Have Scoliosis: Chiro does not recommend Squats and Deadlifts

sstype

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I was diagnosed with slightly severe scoliosis and underwent a year and a half of chiropractic therapy to correct it. Well I stopped visiting that chiropractor for a month because I finally got my own health insurance but he was not part of it. For the most part he had corrected it and i was doing fine.

I started getting some mild pain on my right upper back recently and visited my in-network chiropractor. He definitely was not as aggressive as my former chiropractor but he did seem to know what he was talking about. I got x-rays done and found out that my curvatures were returning, though it was nothing compared to before.

I had a 5 degree curvature on my lower spine and a 7-8 degree curvature on my upper spine/neck. a very mild cases of recurring scoliosis if you will

He told me I should take it easy on the squats and deadlifts and replace them with leg presses and curls. I am hesitant to take his advice however as we all know squats and deads release testosterone thus providing more growth potential. He told me to avoid the military presses because they compress your spine.

Keep in mind this chiropractor, while smart, was definitely not a shining beacon of physical fitness. On the other hand, i am on week 3 training and I am definitely noticing the beginning of my body getting stronger/bigger.

So my cost/benefit calculator tells me to continue to squat/deadlift but to do it with perfect form. and just lie to the chiro about not doin and continue w/ the therapy anyways. Hell as long as im getting adjusted thats all that matters.

What are your opinions?
 

mrRuckus

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sstype said:
He told me I should take it easy on the squats and deadlifts and replace them with leg presses and curls.
Yea to hell with your knees! save the spine!
 

SamePendo

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I have scoliosis too.

Didn't he explain to you why? It's simple. You are putting weight on your spine, so if it has a curvature, that weight accentuates (sp?) that curvature, and, you can even pop that spine.
 

UltimateScoundrel

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Bodyweight squats. Just crank out as many as you can, work your way up to 250 or so. It get's you huffin' and puffin' like crazy and just builds the **** out of your legs. Some guys say bodyweight exercises can't increase your ability to lift weights and after 25 reps you're only building endurance, but I did nothing but bodyweight exercises while in my first year of college and my weightlifting maxes went through the roof. If you think they are too easy, try doing a one-legged squat, using a wall or chair to steady yourself, and lower your ass until it almost touches the ground and then stand up. Guys I know who squat 400-500 pounds find these pretty challenging.
 

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Warboss Alex

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nothing wrong with leg presses for building your legs. also a hack squat machine should be fine as well.

you can get a perfectly good back with rows, pullups and pulldowns. there would be less spinal compression with rack deadlifts (bar 2" below knee level) - ask if you can do these, they're a great back builder.
 

Shiftkey

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Keep in mind this chiropractor, while smart, was definitely not a shining beacon of physical fitness. On the other hand, i am on week 3 training and I am definitely noticing the beginning of my body getting stronger/bigger.
Knowledge is in your brain, not your muscles.
 
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