About 4-5 weeks ago, I have tried low bar squatting and it has helped my squatting tremendously! However, my lower back/pelvic area has been very tight! I noticed it about 3 weeks ago on a de-load week when squatting. It’s progressively gotten tighter and more painful each day. I have trouble bending forward because it’s so tight. In efforts to relieve my pain, I have tried stretching everything (glutes, hamstrings, quads, hips), foam rolling everything, and strengthening exercises.
The two things that I noticed immediate relief from was when I did some lacrosse ball rolling on my glutes and glute briges with a barbell. After I did these the first time, I noticed immediate relief and it felt like I never even had back pain at all. However, the tightness and pain would come back and when I try to do the same things, they don’t give me relief anymore.
I don’t know what to do. On a side note, I got in a car accident about 10 months ago. Since then, I do know that my left hip is slightly higher than my right and my left psoas is also tight. My right side seems to be weaker than my left. A massage therapist has stated this as well. Finally, when I look in the mirror at a side view, it does seem like I have a slight anterior pelvic tilt. I’m just not sure what to do and it’s very depressing.
Does anyone have any sort of ideas or anything? I just feel stuck.
Try high bar squats and front squats. The only thing that helped my back. I have scoliosis and spondylolithesis and shit. My left hip is higher than the right and it stings like hell if I low bar squat. Even just standing with it like that. Started high bar squatting and the pain doesnt come up anymore during squats.
Also it allows me to finish with my ass a lot more at the top and can finally do higher reps without being in pain the whole time. Front squats are also awesome. As soon as I started squatting high bar I started squatting everyday, alternating front and backs, its been real nice.
I’d keep up with the stretching. Finding a competent PT or even massage therapist is the best option, however it is difficult and expensive.
Next time you have a session with your masseuse have her do this:
The hip flexors are notoriously difficult to stretch by yourself, especially if they are already tight. I haven’t had this done in awhile, but it was instant relief to a lot of my issues and allowed me to start working on my hip flexors by myself.
Also for the relief of the pain and stiffness. Use the foam roller and ball but roll all the way down to hamstring it can be causing tension as well. Then roll all the Way up to the top of the trap. This whole chain of muscles could be pulling opposite directions and causing the issue.
The traps could be upset from the lower bar position, and the hams will be hit harder from the lowbar squat as well. All this could be a major factor.
I have had lordosis issues and extremely tight hips and low back in the past. So bad that I couldn’t drive a car longer than 20 minutes before having to get out because of the pain or couldn’t stand longer than 30 or so minutes without having to sit down. It was all from low-bar squatting.
Basically, treat the lordosis and read up on the condition. It is corrective, but does take time. For months I would work on stretches multiple times a day, every day.
Some things that worked for me:
-Stop low bar squatting.
-I did nothing but FRONT squats for 8 months. This ultimately improved my back squat with a higher bar position.
-Foam rolling and stretching twice per day, every day. Do everything.
-Yoga. I do about 4 to 5 poses twice a week still.
-Work your abs every day. Use an ab wheel at least three times per week too. I have worked up to where I do sets of 30 now.
-Pay a lot of attention to the hip flexors, rectus femoris, piriformis. “Smaller” muscles I feel contributed to my problems.
Not saying you have the same issues, but this is what I did. It was a lot of trial and error for me, but a lot of this stuff I do now every day I train and I have not had any problems since. Hope you can get feeling normal again soon.
