squats and deads with a back injury

[LiftHard410]

I have been trying to get these exercise into my routine for a while and and am having trouble getting them to work.

About year and a half ago i was in a car crash, to which I am the proud owner of a fused L1/T12. All of my other discs and vertebrae are in perfect working order, and to date I have no nerve impingements or anything of the sort. I do have a 6 degree curvature of the spine, which is generally not noticeable and does not interfere with my daily life in any way. I am pretty sure the curvature is natural and not related to the accident, but can't be positive.

Here is the problem, every time I try to do the above exercises my back will tighten on the right side (convex side) for days. Thorough stretching and core strengthing has helped tremendously but eventually I threw in the towel and have been doing leg press/lunges and hyper extensions for those muscle groups. It's bad enough where heavy deads make my left shoulder look slightly higher then the other and my right leg will feel slightly shorter due to my pelvic being shifted forward from the muscles tightening.

My doctor said I should not have any issues continuing to weight train...but when I asked him his opinion of this problem he replied "leave them alone" :bash:

[Pixie]

It's bad enough where heavy deads make my left shoulder look slightly higher then the other

Are you right handed? If so, then this is normal. May be increased after deads, but it's a rarity to have perfectly even shoulders. Usually the shoulder/arm of your dominant hand (not necessarily the hand you write with) will be lower than the other. Totally normal and due to muscle and skeletal development. Also, if that's you in your avi, your right shoulder is lower there too... normal thing. Extremes may mean there's a spinal misalignment, but what I see in the avi is nothing to fret about.

As for your pelvis shifting... I believe it's due to the muscles tightening as you seem to know.

Without evaluating you, and giving you generic advice, I'd suggest you continue with the stretching and "other" exercises to keep strength up. But, nothing wrong with throwing in some lighter squats and deads to see if you can work into them, if they are that important for you to do (I like them, but that's your decision).

I know several that have squatted and deadlifted with back problems. For one, my fiance had back surgery about 4 years ago and he is squatting 900-1000+ pounds and deadlifting 700+. He had a herniated disc and a completely blown disc. So, it's possible to squat and deadlift with a back injury, just have to play it smart. He didn't start there coming back by any means. He gradually worked up his body's tolerance to it, doing exercises and stretching to improve his back musculature's strength, pliability and tolerance.

I'd make sure you add in some stretching after your workouts, or more specifically when you feel your back tightening. This is a prime time to do some static stretches to relax the muscles.

So, overall answer is... you can do the lifts, but you need to prepare your body for it a little more.

[LiftHard410]

thanks for the comprehensive response.

You are right in that my hamstrings are very tight. I am pretty flexible when it comes to all muscle groups except for hams and calves...even properly stretching them twice a day takes at least 2 months to notice improvement...and will go back to normal if I lay off for a week.

I think I need to focus even more on flexibility and core strengthening to pull things together and go from there.

[Pixie]

No problem.


I think I need to focus even more on flexibility and core strengthening to pull things together and go from there.

^^ this would be a really good idea, especially since you know they are tight and tend to tighten when you don't stretch. There's a HUGE correlation between tight hamstrings and low back problems.

[LiftHard410]

There's a HUGE correlation between tight hamstrings and low back problems.
Very good to know. In my profession (nursing) this sort of thing isn't really our expertise so it has all been self diagnosis. again thanks:)

[Killer]

What Pixie said. I have had some people's back pain go away with a lot of hamstring stretching.

Pay attention to the hip flexors too.

[Pixie]

Very good to know. In my profession (nursing) this sort of thing isn't really our expertise so it has all been self diagnosis. again thanks:)

In my profession (physical therapy), we see a lot of it!! It's funny how so many people don't think to look at the hamstrings when they complain of back problems. Actually, this was what my thesis was on...