not knowing you or caring about your pain, can we focus on the kneebar you were attempting?
How was he stacking you?

**ClintEQ** · Posted On: 2/01/2006 6:43pm

It helps me too TNK. After my accident I had a lot of physical therapy for my back and if it doesn't clear up today I'll book an appointment as soon as I can.

As for the kneebar, I dropped from inside the guard for a heel hook and as he defended I switched over for the kneebar. He tried to posture up and stand to stop me from extending it. I was going to have it in probably a few seconds but my back started to spasm.

**JohnnyS** · Posted On: 2/01/2006 7:56pm

I've got a herniated disk L5/S1 in my lower back. I've found that going for things like armbars (or in your case legbars) where people stack you will exacerbate the injury. I think it's because when they try to stack you, you tighten up the muscles in your lower back to push them away.

Therefore, I don't play closed-guard, and I don't do armbars from guard. I also avoid wrestling with big guys who 'tard out and try and stack as a counter to everything.

**ClintEQ** · Posted On: 2/02/2006 10:53pm

A BJJ black belt who doesn't play closed-guard or go for armbars there. Sweet. You seriously just gave me hope. I was worried that if I couldn't find a medical solution for my injuries that my game would never progress.