All right, I am 15 years old, 130-135 lbs, and 5'8".

Here is what I lift on a normal day:

Bench: 160 lbs
Squat: 235 lbs
Deadlift: 145-170 lbs

I maxed out at 190 on bench, haven't maxed out on squats or deadlift (don't really plan to).


ok here's the problem
After school was out and summer started, I went to the gym with some friends and I squatted 4 sets of 9 with 235 lbs. Later the next day, my lower back was sore so I decided it was just normal because I was lifting heavy the day before.

Eventually, I ask my mom if I can go see a doctor so she said ok and we went... then the doctor said that she doesn't really see anything wrong with my back and the only problem is is that my right hamstring was really tight. And since when I deadlift, it seems to work my hamstrings as well for some reason, I quit that for a while. The doctor told me not to squat for a week and I should be fine.

Well a week passes, my back feels a bit better, but not very much. I tried to squat 235 again and did about 5 reps until I just forced myself to quit before I really hurt myself.

The next day my back felt sore, and the next day, and the next day, and even until now my lower back is sore as hell whenever I bend over, bend backwards, and especially when I get out of bed every morning. It's been probably almost 2 months now that my lower back has been sore like this and it doesn't seem to get any better..

I haven't squatted or deadlifted since then... I tried to leg press a bit but it didn't feel so great so I stopped. I don't know what's wrong with my back can someone help me out here?

My guess? Your hamstrings are really tight; thus, they pull on the lower back and aggravate it. Deadlifts will work the hams too but making them bigger and stronger and no stretching just makes them tighter and less flexible.

Try stretching them exclusively before, during and after squats and deadlifts.

Especially during (between sets).

It could be that you are rounding your back as well. So make sure your squat form is STRICT.

I agree with MDA 100%- Plus, you said those exercises are what you do on a normal day- Are you doing them all on the same day? How many days a week are you doing them? Are you doing any other exercises at all?
If you're doing them too often within a week's time, you could be overtraining, which can lead to injuries like this or worse.

Well Reeve. I had simular problems when I was your age and suffered re-occurring symptoms from time-to-time for years afterwards due to overzealous training. I always believed I had good form but I will admit that I would comprimise it when lifting heavy in order to push myself. Big mistake.

Basically I was traditionally a quick recoverer( like many teenagers) and figured that I had to just suck it up and push through the pain once I felt I was in the ballpark to hit the weights again. I stretched well, applied heat and other modalities and took some time off(weeks at a time) but never fully remedied the pain before I squated again. Consequently, the pain lingered, off and on for many months. I was involved in alot of activies( sports , leisure ,etc...) so I suppose I didn't consider the total amount of stress I accumulated before a leg day. But eventually I got tired of the strain in my back and the only thing that seemed to rid it was complete abstinence from squats or any pain stimulating excersize.


While recovering I still performed leg extentions and other non-backpain stimulating excersizes.


Mainly, I broke myself back in with strick form (as mda suggested),made sure I warmed up real well ( doing two to four warm up sets before seriously challenging my legs) and strengthened my abs to help support my trunk.

Squats are the absolute best leg excersize ( comprehensively ) you will find but they are unfortunately one of the most dangerous as well. Take care of your back because as any wise man (or woman) will tell you it's the only one you got. Once you blow it that's it. There's not alot of success stories on full recoveries.

I always stretched before I workout, but I really don't think I stretch as well as I should. I usually rush it (big mistake), so I could start lifting right away. I'm not ever making that mistake again..

And no, I do not do the same workout every day lol... I have a little weekly workout I put together. I bench 2-3 times a week, no problem there for me. I used to squat 2 times a week, then as I went up in weight, I moved down to once a week - same with deadlift. I hate doing both of those excercises because they pretty much work out the same thing (except that squats do more) to me at least. So I usually don't deadlift that often as I usually pick squatting over it.

Anyways though, I haven't done either of those in quite a while, probably a couple of months now. My lower back doesn't really seem to get any better every day.

I'm not done growing yet, so I've decided to take working out down a notch so I can still get some height. I know I'm asking too many questions but I'm really paranoid about this but do you guys think that I will still grow taller after lifting those weights I posted on a weekly basis? I'm going to cut it down now because my lower back is hurt (kinda late... i know) but now, unfortunately, I've realized my mistakes and I want to start over doing it right this time and not getting injured.


So do you guys think that my lower back will get better, and how long will it take? I'm really worried about it and I don't wanna have a permanent injury or anything because I'm just 15 and I wanna eventually start powerlifting when I get older.

I'm going to see a doctor again in a few weeks and lay off all of the back-straining workouts some more, as well as the hamstrings ones (the stairmaster won't hurt right?).

Thanks for replying guys, I really appreciate your posts and concern but I just can't stop thinking about it.. it's the first time something like this happened to me and it doesn't seem like its getting any better

I had an injury in my upper back. The got similar advice from a doctor and the pain still lingered, the same as with you.
I am also 15.

I went to a physio. HE CLICKED MY RIBS BACK INTO PLACE! He also told me that taking time off is not gonna to put ribs back in (oviously). After doing this I went back to benching the next day and low and behold very, very little, if any pain. (Although my sets were only about 100pounds, still a big achievement when the bar used to cause problems.)

If you just went to a G.P. chances are that they don't know jack-all about squats, how to do the form correctly or injuries which can be caused by these kinds of activity.

Also squating at 235pounds seems to be pretty heavy for a 15 yo. As said before, is your form suffering because of a weight that is to heavy for you?

I suggest looking up the exact way to do squats, hell there's probably a 100 page e-book somewhere on them.

But do yourself a favor and go see a physio. They will most likely know much more about squats than a doctor would.

Thanks for your reply. You're right though, I think that squatting that much weight kinda screws with my form.

I have a doctor appointment in around 3 weeks and I'll go check out a physio(logist?) sometime soon.

Tigerbahm.... get it and use it.. will really help on those really sore and tight muscles. can get it most pharmacie places like walgreens or you can get it at a place like GNC or Vitaminshoppe. but trust me it really helps soothe those really sore muscles.

oh ya, try and lower your weight and then work back up to it.. like when i do my 6 week programs, on leg press my ending weight was 900lbs, but when i started back up on my next 6week program, i lowered my weight to around 600lbs and am working back upto it. no, i didnt hurt myself or anything, just something i prefer to do since i take a week off ever 6 - 12 weeks.