When performing a squat, it is crucial to maintain proper form to avoid placing excessive strain on the lower back. Common mistakes include rounding the back, leaning too far forward, or failing to engage the core muscles properly. These errors can lead to overloading the spine and result in lower back pain.
The Takeaway
Lower back pain after squats is relatively common, especially if you're not squatting with good form, you're lifting too much weight, or you ramped up your squat intensity too quickly.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Your knees will be in line with your feet. As you squat, move your hips back, as if you're about to sit on a chair behind you. This will help keep stress off of your lower back.
Additionally, widening your squat stance slightly can often alleviate some of the pressure on the lower back. Next, pay attention to your form during the squat. Keep your chest up and engage your core muscles to maintain a stable spine. Avoid rounding your lower back or allowing it to excessively arch.
Where do you normally get tight after squatting? More than likely you pointed to the front of your thighs, on top of your knees and into the groin area. Bingo, these are your anterior chain muscles (Quads, and Adductors for those playing along at home).
Unfortunately though, squats have been known to cause unwanted low back soreness. While the squat will work the muscles of the lower back, if the low back becomes the most targeted region during the squat, chronic soreness and overuse injury can occur.
Whether or not 20 squats are enough for a day depends on your fitness level and goals. For beginners, doing 20 squats a day can be a great way to start building strength and endurance. However, if you are looking to see more significant results, you will need to gradually increase the number of squats you do over time.
Common causes of tense muscles include trauma, overuse or repetitive stress, and poor posture. A sudden traumatic injury from lifting improperly, a fall or an accident, sometimes referred to as “throwing out your back,” typically leads to pain, inflammation and muscle spasms.
Proper spinal alignment is facilitated by maintaining a straight-ahead or upward gaze when squatting. This reduces the urge to lean too far forward, which places more stress on the spine. Make sure that you only squat as far as you feel in control and maintain good form.
A common movement pattern deviation observed during the squat is the excessive torso lean. This misalignment in form is often the result of weak back extensors (erector spinae) and hips. However, tight calf muscles (gastrocnemius/soleus) and hip flexors may also be contributing to the problem.
If you look at the chart, you can see that laying flat on your back is the position of least pressure. Even laying on your side is appreciably more stress than laying flat. At the other end of the spectrum, sitting while leaning forward and lifting weight puts the most strain across your back.
Certain sitting and standing positions, especially when you stay in the same position for long periods of time, can put pressure on the upper back, causing muscles in the area to tighten. If your upper back is tight, and doesn't have a lot of mobility, your body may try to compensate by putting stress somewhere else.