Radiculopathy in neck due to squatting?

[Miguel]

I went through a basic LP beginning of last year: due to some old hamstring injuries, I decided to start light (empty bar) and progress as normal, realizing it would take longer but that was fine with me. I progressed over a 6 month period (due to travel training was sporadic, but overall consistent in 1 to 2 sessions per week) up to: press: 100 pounds, squat, 275 pounds, deadlift 300 pounds, bench: 155 pounds. Once the squat had exceeded 225 pounds, I was finding a lot of discomfort of the bar against my back: in the squat position, I can feel the bar pressing on the base of my neck, almost directly on the bones, which cause me to constantly shift the bar around. I did end up buying a bar condom which eased the pain quite a bit.

Immediately prior to COVID hitting I was struck one morning with severe pain behind my shoulder blade, with the pain extending up through my shoulder, down the back of my arm, and ending in my middle finger. Pain was 9/10, and my right arm was weak…especially along the tricep (which felt slack and extremely weak). After a call to my doctor he said the symptoms sound like “C7 Cervical radiculopathy”, and he prescribed prednisone for 9 days. Pain relief was immediate (within 8 hours of the first pills), and over the course of about a month everything seemed to recover. It struck a second time about 3 months ago (with no training), and again, prednisone cured it after a few days. Over the past three months, I haven’t really had any symptoms. Unfortunately, getting an appointment for more diagnosis has been a real pain, but I intend to do that when the first appointment comes up.

Fast forward to this past week: I re-started training, with one session with the empty bar, following by 3x5 squats at 145. The pain in my neck during squatting returned, and this past morning I woke up with a tingling sensation in my right arm again, however no pain or weakness. I have no discomfort in any of the other lifts.

I feel like the back squatting is exacerbating some underlying condition. Modulo a definitive answer, I still would like to continue training, but rather than leaving out squatting maybe I can shift to front squatting?

One thing that strikes me: my upper body development lags quite a bit behind the lower body (probably after so many years of ice hockey), and I see that in squat the bar is meant to rest on the top of the delts, for which I really don’t have much musculature. I feel like the bar is sitting right on the spinal bones and I’m wondering if I’m causing a compression/irritation of the nerves in that area, mainly because when I don’t back squat I don’t have any symptoms.

Any advice?

[Michael_Ray]

@Miguel

I went through a basic LP beginning of last year: due to some old hamstring injuries, I decided to start light (empty bar) and progress as normal, realizing it would take longer but that was fine with me. I progressed over a 6 month period (due to travel training was sporadic, but overall consistent in 1 to 2 sessions per week) up to: press: 100 pounds, squat, 275 pounds, deadlift 300 pounds, bench: 155 pounds. Once the squat had exceeded 225 pounds, I was finding a lot of discomfort of the bar against my back: in the squat position, I can feel the bar pressing on the base of my neck, almost directly on the bones, which cause me to constantly shift the bar around. I did end up buying a bar condom which eased the pain quite a bit.

Immediately prior to COVID hitting I was struck one morning with severe pain behind my shoulder blade, with the pain extending up through my shoulder, down the back of my arm, and ending in my middle finger. Pain was 9/10, and my right arm was weak…especially along the tricep (which felt slack and extremely weak). After a call to my doctor he said the symptoms sound like “C7 Cervical radiculopathy”, and he prescribed prednisone for 9 days. Pain relief was immediate (within 8 hours of the first pills), and over the course of about a month everything seemed to recover. It struck a second time about 3 months ago (with no training), and again, prednisone cured it after a few days. Over the past three months, I haven’t really had any symptoms. Unfortunately, getting an appointment for more diagnosis has been a real pain, but I intend to do that when the first appointment comes up.

Fast forward to this past week: I re-started training, with one session with the empty bar, following by 3x5 squats at 145. The pain in my neck during squatting returned, and this past morning I woke up with a tingling sensation in my right arm again, however no pain or weakness. I have no discomfort in any of the other lifts.

I feel like the back squatting is exacerbating some underlying condition. Modulo a definitive answer, I still would like to continue training, but rather than leaving out squatting maybe I can shift to front squatting?

One thing that strikes me: my upper body development lags quite a bit behind the lower body (probably after so many years of ice hockey), and I see that in squat the bar is meant to rest on the top of the delts, for which I really don’t have much musculature. I feel like the bar is sitting right on the spinal bones and I’m wondering if I’m causing a compression/irritation of the nerves in that area, mainly because when I don’t back squat I don’t have any symptoms.

Any advice?

Hey @Miguel - sorry to hear about the recent neck/arm symptoms. It will be difficult to give individualized advice without a consultation. We’d be happy to consult with you remotely. If you are interested, please complete our intake paperwork HERE. For general advice to alter training due to symptoms, check out the article Pain in training: what do? You have the right mindset with finding tolerable training which may mean subbing out the back squat temporarily with a more tolerable squat variation or leg exercise such as a leg press. Anecdotally speaking, I’ve had folks report feeling uncomfortable with the bar resting on various aspects of their neck (hi-bar) or upper back (low bar) but typically with some repositioning (when needed), practice, and time they have the feeling less and less.

[Sonder]

It could be caused by your shoulder position in your squat. You must retract your scapulae as you lift your chest when you get under the bar. If your shoulders are pushing forward you will develop pain that takes time to get rid of. Are your wrist neutral (flat) or are they jammed forward? Do you have the same pain when you high bar squat ? It would be best to post a video in which we can see your shoulder/bar position. Try to check some pyjamas https://sleepwearstyles.com which can help you a lot to sleep more comfortable.