Can heavy lifting damage a kidney?

No: Pain in the back after lifting may be due to disc disease or muscle strain. See your physician if pain persists.

Not likely unless: You were to rupture a renal artery aneurysm due to heavy straining, but this would be rather unlikely. In reality, lifting, even heavy lifting, isn't particularly dangerous for your body. Realize if you utilize a lot of supplements to augment a resistance training schedule, this may place your kidneys at risk for damage.