back trouble from squats.

S

stan

New Member
Hi there.

I'm a great believer in the squat, and extol its' virtues as an excellent exercise. Love the squat.

however, the bloody thing doesn't seem to love me back.. in more ways than one because since the end of my last cycle I've felt a pang of pain when I'm at a certain angle in my lower back (as in bending over slightly at a certain angle).

If I grab my ankles and then slowly start inching upwards, curling my back, the pang start when my hands are at the knee and goes away an inch or two higher.

I've been deconditioning for two weeks tomorrow, and was planning on starting again next week.

This thing wouldn't have happened if I had been able to keep my back straight while doing the AtG squats.. so I'm wondering if it's a strength problem with my legs, or just an over dependency in using the back.

No way am I taking a break longer than these 2 weeks, I eat alot more than I burn in a day, and I can't bear being fatter than I am right now (which is already a few kilos fatter then I was at the end of the cycle, even if I tried to eat less).

So i) what in your opinions would you recommend as rehabilitating exercise for the back, and ii) what exercises would you recommend to try and remove all bad movement regarding the back when squatting.

Anyone had similar problems and been able to work them out?

I'll probably see a doctor about it if it doesn't go away in a few weeks, but I'd like to hear what you guys think, as you might have more to say than the dreaded 'take a break'.

S.
 
Hey stan.  I get similar problems from time to time.  It turns out according to my X-Rays, MRI studies, CT scans that I actually have a very healthy back.

Turns out it's SI syndrome - dysfunction of the tiny little sacro-ileac joint.  

My MD sent me to the chiro for manipulation because the DO that works for her was off that day.  Really helped a lot.

Now I fix it myself when it happens with a week off and some simple stretches I do at home.

Go here and do some reading - Stretch # 2 is the most effective for me - I have to really arch the back beyond pain until the pelvis lines up correctly though. #22 works great too, but you've got to work hard at it and may need help to get those knees all the way to the floor while keeping your heels touching your butt and your shoulders down. Biomechanically, it's exactly the same as the lumbar, SI manipulations that a chiro does - except done more gently at a lower amplitude.

http://www.spine-health.com/Topics/conserv/sciaex/sciaex07.html

This condition was actually a blessing though.  I was powerlifting.  No matter how much I love it - I suck at it.  I hurt myself and while looking for a lightweight workout I stumbled across the principles of HST - etothepi had mentioned it several times before but I kind of just didn't listen thinking - yeah right - lightweight BS for pansies.  OK so I was wrong.

Try the stretches, if they don't help see a doctor before resuming lifting.

Good luck.
 
Why were you grabbing your ankles?    
rock.gif
  (just kidding)

I got sciatica from squats.  It really pissed me off cuz I like 'em -- love squats.  I went to a  chiro / sports Dr.  sometimes I think they are better than real MDs.  (and cheaper)

she worked on my back.  I iced it.  and did special exercizes.  Now I do hack squats.  Not as good but it works.  I do static holds durring shrugs to give the same stress to my upper body.


So it is not the end of the world. But you may have to tweek your program.  I would be happy to discuss this further if you want.  


But I think you should definatly address the problem. Your goal should be to not let it get worse. So don't ignor it.

Bob
 
I had the same problem with the SI joint, but only from biking and the day after squats.
I did the same stretches and after two weeks, no more pain.
I do those stretchs once a week now and all is good.

Deep squats for a better life!

Pierre
 
Suck your damn stomach in!

If you don't your back archs, and at the least you'll have a bloody sore back, the worse you'll get damaged disks and so forth.

So brace your abdominal muscles, or "core" muscles while squatting, in fact you should brace your core when you do any exercise to stop your back arching.
 
Ok, thanks alot for the replies
biggrin.gif


good to know my squatting days aren't over
smile.gif


I'll have to be more careful in the future.. Maybe I should switch to easy good mornings instead of squats for a cycle... or would that just inflame the back.. dammit, hate not knowing..

would you agree with the exercises in http://exrx.net/ExInfo/Weaknesses.html#anchor130067 under : "Erector Spinae Weakness" as well?

S.
 
I'd suggest the opposite of peakpower - Your body has a built in weight belt consisting of the transverse abdominus, abdominal obliques, and the lower back muscles.

This is best activated by taking in a big belly full of air and blowing that stomach out, keeping the natural arch of the back, not letting it round forward and sqatting that way - this is the way you see the powerlifters moving huge amounts of weights.

Good mornings are a hamstring exercise - they don't really hit the quads whereas the squat hits the hams and quads.  I do them in addition to my SLDL because my hams need the most work.  If your low back is giving you trouble they are risky.  I do them but belt up and make sure the weight is low enough so that I can totally control it and not risk my low back at all - even though my problem is SI, not up in my actual back.

If you are looking to do something different try trap bar deadlifts - they are basically a squat/deadlift combined and some say - much easier on the back.
 
<div>
(vagrant @ Oct. 02 2006,21:20)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Your body has a built in weight belt consisting of the transverse abdominus, abdominal obliques, and the lower back muscles.

This is best activated by taking in a big belly full of air and blowing that stomach out, keeping the natural arch of the back, not letting it round forward and sqatting that way - this is the way you see the powerlifters moving huge amounts of weights.</div>
I see what you mean, it activates the TA and keeps everything locked in place. Sucking the stomach in works as well but the main thing is to stop the back over-arching and the Erector Spinae bearing too much load. I will try this &quot;belly out&quot; thing next time I squat.
 
It's worth a try. Since each of our bodies react a little differently - some do better sucked in, some puffed out. I kept getting hurt until Mr Pinder reccomended Puffing mine out - it helped a great deal.

One warning though, just like doing too much direct oblique work - doing it the way I do may work against the tiny waist/V-taper most of us strive for.

Myself, I don't care for that, I'd prefer not to get hurt. - besides I've still got loose abdominal skin to fill with muscle from when I was so fat - distended abs help there a bit. I just try to make up the difference by working my lats harder to make them wider.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top