Spondylolisthesis at L5 and lifting.

[Sarindre]

Some background. My husband works a really physically hard job as a welder and is following IIFYM with me. Yay! He loves to lift and really pushed me into it! About two weeks ago his back started to hurt him and like any guy he didn't go to the doctors right away and it was getting worse. Well I finally forced him and it turns out after some X-rays and a second opinion he has minor spondylolisthesis at L5. He is crushed. Not only did his doctor tell him not to lift (no squats, no deadlifts, just light core work) he is worried about his job since he has to lift heavy things all the time.

However, I have found some information online from others that say lifting is possible if you start light and many have said they have no pain from lifting and doing squats.

I guess I am just here wondering if anyone has this and lifts or knows people that have this and lift and what kind of exercises they do.

Thank you all!

[Mark Rippetoe]

What grade has the lesion been assigned? If Grade 1, he can probably just train normally, without and situps or back extensions.

[Will Morris]

What are the chances he had the spondylolisthesis for a long time prior to his back ever hurting?

[kittenSmash]

I had the same thing a few years back. I tried not lifting for a couple months, and I felt horrible. Squats and spinal decompression felt great. I also benched with my feet up while it was hurting. In my experience, train through it smartly.

[MWittmer]

I know a guy with a spondylolisthesis (also at L5) which is slightly worse than a grade two, and he squatted 700. Actually, he has no low back pain, it was an incidental finding. Everyone is unique and it is even possible, perhaps likely, the spondylo isn't the pain generator.

[Jacob R]

Everyone is unique and it is even possible, perhaps likely, the spondylo isn't the pain generator.

^^ This.

There are studies that show most people have back abnormalities of some description, and that the abnormalities are generally not correlated with back pain.

[Kelli Nielson]

I'm currently working with an individual with spondylolisthesis (L5). Going slow and being extremely particular about form. He is following SS LP. If I were you, I would find a SSC to work with regarding form and programming.

[sherwooa]

I was diagnosed w/grade I/II spondylolisthesis at L5/S1 3 years ago and had no back pain but started developing bad sciatica, which got worse. Had a decompression surgery 1.5 years ago to relieve the stenosis and sciatica (which worked wonders), and following a bit of rehab work have gradually built back up to lifting fairly heavy and feel great. I don't deadlift that often, but I do squat quite a bit and do some oly work too. I also do some spinal decompression (on my own) and avoid situps and similar types of "core" work, but do planks and bird dogs as well.