squat alternative for someone with back injury

[tommio]

i messed up my lower back when about 8 years ago. I still have back pains and back stiffness here and there.

i have hard time working out my lower back or doing anything that puts too much pressure on my lower back. examples dead lifts and squats.

what are good alternatives that are easier on the back ?

[dtelliott]

I would think leg presses? Just letting you know I feel for you...I took a spill rock climbing and had a discectomy for a bulging disc about 3 months ago. Get to start back in June.

[Ochman44]

Leg press you can injure yourself as well on when you go all the way down and your butt rises off the seat it puts undue stress on your lumbar area. If I were you I'd stick with non spinal loaded exercises like single leg stuff like lunges, split squats, step ups, glute ham raises. You could try front squats as well if you could get the form down they tend to be a lot more low back friendly than back squats due to your upright posture when performing them.

[mydamnself]

Properly performed kettlebell swings. I used to have a jacked up lower back and those fixed them. Now I have a weird chunk of muscle back there and my lower back is strong as hell.

[bango skank]

light squats? front squats?

[aldinton]

Hack squats may be a good exercise because your back is supported, but I think it's still best not to overdo it.

[MISSINGLINK]

Did you go to the doctor and get it checked out?

[jerrymaker]

i also have lower back trouble and i got the safety squat bar, and this bar does not need to be supported by your hands at all and this made all the difference in the world. see if your gym has one and try it.

[tommio]

Did you go to the doctor and get it checked out?

no i didn't. probably the worst idea ever. the injury was from over 7 years ago. i woke up this morning with a stiff back. sucks. right now im unemployed and well and i am uninsured. soon as i get some money saved up, i plan on going to the doctors and seeing a chiropractor.

i mean... its a minor problem now. it's stiff for a few a lil bit when i first wake up. i usually stretch and have to move around a lil bit before the stiffness goes away. but i know it will cause problems when i am older (in my 40s probably). so i'm going to take the precaution now to strengthen and seek help (when i can afford it).

[uncbob]

Go Here

http://www.mckenziemdt.org/

Get their back book

I know 4 people that fixed their problems using the exercises in it