Squatting injuries

[Quiksilver]

So, according to my mother, who is a doctor who specializes in studying bones, I almost paralyzed myself squatting today. Cheery thought isn't it?

2. 20-Rep back squats:
20x245
the back of my head hurt like hell by the 16th or 17th rep, my arms and hands were numb and tingling, my vision was going white, and i thought i was going to black out. Only the 2nd week of doing these(instead of LP), and already they are harder than I gave them credit for. I would go so far as to say that 20x245 is far harder than 6x315.

Apparently this happens when you apply pressure to the C6 disc in your spine. Enough pressure and I would have--according to her--been potentially paralyzed.

Can anyone with enough squatting exposure confirm that this type of injury is possible?

I don't know how it could have happened, my form was more or less perfect, albiet abit shaky past the 15-16th rep. Could it potentially happen if, when fatigued as i obviously was, you start to use your lower back to push the bar up in sort of a Good Morning type maneuver?

Just trying to clear this up. Getting under the bar with the thought "I could paralyze myself here" isn't the best frame of mind.

 

[stronglifts]

So, according to my mother, who is a doctor who specializes in studying bones, I almost paralyzed myself squatting today. Cheery thought isn't it?



Apparently this happens when you apply pressure to the C6 disc in your spine. Enough pressure and I would have--according to her--been potentially paralyzed.

Can anyone with enough squatting exposure confirm that this type of injury is possible?

I don't know how it could have happened, my form was more or less perfect, albiet abit shaky past the 15-16th rep. Could it potentially happen if, when fatigued as i obviously was, you start to use your lower back to push the bar up in sort of a Good Morning type maneuver?

Just trying to clear this up. Getting under the bar with the thought "I could paralyze myself here" isn't the best frame of mind.

Your bar placement is not right. It should not rest on the neck/spine:
-olympic style: bar on the traps
-powerlifting style: bar on the posterior delts

Form
-chest forward
-shoulders back
-narrow grip
-elbows back
-squeeze your shoulderblades together

This will tighten your back muscles, so the bar has a place to rest on.

 

[wolf116]

I don't believe you can teach yourself to squat. go to a powerlifting gym and get them to teach you.

 

[kickureface]

is it just me or doesthe back sometimes start getting sore during squats?

 

[stronglifts]

is it just me or doesthe back sometimes start getting sore during squats?

Everything gets sore during a squat

 

[insidious]

I fractured my C2 vertebrae in a car accident 2 years ago. Understandably, I'm a little careful about my squats, but I do them. As Stronglifts told you, the bar should be resting on your shoulders. 245 lbs of direct force on your spine man, geesh, I don't know....!

 

[Being_the_Don]

Your post brings it home that we have to be very careful when working out. I hurt myself doing barbell rows yesterday. Right in my upper back. It was very uncomfortable for a while then got better as time went by. When I got up this morning I let the hot water hit that area for a long time. It helped but now sitting at the computer it feels a little stiff. I shouldn't have increased the weights on those yet. I got ****y. I'll learn.

 

[stronglifts]

Your post brings it home that we have to be very careful when working out. I hurt myself doing barbell rows yesterday. Right in my upper back. It was very uncomfortable for a while then got better as time went by. When I got up this morning I let the hot water hit that area for a long time. It helped but now sitting at the computer it feels a little stiff. I shouldn't have increased the weights on those yet. I got ****y. I'll learn.

It's a shame, but it's true. Most of us learn that technique is important, once they start to injure themselves. The more stubborn the person, the more this is true. I'm very stubborn & injured myself a lot.

Anyway. Strength training is safer than any other sports. My friends/co-workers who are envolved in racket sports, team sports, contact sports are more injured than me. However in some minds, having 200kg in your hands is unsafe.

A chair or couch is more deadly than the deadlift. Check the amount of hernia's in big companies.

 

[Being_the_Don]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/index.html

I found a good bodybuilding website for anyone who's interested.

 

[Throttle]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/index.html

ugh. send people anywhere but there. t-nation, ironaddicts, anywhere else. it's not that everything at bb.com is wrong or misguided, but a lot is, and it's impossible to sort through the chaff.

 

[Celadus]

www.wannabebig.com

THe people there are..a lot more mature about training and everything else. Lots of idiots at bodybuilding.com

 

[stronglifts]

www.wannabebig.com

THe people there are..a lot more mature about training and everything else. Lots of idiots at bodybuilding.com

I agree about the maturity on bodybuilding.com

Too much wiseguys.

 

[mrRuckus]

Listen to stronglifts.

The bar has no business being on the spine. It rests on muscles.

Are you looking up? Don't.

 

[Being_the_Don]

ugh. send people anywhere but there. t-nation, ironaddicts, anywhere else. it's not that everything at bb.com is wrong or misguided, but a lot is, and it's impossible to sort through the chaff.

I'll bookmark those. As for bodybuilding.com I found them last week, I didn't check out their forums or anything just the info on lifts. I use it for what I can, sort out what I don't need. Put on a scale of 1-10, what are the best bodybuilding sites? Short list.

 

[stronglifts]

I'll bookmark those. As for bodybuilding.com I found them last week, I didn't check out their forums or anything just the info on lifts. I use it for what I can, sort out what I don't need. Put on a scale of 1-10, what are the best bodybuilding sites? Short list.

Have you checked StrongLifts.com ?

 

[Being_the_Don]

Have you checked StrongLifts.com ?

Yeah, I checked out your site yesterday just before I PM'd you. Useful stuff there.

 

[stronglifts]

Personally, I believe that everyone who squats over time will inevitably experience lower back pain, no matter how perfect the form.

Heavy squatting loads the spine. There's no discussion about that.

Whether you get low back pain or no, that's a different story.

Read this: Deadlifts & Hernia

 

[kickureface]

wont deadliftingh heavy work out the lower back so it can take the load?
and loading the spine, isnt that bad?

 

[stronglifts]

wont deadliftingh heavy work out the lower back so it can take the load?
and loading the spine, isnt that bad?

spinal loading is compression of the vertebra.

Even when keeping the spine neutral, you don't get a perfect vertical compression of the vertebra, because of the s-curve of the spine.

The heavier the weight, the higher the compression.

what to do:
-decompress the spine (hang on pull-up bar for long periods of time for example)
-strong core: back & ab muscles
-proper posture of the lower back
-hip mobility
-glute activation
-etc...

 

[Quiksilver]

Right, there's some lasting effect from that day.

Every time my HR goes up now(cardio, lifting, sex) I get an absolutely massive and unbearable headache(throbbing pain) in the back of my skull.

I might go see my doctor about it.