Doc Says No More Squats ..ever?!?!

[SmallsMalone]

So I got into a car accident (lousy bitch was playing with her phone or something and rear ended me - luckily it was in a traffic jam so she couldn't get past 25 MPH). The accident fucked up my lower back - doc is betting her license that its a herniated disc. 65% loss of strength in one leg (where I used to do 100 pounds on this one leg with the leg extension machine, I now do 35...barely).

Doc sends me to get XRays done. they do 35 images, all from different angles and positions and shit. Doc looks at them over and over.. turns to me and asks "How many decades have you been lifting heavy?" I am like... "more like 2 years doc. Does this body look like decades of work?" so she looks back at the xRay.. then back at me "Were you ever really obese, like 250, 300 pounds?" I was like "god, no. Heaviest I have ever been was 190" (I'm only 5'7)

She says "well, you have moderate to severe advanced degenerative osteoarthritis on nearly every section in your spine. No matter what, you can never squat or deadlift with weight again, or you could destroy your back"

I'm totally bummed. Squating was my favorite exercise of all. To be honest, I don't know if I should believe her - I am thinking about getting another opinion, and getting an MRI done. My back has always been a little painful if I lay on it too long (like 8 hours of sleep in the same position) or keep it bent too long (sitting cross legged on the floor putting together toys for the kids) but I thought that was same with everyone.

In any case... any advice/alternate lifts you could recommend that would accomplish the same muscle activation as a squat and deadlift??

 

[tileguy123]

rack pulls, seated leg press.. idk get a second opinion from a spinal specialist. one that is fellowship trained. Get them the release and access to all your imaging, since you just went through all this. If you have DDD across your entire spine, you should beable to dicern disc space narrowing, throughout id imagine.

 

[MANWHORE]

The only time I squat is when I bend down
at work to pick up a pen.. even then I hold
the table with one hand

 

[SmallsMalone]

rack pulls, seated leg press.. idk get a second opinion from a spinal specialist. one that is fellowship trained. Get them the release and access to all your imaging, since you just went through all this. If you have DDD across your entire spine, you should beable to dicern disc space narrowing, throughout id imagine.

Thanks bro, will do. I've never done a rack pull, will have to look it up on BB.com.

If I had the DDD that bad... and the discs were gettin smaller and smaller, wouldn't I have lost some height?

 

[SmallsMalone]

The only time I squat is when I bend down
at work to pick up a pen.. even then I hold
the table with one hand

uh... is that because you don't like squatting?? Or medical condition prevents it?

 

[blazinshotguns]

All good . You can join my no leg day group .

 

[MANWHORE]

There isn't enough weight in the gym for me..

I don't go to a gym
I had 300lbs in basement I was in, but even with
25lb dumbbells hanging on each side, it wasn't heavy enough..

Same with Deads.. 40lb dumbbells for 380 deads wasn't enough..
I would have needed to start hanging weight off for bench

So, I figure since I am 44yrs old and I need to be able to
workout anywhere now, I will stick with body weight
I need a pullup bar again

 

[dnoyez]

ALLWAYS CAN DO TYSON SQUATS..NOT SERIOUS...BUT WHAT THE HELL.

 

[jymis]

I would 100% get a 2nd opinion you are talking about a life changing DX and you need it validated by a specialist. We are talking about quality of life not just excercise choices.

 

[4leafclover]

Not only should you get a 2nd opinion, make sure you go to a sports doctor. I was fucked over in my first rehab because I went to a normal doctor, they told me all kinds of whacked out shit. You need someone who is used to looking at an athletes body, who can make a fair assessment if you can ever lift again. That is unless, you're not an athlete

 

[Arnold Strong]

In any case... any advice/alternate lifts you could recommend that would accomplish the same muscle activation as a squat and deadlift??

Hip belt squats

 

[greenddog1]

@SmallsMalone, the first order of business, Imo, is have your condition confirmed by a board certified neurosurgeon or an orthopedic surgeon. Trying other routines is not the answer at this time. I would want to know definitely what I'm up against before just trying to work around the squat issue. Could be, you may create a non correctable problem unnecessarily. Out of curiosity, what type of doc made the original diagnosis. Good luck to you.

 

[tileguy123]

Thanks bro, will do. I've never done a rack pull, will have to look it up on BB.com.

If I had the DDD that bad... and the discs were gettin smaller and smaller, wouldn't I have lost some height?

yes and no.. like everyone including myself has said..

see a fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon or neuro. many work with the ski teams. find a doctor like that , that is the SPINE surgeon. Get his opinion... and sometimes even then you have to get a third opinion..

 

[dnoyez]

DRINKING WINE TONIGHT SO LIKE TO SAY ATLEAST...YOU DONT HAVE TO DO SQUATS ANYMORE,HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE AND SHIT,HMM I DONT KNOW,LIKE YOUR QUIRKY POST ETC AS THEY COME.....YOU CAN DO SISSY SQUATS LEG EXTENSIONS AND SHIT IM NOT SURE WHAT ELSE...BUT...WE ARE GETTING OLD WHATEVER...IM OFF TO READ AND MESS ABOUT IN THE CONSPIRACY FORUM SITES.PEACE BROTHER.

 

[ergomaniac]

In any case... any advice/alternate lifts you could recommend that would accomplish the same muscle activation as a squat and deadlift??

maybe back bridges and pistol squats.
alkavadlo.com/2012/09/04/bodyweight-deadlift-alternatives
id bet most guys here would be challenged by pistol squats.
and get a second opinion.

 

[SmallsMalone]

Thanks everyone. Definitely getting a second opinion on this. First doc that I saw was an ortho specialist who focuses on sports injuries. But they did not do an mri just xrays.... soni am going back and asking for an mri order. And I will get another opinion on the images after. I bet I am fine and will be back to squatting in no time.

 

[HuckingFuge]

x-rays can only tell if you have a broken bone. I'm not even sure why they still use x-rays these days.

 

[4leafclover]

x-rays can only tell if you have a broken bone. I'm not even sure why they still use x-rays these days.

A sports doc I went to was able to see joint damage using x-rays!

But yah, most used an MRI on me. I think for insurance they make you do the x-ray. Because come to think of it, for all my serious sports injuries, I always did an x-ray first, and it had to be confirmed before my insurance would pay for the additional scans. So it may be an insurance thing?

 

[jymis]

A sports doc I went to was able to see joint damage using x-rays!

But yah, most used an MRI on me. I think for insurance they make you do the x-ray. Because come to think of it, for all my serious sports injuries, I always did an x-ray first, and it had to be confirmed before my insurance would pay for the additional scans. So it may be an insurance thing?

Being a worker for both private and state funded insurance I can say yes, it is an insurance thing that states X-rays to be done first due to cost of the procedures. In most cases an X-ray is sufficient for the Dr. to DX the problem and instead of thousands of dollars being spent its is tens of dollars.

 

[Blacken]

I'm no Doc so I'm not abut to give advice in that field.

What I will try to give is some encouragement by telling you a story. I've been told that crap from my car accident, I also got into an accident same exact way dumb bitch texting while driving rear ended me during rush hour. I did end up with a full herniation, It pinched a nerve in which I lose control of my bladder i couldn't pee even (thank god that fixed on it's own when the inflammation went down from the impact a little.

I re blew my back twice trying to lift again after the accident. What I had to do was start from zero I mean literally body weight with a wooden broom. My deads and squats are nothing like they were but I can do them at least again. I worked on all angles to build myself up I found hip exercises to really help. and back exts eventually before I even dared to dead again. (I'm keeping less detailed as to not make a wall of text but I can give you my exact method I used to rehabilitate myself if you would like)

I'm a slightly crazy bastard that refuses to give up I'd rather die trying. It wasn't the first time I overcame an injury that the doctors said I wouldn't be able to do things again without surgery first was a almost full torn shoulder. Worked that out for a year 1/2.

Keep your head up and fight just don't use ego it's your worst enemy at a time like this.