Inflexible hamstrings due to herniated disk
Hi! I've recently started a friend of mine on SS. He's squatting, benching and pressing just fine. However he is unable to deadlift.
His hamstrings (especially on the right side) are so inflexible, that he can barely reach the top of his knees with a straight back and slight knee bend. Some years ago he had a lumbar disk herniation and has not gotten surgery. He avoids surgery, because of the possible complications. There was no obvious reason for the injury, he just woke up in pain one morning.
According to the physical therapist, that he went to, the disk puts pressure on the nerves, that connect with the hamstrings. That's supposedly the reason for his flexibility issues.
Our strategy so far is to have him do back extensions and assisted chins after squatting and pressing. The idea is, that the back extensions will improve his flexibility to a point, where he can do rack pulls. Then we will try to lower the pin height over time, until he can pull of the floor.
Is this a viable strategy? Does anyone here have experience with treating such a problem? His range of motion has only increased very slightly over the last three weeks.
He is 22 years old, 6'2", 220 lbs.