Helping my buddy with a pinched nerve in neck

[bikesandcars]

I have been trying to get my untrained friend into SS. He finally said he would come for a workout then called me the morning of and said he had been in the ER all night with a "pinched nerve in his neck". He said it sent shooting pains into his chest and down his arm (why he went to the ER). His "hand was numb". All signs negative for heart attack. They put him on pain killers and muscle relaxers and sent him home.

Fast forward a week: He is now doing physical therapy 2x a week (mostly stretching).

I asked him what the x-ray or MRI said, he said they didn't do anything like that, just told him pinched nerve.

Is there any training protocol for something like this?

[Nick D'Agostino]

There is no protocol for this, and it is not that extraordinarily uncommon. Your friend probably fine and just needs to accommodate the low bar position. He does not require stretching in PT. If he wants to low bar, he needs to perform the Horn Stretch explained in a video on this site. Training is going to be hard and uncomfortable, and if this is his first time doing something like this, make it as easy as possible. Start extra light and set the expectation that it is going to be sore. You want to reduce the fear surrounding the sensations following training.

[bikesandcars]

... If he wants to low bar, he needs to perform the Horn Stretch explained in a video on this site...

We got together and discussed his situation and training, we went through the concepts of starting strength and I emailed him to the website / books / etc for details.

I did a brief example of a low bar squat. I had him try it. Shoulder mobility was poor, he couldn't get under the bar. How did you know he would need to do this Horn Stretch to low bar? (It's like you've done this before).

[Nick D'Agostino]

lol that is precisely the reason