re: Lower back issues and exercises

Honestly, my low back issues went away when I started seriously back squatting. I started very light (for me ~135 lbs) and concentrated on form. Even went to a trainer for a session to confirm I was doing everything correctly. Slowly added weight on a linear progression program (stronglifts 5x5), and got to a point where I was lifting 'heavy' (300+ lbs). My back pain is gone and the sciatic nerve issues in my leg are gone.

Before this, my GP doctor told me to stop doing heavy lifting and gave me steroids and anti inflamatories. Nothing got better. Standard PT work and nothing got better. Saw a PT who lifted and did crossfit and focused on getting people back to active lifestyles. He suggested doing everything that didn't make it worse. He believe strengthening the core and balancing muscles aligns the spine and reduces pressure on discs. It's crazy how well it's worked and is the exact opposite of everything told to me before.