Lifting again after long break, aches, pains, etc.

[EbolaMonkey]

A little about myself:

39
5' 11", 185
Had a Birmingham hip resurfacing January 2015.
Have a bad disc in my lower back, get cortisone shots every 9 months or so.

I've tried to stay in shape over the years. I'm 2008 or 9 I was 250#, got off my ass, did P90X, ran, and I got down to about 185#in about 6 months. I started having serious lower back and hip pain that my doctors blamed on the bad disc for years. In November 2014 I went in for a cortisone injection, and the pain management Dr. told me I had an arthritic hip. Turns out my hip was shot, and I had the resurfacing done in January 2015. I was back up to 225#at that point. In May when I was done with pt, and feeling good I got back to activity, walking a lot, biking, and in August or so started lifting again. My low back, and hips are weak from years of problems.

In November I started doing stronglifts 5x5. It went good until about 115# squat, then I got hip flexor pain. I took a few days off squatting, iced, stretched, did body weight squats, etc. Went back at 120#, felt OK, but then hurt later. Took a week off, iced, stretched, did body weight really concentrating on good form then did empty bar, then 65#, then 85# for the next 3 workouts. After squatting 85#today I have pain again. It felt OK during my workout.

Additionally I have some low back pain (not the bad disc) I believe from a bad form set of rows at 115#. I don't think I had my core tight enough at the start, and felt it on the second or third rep.

Does this sound like par for the course?

I'm not too proud to step back as I did on squats, but I don't want to stop completely. SL had been working for me, and I really want to keep moving forward.

My SL lifts are below
Squat 120
Bench 130
Row 115
OHP 90
DL 185

tl:dr

Old guy with hip replacement, doing SL 5X5 is having pains. Needs advice.

[peter52x52]

did you try lowering the weight? the weight might be too much for you're weak joints at your age

[EbolaMonkey]

I did lower my squat weight after hip flexor pain started, and have been working back up. Aggravated it again on the way back up. I haven't lowered anything else yet. I'll see how this lower back pain is tomorrow, and the next day.

[JOHN GARGANI]

In November I started doing stronglifts 5x5. It went good until about 115# squat, then I got hip flexor pain. I took a few days off squatting, iced, stretched, did body weight squats, etc. Went back at 120#, felt OK, but then hurt later. Took a week off, iced, stretched, did body weight really concentrating on good form then did empty bar, then 65#, then 85# for the next 3 workouts. After squatting 85#today I have pain again.

you wrote it, BUT, did you actually listen to what you wrote??????

is not your body giving you a very clear message?

forget about progressive weight addition with squats...sorry.....the pattern will simply continue: for whatever reason it wants, our body at various ages for various movements, tells us when it's had enough...

your body is telling YOU!

listen.....

hey, you can have squats in your life, but you cannot pursue the Riddle of Steel and chase something that your hip is simply not going to allow anymore.

[Watsonm5]

This would be an ideal time to start a program like Fierce 5. Check your form, reset with light weights and work from there. Remember ... LESS IS MORE! This actually works.

[BarbellMike]

you wrote it, BUT, did you actually listen to what you wrote??????

is not your body giving you a very clear message?

forget about progressive weight addition with squats...sorry.....the pattern will simply continue: for whatever reason it wants, our body at various ages for various movements, tells us when it's had enough...

your body is telling YOU!

listen.....

hey, you can have squats in your life, but you cannot pursue the Riddle of Steel and chase something that your hip is simply not going to allow anymore.

^^ This.

There is no point risking your health and well being for some gains. A person with an injury such as yours are extremely limited in the weight they can lift, your legs may be able to handle it by your hip cannot. The only thing i can think of is focus more on time under tension rather than a strength routine.

[MrNismo]

Probably not what you want to hear but I basically spent the last year+ with a focus on movement quality and mobility to be able to squat almost perfectly and pain free now. Id' tried many times to just 'lower the weight' but in reality even with a 45lb bar on my back my squat still sucked.

Not saying that's what you should do or not but definitely agree with others in this thread that trying to progress the weight is crazy in your current state. Either stop doing squats or put in the work to make sure you can do them pain free which could consist of lots of mobility work, soft tissue work and stretching.

[shaneinga]

you wrote it, BUT, did you actually listen to what you wrote??????

is not your body giving you a very clear message?

forget about progressive weight addition with squats...sorry.....the pattern will simply continue: for whatever reason it wants, our body at various ages for various movements, tells us when it's had enough...

your body is telling YOU!

listen.....

hey, you can have squats in your life, but you cannot pursue the Riddle of Steel and chase something that your hip is simply not going to allow anymore.

Welcome back John.

[EbolaMonkey]

Thanks for the replies. I guessed I wasn't clear about my pain. It was in my non-surgical hip. The hip that was replaced had been pain free for the most part. The low back pain from my bad form set of rows passed.

As I mentioned I was going to give it the weekend and try again. I did my stronglifts workout this morning with the following weights.

Squat:
45×5
65×5
85×5
95×5×5

OHP:
45×5
65×5
85×5
95×5×5

Dead lift:
135×5
165×5
195×5

I was pain free from warm up through post workout stretches.

While I'm sure my form is far from perfect I am focused on it. I film my first and last set of each exercise every workout, and try to correct any mistakes I see. I have been reading SS, and absorbing as much as I can.

[lsiberian]

I would never advise someone with a previous hip surgery to do heavy squats.

I'm not sure Stronglifts is a good program for a 39 year old man with joint issues either. Unless you want to be a powerlifter I suggest something different.

What are your goals OP?

[mikenorwood961]

A little about myself:

39
5' 11", 185
Had a Birmingham hip resurfacing January 2015.
Have a bad disc in my lower back, get cortisone shots every 9 months or so.

I've tried to stay in shape over the years. I'm 2008 or 9 I was 250#, got off my ass, did P90X, ran, and I got down to about 185#in about 6 months. I started having serious lower back and hip pain that my doctors blamed on the bad disc for years. In November 2014 I went in for a cortisone injection, and the pain management Dr. told me I had an arthritic hip. Turns out my hip was shot, and I had the resurfacing done in January 2015. I was back up to 225#at that point. In May when I was done with pt, and feeling good I got back to activity, walking a lot, biking, and in August or so started lifting again. My low back, and hips are weak from years of problems.

In November I started doing stronglifts 5x5. It went good until about 115# squat, then I got hip flexor pain. I took a few days off squatting, iced, stretched, did body weight squats, etc. Went back at 120#, felt OK, but then hurt later. Took a week off, iced, stretched, did body weight really concentrating on good form then did empty bar, then 65#, then 85# for the next 3 workouts. After squatting 85#today I have pain again. It felt OK during my workout.

P90x and running messed you up, so you started stronglifts? I can see how P90x could mess up your back, and running outside for sure. OP should do yoga, swimming, run only on treadmill, stationary bike.

It really sucks that your back and hips are janked up. Don't make them worse. No one is questioning your work ethic or dedication, completely the opposite, but damage is done and won't be undone.