Stronglifts back injury

[danilo]

So I've been doing the stronglifts program for about a year or so. I got to the goal of 1.5x body weight on a 1 rep max and actually exceeded it by being able to do a full 5x5 set of 235lbs @ 155lb body weight

Now at some point last thursday I was doing my squat and deadlift. When I finished, I felt my lower back kinda tight. I took a week off and when I went to squat yesterday again at a much lighter weight. I hurt my back again, this time worse, I could hardly even drive in my car. Couldn't even bend down to touch my toes and I can usually lay my hands flat on the ground.

I went to the chiropractor, and he's helped me alot (I feel much better than this morning) and he just said I may have done something wrong and re-injuring it will be much easier.

What may I have done wrong? I've never had lower back problems, I'm 26. I always strive to maintain proper form. I'm really disappointed by this as squat has become one of my favorite exercises in the gym and I thought I was really doing it right.

How long should I stay away from back squat and deadlift?
How should I approach it on returning to it?
And what other exercises should I do to replace or prevent future injury?

 

[LS7]

Go and get it checked out by a doctor. You may have injured one of the intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine. The doc will probably do the leg raise test to check for this.

I'm speaking from experience here as I had an annular tear IVD L4-L5, but not a very serious case, also injured while squatting. Healing time and some physio sorted me, I was back training in 8 weeks and I've been fine since.

 

[Nicola]

You should have somebody watch your form.

It's likely the deadlifts hurt your back if it was either squat or deadlifts.

Stronglifts IMHO isn't something you stick to forever. It's fine to start with but the intensity of that much squatting and deadlifting every week is tough.

 

[Dar FTW]

you should probably go to a doctor. then you'll have a better idea of whats going on, how long recovery will take, etc. i don't think a chiropractor diagnosing you as having done something wrong will do much good for you.

 

[Cary Grant]

Understand that one person's "perfect form" may not be yours... and even if everything is perfect, living heavy creates risks... and the heavier you go, the more the risk. You might have had a little inflammation, for example and a disc reacted differently.

 

[danilo]

well the chiropractor put me in various positions, lifted my legs in multiple ways, he checked my muscles in my lower back and told me I definitely had some inflamation in the muscles and that they were spasming.

He told me to not do squats for a bit, and if I start doing it again do it on the smith machine (which I probably won't do). Because to me, if you do the squat properly it won't hurt your back, but rather strengthen it.

Maybe I need to add some other exercises to strengthen my 'core' so I don't have this problem again?

 

[Gradstudent78]

Originally Posted by danilo

He told me to not do squats for a bit, and if I start doing it again do it on the smith machine (which I probably won't do). Because to me, if you do the squat properly it won't hurt your back, but rather strengthen it.

Definitely go see a different doctor

 

[danilo]

To add to my description, I don't use any weight training belt or anything.

When I went last week and I saw him, I felt progressively better through the week. My mistake was squatting again last night, I wasn't fully healed and it hurt even more.

I'm going to see how I feel for the next couple of days, I can't see a doctor this weekend anyways.

 

[danilo]

Originally Posted by Gradstudent78

Definitely go see a different doctor

he's not a trainer or a coach or even a sports doctor, so I can see where he's coming from by recommending a smith machine, as that gives a controlled motion.

From a training perspective I don't think it's a good idea because it's an unnatural motion, so I think it wouldn't be as 'involving' but I'm sure it's safer in a sense for some. I won't be using it, if I can't squat, I won't squat, but I'm not using the smith machine.

 

[tesseract]

Originally Posted by Gradstudent78

Definitely go see a different doctor
seriously, this guy doesnt know what hes talking about.

 

[db_ggmm]

Go to a doctor, get a referral to a physical therapist.

 

[Scrumhalf]

Stop seeing a chiropractor and go see a regular doctor. He will prescribe some kind of anti-inflammatory medication and a muscle relaxant, typically cyclobenzaprine. After about a week to 10 days of taking this stuff, you'll be back to normal. He will also in all likelihood suggest a round of physical therapy.

I have had this kind of stuff before multiple times. Luckily, it has always been a muscle issue. Beyond that, it could be, in increasing order of severity, a bulging disc, a ruptured disc and a herniated disc. But a doctor is the one who can diagnose this best.

Suffering through it is for fools. Go see a doctor and he will do the right diagnosis and prescribe the right medication for this.

 

[danilo]

Ok, in the meantime, my wife has Soma carisprodol which is a muscle anti-inflamatory as well as Percocet. lol we have a street pharmacy in our medicine cabinet

maybe I should take a Soma for some muscle relaxing?

I really don't think this is as serious as a disc issue, and if I don't feel at all better this week I will go see a doctor... however I'm not sure I have the best doctor either. Last time I had a stomach problem he gave me some antibiotics and I got even worse, leading me to go to a Gastroenterologist at which point after some disturbing studies I was diagnosed to have an issue caused by the antibiotics given to me in the first place. Not fun.

 

[Scrumhalf]

Go see a sports specialist. With a primary care physician, it is often hit or miss. I have a relatively young PCP and he works out and can relate to the kinds of things I see him for, which is invariably something from the gym..

If you have some old fogey, ymmv....

 

[danilo]

yeah, he's some fat indian guy... I don't think he can relate to anything sports related at least not in his own experience. But he's great at handing out antibiotics!