Squats

[Melly5]

Hi, I am hoping you can help me trouble shoot my squat. I started working with a trainer about 7 years ago, and she was great. I trained with her for about 4 years. My squats were pretty good. I am also a nurse, and unfortunately, I hurt my back. I went to chiropractor, massage therapy, active release therapy and nothing seemed to help. I continued through my workouts the best I could, but my big lifts, especially squats were suffering. I could feel an obvious deficiency on my left side. After about 8 months, my chiropractor sent me for x rays, which showed a spondylolisothesis L4 on L5. This was followed up with a scan, which showed bulging discs and 2 torn disc sacs, and some mild degeneration L4, L5, S1. I also had a partial tear of my left TFL. I did some physio, a rehab program and although my squat form us good, I can't seem to increase my weight. When I do, I end up in terrible pain, with a trip to the chiropractor for re alignment. My squat has gone from 210 lbs to 135 being a challenge. I like to squat. I believe it helped me lose a lot of weight. Is it safe to squat with these injuries? I think sometimes I get frustrated because I know I can lift more, but it doesn't always go well.will I be able to make gains if I am more conservative with my squat weight. I am turning 46 this year, and I need to know if I can correct this.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Is it unfortunate that you hurt your back, because you're a nurse? How did you hurt your back?

[Suwannee Dave]

Melly, if you do have spondelolisthesis, it may not be a good idea to go to a chiropractor.

[Mark Rippetoe]

And the chiropractor should know this.

[Melly5]

I was looking after a patient with huntingtons disease, and they can be in predictable. I was helpung him transfer when he decided to lift both his feet off the ground pulling me in a twisting motion. They say the spondylolisothesis is a grade 1, and my lower spine does twist out of joint, and the chiropractor does seem to help. I feel like each of the issues on their own wouldn't be a big deal, but because there a re a number of them it causes me a lot of grief. So, is it safe to squat, of should I be doing something different. Deadlifts, and dead squats don't seem to be a problem, and front squats are ok, I just seem to be having issue with my back squat.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You developed the spondylolisthesis when you lifted the patient? How do you know it wasn't there before? It usually is, and such a fracture is very uncommon. And what the hell is a "dead squat"?

You haven't read the book, I think.

[Melly5]

Of course no one can say that the spondylolisothesis was caused from the injury, that's just when the pain started. They told me I may have always had it, and not known, and the injury aggravated it. Your not answering my question though. Is it safe to squat? I was squatting fine before the injury. I will read the book.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You want me to tell you, from a board post with essentially no information whatsoever, that it is okay for you to squat with a spondylolisthesis, what grade the spondylolisthesis is, and having no idea whether you even know what the word "squat" means because you have not read the book.

No, I'm not going to tell you that, because I don't know. Many people squat with this injury. That is all I can say.

[wal]

And what the hell is a "dead squat"?

I think it is a squat that starts at the bottom and goes up. Mark are you really sure that some of these questions are genuine? I mean it does not make sense, a nurse in a hospital would surely have access to better advice and treatment than a chiro, 8 months for an xray for a back injury, I don't get it.

[sking1001]

Yes. It's safe to squat. I'm 43 and about 186 pounds. I have spondy and a bulging disc at L4-L5. I squat twice per week heavy/light and no less than 2x BW on heavy days. Does that answer the question?