Chiro Vs. Squats....

[squatpuke]

Well....went to the Chiro today for work on lower back. He's a pretty stout little fella himself and said he has worked with the Dallas Cowboys and some major colleges. He scolded me a bit for doing squats...

I asked for an alternative and he recommended leg presses and lunges...anything to get the weight off the shoulders and compression off the spine.

While this makes sense, I'm still heistant as I really like squating....

He said I should get an xray of my lowerback, but he said he could feel about 30-50% deteriation of some of my discs....he also recommended that Lortex(sp?) machine that slightly separates your vertabre to add mobility?

What do you guys think?

 

[HunterUk]

I have often wondered that myself, thats a lot of compression on the spine but squats are so fundamental to BBing I don't think I could ever give em up. Would be interested to hear what others think.

 

[bignate73]

lunges are any better? is he assuming bodyweight lunges? if you have to hold weights in your hands you still compress the spine, the only way to get around spinal compression is to put the weight around your waist. not practical. have you thought about doing reverse hypers to help with the decompression?

 

[rbtrout]

One of my buddies is a chiro and says the same thing. BUT, as I was told by another chiro, everyone as they get older will get some degeneration of the discs - it's natural. Since I started really concentrating on form (squats) and including dl's, my lower back pretty much stopped hurting.

 

[anthrax]

The leg press is potentialy just as dangerous

In the end it's all about risks vs benefits.....

 

[blut wump]

I have similar deterioration and my chiro told me not to squat nor do overhead pressing and to be very careful about benching. I don't think he knew about deadlifts.

I couldn't squat anyway without pains in my buttocks but once those had gone, after doing a lot of hamstring stretches over many weeks, I was doing very light squats. A few months ago he asked me whether I was doing anything fresh since my back was the best he'd ever seen it. By then I was squatting heavy and doing bent rows and deads. Nowadays he just jokes about why I bother going to see him when I clearly know more than he does. He has said that he's astonished at the extent to which exercise has helped my muscles improve and take stress away from my spine.

One rule I always follow, though, is that feelings in my back get absolute and final say on whether I can do more sets or reps and I take my back as a good guide on form. I also made a big effort to strengthen my core and I stayed away from my belt for ages on the grounds that if I needed my belt then it was too heavy and that my own core should learn to cope with my lifting.

Of course, we're all different and my problems might be different to yours.

Make sure your chiro gives you a decent handful of stretches to help your condition. If he doesn't then dismiss him and get a new one. I went through three before I found one that I was happy with. Another good sign would be that he makes an effort to massage and relax anything he's about to try and adjust.

 

[squatpuke]

Thanks for the replys...

Blut...funny you should mention switching...

The guy I just saw that gave me this advice is the ONLY chiro that's been able to get my lower back...(the first few verts...I think L1,L2,L3) with little to no effort. I had to see this guy who partners with the guy I usually see.

The guy I usually see doesn't seem to care as much PLUS, he has a real tough time positioning my 270lbs to effective push my hips down...I'm really torn between seeing the first guy (a semi-friend of mine who waves my $25 co-pay) and his partner who really is better...damn I wished I was richer.

 

[blut wump]

It's maybe not such a tough call: if he's not getting the job done being free doesn't help.

I know what you mean about not caring as much. My first chiro was right in the center of town and had a constant flow of clients. He'd give a basic ten minutes during which I'd get a quick attempt at an adjustment to either side and then tossed out on my ear. All the while listening to a constant patter about how important it was to have a good chiro.

My current one always starts with a lower-back massage after his initial rock-to-either-side exam and always seems to find tight muscles I didn't suspect were tight. On my first visit he even got down onto the floor to show me the stretches he wanted me to do. He always gives a half-hour slot and he even gave me a freebie session once when I went back after his adjustment hadn't done the trick.

I know what you mean about the 270lb problem. I weigh about the same and he's always complaining about the effort. I tell him to think of it as a workout. What I like, though, is that he really gets stuck in.

If they're partners he'll probably be ok with a switch. I wouldn't be surprised if they cross-refer clients who are going stale, anyway.

 

[musketeer]

lunges are any better? is he assuming bodyweight lunges? if you have to hold weights in your hands you still compress the spine, the only way to get around spinal compression is to put the weight around your waist. not practical. have you thought about doing reverse hypers to help with the decompression?

Lunges should be better because you will only be using one leg at a time and therefore half the weight - half the compression...

 

[b fold the truth]

I"ve seen my chiropractor squat 315 for reps butt to the floor. He believes that every man on the planet should have to be able to squat 315.

For competitive athletes (not in strength sports) it is quite often used that they will not squat since they CAN put themselves at risk of injury (in many places). It is more important that they can perform on the field with NO injuries or aches than to have a big squat. Nolan Richardson, x coach at Arkansas Basketball, would NOT allow his players to squat.

Of course...a football player worried that squats will be the downfall of his spine is a little funny in itself...

B True