Hips uneven/ lower back pain; please help.

[benmilano]

When I get under the bar to squat, something feels off before I even begin. I've been to Physical Therapy and have been told my hips are uneven/ rotated, however nothing they're doing is really working to fix the issue.

When I squat or deadlift, the day after the workout or the next day i usually have tightness and pain in my lower back, specifically the left portion of my lower back. I feel like my left leg/ hip is functioning correctly and that I can't seem to fix the right portion of my hip to track in the way I need it to.

Here's a video of my squat form. Any advice would be awesome, thanks.

form sucks x2 - YouTube

[David A. Rowe]

Will post a stretch to do after a squat warm ups when I get home. Recommend massage therapy/chiropractic until you get stronger. Do you sit a lot at home/work?

[benmilano]

I was sitting a lot when studying for finals/ throughout my first year of college but I try to be as active as possible. Would you recommend massage therapy/ chiropractors over physical therapy?

[Satch12879]

You aren't "uneven."

It looks as though your right foot is slightly farther out with your toe pointed a bit more outward than you left. Can you confirm that?

What are your current lifts? Height, weight, age?

You don't need massage therapy, a chiropractor, or physical therapy. Three sets of five reps with increasing weight three times a week will do you.

[benmilano]

I actually thought it was the opposite. I felt like my left foot/ knee was tracking more out than my right.

I'm 5'11, 165 lbs, and 19 years old.

I haven't maxed out on deadlift or squat because every time I get passed around 225 my lower back is in pain. And it's specifically the left side of my lower back. At first I thought I was just a bitch and worked through it, but that lead to me pinching a nerve in my back.

At the moment I'm not as worried about progressing as I am just fixing my form so I can progress later safely.

[GOMAD]

I get the same symptoms. lower back pain, and pain on the right side of the lower back. I have an outward rotation of my right leg from a broken leg that for whatever reason, makes my right foot want to point outwards. I pay attention to it during the set up of the squat when I've lifted the weight from the rack and that usually keeps things in check. But given my pain, maybe not... Something else to point out to Adam when I see him on Sunday.

[David A. Rowe]

You aren't "uneven."

It looks as though your right foot is slightly farther out with your toe pointed a bit more outward than you left. Can you confirm that?

What are your current lifts? Height, weight, age?

You don't need massage therapy, a chiropractor, or physical therapy. Three sets of five reps with increasing weight three times a week will do you.

Maybe. He's young... probably only needs squats. But maybe not. I tried to just forge ahead and wound up getting hurt and having to lay off lifting for 4 months... all because my pelvis was rotated from sitting all day long. Sometimes, you need a little more than squats in the beginning, and chiropractic/massage work is the least invasive thing I know of.

I agree on the PT, though.

Ben, try this stretch after your warm-up but before your squat worksets. Repeat for both sides. Your sacrum may pop on its own when you stretch. Helps when I feel pain/hips out before I squat (and my back usually pops).

[Ryan Arnold]

I have yet to hear someone give me a good critical analysis of why stretching of the low back (especially twisting it) is a good idea and why it would help someone. Its rare for someone not to have adequate mobility in their low back (especially a 19yo). People who advocate stretching of the low back tend to be people who have low back pain. You don't see a lot of 500lb squatters telling people to stretch to fix their back. Just get stronger.

Now to the OP - the first thing I would do is get checked for a leg length discrepancy. If you have that - which it doesn't seem you do - you may need to lift with a shim under one foot to even it out. Otherwise, you are probably having back pain because your technique is less than solid. Try to work with a SSC in your area, but if not use the technique section to get form checks. Do this with your work sets, and film from the proper angle. Your body will perform differently under load than with the empty bar. Also its much easier to hurt your back if your feet are swooshing around in Nike Frees. I highly recommend investing in some weightlifting shoes. Good luck.

Oh and a (probably related) issue is that you are severely underweight. If you are not recovering properly (sleeping and eating enough) stuff is going to hurt way more than it has to

[David A. Rowe]

I have yet to hear someone give me a good critical analysis of why stretching of the low back (especially twisting it) is a good idea and why it would help someone. Its rare for someone not to have adequate mobility in their low back (especially a 19yo). People who advocate stretching of the low back tend to be people who have low back pain. You don't see a lot of 500lb squatters telling people to stretch to fix their back. Just get stronger.

Fair enough. Here's my critical analysis:

When my back hurts like he says his does... and I DON'T stretch and pop my back... I pull muscles in my sacrum (sometimes severely).

It takes less than a minute to do both sides, and is used only when the issue arises. I say try it and see if it helps. Is it a priority over correct form and DTFP? Not at all, but given it's free and non-invasive... why NOT try it?

[Ryan Arnold]

This is his description of his back pain:

"When I squat or deadlift, the day after the workout or the next day i usually have tightness and pain in my lower back, specifically the left portion of my lower back."

That is not a diagnosis. It basically tells us nothing specific of why his back hurts. He does not know why, and really - neither do we. Therefore we have to be very careful in making recommendations on how to "fix" it. He could have bone cancer. He could have spondylolisthesis. He could have scoliosis. He could have herniated discs. Granted, all these things are quite unlikely. Now you say:

"When my back hurts like he says his does... and I DON'T stretch and pop my back... I pull muscles in my sacrum (sometimes severely)."

His back is not your back. There is no way from his description that you can confidently say that he has the same issue as you.

"but given it's free and non-invasive... why NOT try it?."

I would disagree with this. In my time as a trainer/coach (7 years) I have seen one trainer get fired for overstretching someone's back in that very same manner because the client ended up rupturing something and needing surgery. I have seen people hurt themselves stretching in yoga classes or before or after workouts. And I have yet to see any evidence (or critical analysis) that stretching the low back in that twisting fashion does any more good than harm. That video you posted is easy for someone to mess up. If they are not used to stretching or are very tight in general and twist too far they could certainly make things worse.

In my time in the Starting Strength community I have never heard any doctor, PT(who is a SSC), or SSC recommend stretching the low back in that fashion, especially for an undiagnosed issue.

I would be interested to see if Brodie weighs in here. I think if the OP were to hurt himself doing that stretch you may even be liable.

" Is it a priority over correct form and DTFP?"

Bingo. Just safer to stick to what we know before delving into gray areas