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I had an MRI done due to having some low back pain; which has since gone away. I found out that I have some slight degeneration in my spine. There is apparently some lose of fluid around the discs. Anyhow, my doctor told me to stop doing squats. My instinct tells me that I don't want to "baby" my back and just let it continue to degenerate. I feel like I should try to keep my abs and low back muscles as strong as possible and keep doing squats and deadifts etc. - just very carefully. Then again, I'm not the one licensed to practice medicine.

Anyhow, has anyone else had low back pain and been told to stop squatting? Did you get a second opinion and if so what were you told?

That would really suck if you couldn't do them anymore. I would suggest getting another opinion. I would try to find a sports related physician or someone who appreciates how much you workout. I have never heard of someone not being able to squat because of lower back degeneration. But I suggest not to disregard your physician until you can have another qualified individual who can back up what you suspect is possible.

Although I love/hate squats if I were in your case and I did have several opinions that dissuaded me from doing them I would make the leg press my new best friend. Maybe you can also wear one of those belts to help isolate your back. I haven't worn one when I finally learned how to do all of this the right way. But for people with structural issues, maybe it's necessary. And perhaps it can keep you in the gym.

Let us know how it goes.
Good luck.

Go to see a Chiropractor. The back is kind of their thing.
If you can, go see a chiropractor that deals with athletes, and has been doing so for many years.

I think chiropractors are great but they may be contra-indicated for a person with Sashaman's concern. Spinal degeneration is not something that can be corrected with physical adjustments. In fact, and I'm no expert, I would think that it may be dangerous.

You may think it is appropriate not to "baby" it, but I have some friends who have horrible back problems and it really isn't anything to mess with, otherwise you could be in for some very serious and expensive back surgery that will not only curtail your squats but a lot of other activities as well. Get another opinion, but don't think that this isn't a very serious issue.

I am not a physician, but again I do have friends who have gone through hell with their backs.

Good luck!

DON'T MESS WITH YOUR BACK!!!

I haven't done squats for just over a year now. I've had back problems for years due to a number of sports injuries over the years. Last year, after soreness in the back, I went to the doc and she told me to stop with deads and squats. I did. I've had no problems with my back since then and my legs have even gotten bigger.

I do single leg squats and single leg king deads to work around both. I also cycle through sissy squats and a number of other leg positions without weights during my workout. I haven't had a problem with my back since then (knock on wood) and my legs definitely haven't suffered.

With that said, I'm not a power lifter. I'm not training for size. But then if you have back issues, you should probably stay away from power lifting anyway.

And, if you do go to a chiropractor, make sure that they do x-rays (at least) before they touch you. If they don't tell you that they need to do this first, leave.

I'm not going to give medical advice or even take a stand on second/third/forth opinions or which type of doc you should see.

I'll just offer my own personal experience...

I've suffered from back issues since I was 20. That's 28 years now. I have arthritis in my spine and some genetic abnormalities in both my disks and vertebrae that combine to create mechanical and structural "challenges."

I've seen just about every kind of doctor out there, with many difference instances of each kind, some of whom are the absolute tops of their specialties. I've tried all sorts of things. I've had a dozen or more CT, Xray, and MRI scans. And where am I now? For the last two years, I'd say my back has been the best it's ever been since I was 19. I give most of the credit to a very sharp Chiropractor -- she's the 8th or 9th Chiro I've tried over the years. So after finally nailing it, with her help after working on it for 26 years, here's my advice for you and anyone with serious back issues (by serious, I mean disk, vertebral, nervous, or structural issues, not just "sore back muscles"):

1) It's all about your core strength and flexibility. Sacrifice everything for core strength and flexibility. Spend all your time researching and understanding the muscles and structure of your core, and how to develop strength and flexibility. Note I'm always saying strength AND flexibility. With just one or the other, you lose. Only with both do you succeed. With core strength and flexibility, everything else is possible. It is the foundation. Without it you lose. I won't tell you exactly what this means. There's millions of words out there on the net for you to find. Many on this site -- which is a great place to start.

2) Don't go under the knife. Ever. The procedures today are still as medieval as they have been for 50 years.

3) Get over the "cult of the squat." I was a member of the cult. I loved the squat. But it is just too risky a move, and it will ALWAYS find your weak point and fuck you. It is simply a matter of time. Yes it is a great exercise. But for people with serious back issues, the risks are not worth the benefits. And regardless of what the cult says, there are plenty of ways you can achieve strength and mass in your legs without this exercise. Lunges, sissy squats, and presses all can be fine substitutes and there are plenty of variations of each. This site is a great resource for non-squat legwork.

Good luck.

K

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll stop doing squats until I get the clearance from another medical professional. Could probably benefit from incorporating more unilateral movements like lunges anyhow.

I'm all about NOT doing squats anymore. I tweaked my lower back doing them months ago, and it's still giving me problems.

I'm not a big fan of chiro's, but even mine told me to NOT do them as they put severe amounts of pressure on your spine/joints/back. What he DID say I could do instead of barbell squats were smith rack squats. The difference is that your legs are supporting the weight instead of all of it falling on your back. It forces your body to rely more on leg/core strength and helps to reduce the pressure on your spine.

But there are plenty of exercises you can do to build your legs that don't include squats.

As the others have said, DON'T F*CK WITH YOUR BACK. You'll regret it the rest of your life.