Deadlifts and PIVD: Can Deadlifting Cause a Slipped Disc?
Deadlifts and PIVD: Is Lifting Weights Damaging Your Spine? Can deadlifts cause a slipped disc? Should someone with a prolapsed intervertebral disc (PIVD) avoid weight training forever? And is the deadlift dangerous—or is the real problem how, when and how much we lift? Imagine this familiar situation. A young gym enthusiast bends down to lift a barbell. The weight feels manageable. But halfway through the lift, a sudden pain shoots into the lower back. By evening, the pain begins travelling down one leg. A scan later reports a prolapsed intervertebral disc. The immediate conclusion is often: “Deadlifts have destroyed my spine.” But the science is more nuanced. Deadlifts are not automatically harmful to the spine, and a PIVD diagnosis does not necessarily mean a lifetime ban on lifting weights. However, heavy lifting can aggravate symptoms in some circumstances, especially when the load exceeds a person's current capacity or the back is already symptomatic. Understanding the relat...