#490 Q Willey - Does Training With Barbells Cause More Injuries?

Q Willey is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach who joins me to discuss barbell training, back pain, injury risk, metabolic health, rehabilitation, and the way strength training is often portrayed online.Q joins me to discuss:• Why no existing studies show that squats or deadlifts cause back pain• Whether barbell lifts are inherently riskier than other forms of exercise• How the loadability of barbells can get some lifters into trouble• Why training systems matter more than individual exercises• Load management, fatigue, and individual capacity• Why pain can feel random even when contributing factors exist• How sensational injury stories shape public perceptions of lifting• The self-driving-car metaphor for anecdotes about barbell injuries• Why lifting is often demonized more than other physical activities• What imaging can and cannot tell us about back pain• Spine surgery, structural findings, and pain• The value of physical therapy beyond simply “fixing” injuries• The relationship between metabolic health, obesity, pain, and rehabilitation outcomes• How to discuss body weight respectfully in a clinical setting• GLP-1 medications and a physical therapist’s professional scope• And much moreFollow Q on Instagram:@coach_q_physioCHAPTERS00:19 Meet Coach Q01:08 Do Squats Hurt Your Back?02:48 Load Management Basics06:57 Why Pain Can Feel Random10:45 Sensational Stories About Injury Risk13:24 Spine Surgery and Medical Imaging17:43 Why Lifting Gets Demonized20:21 Barbells Versus Training Systems30:37 The Value of Physical Therapy Beyond Fixes37:22 Metabolic Health and Pain42:38 Discussing Body Weight Respectfully51:33 GLP-1 Medications and Professional Scope55:33 Where to Find Q56:54 Final Thanks and Wrap-UpSUPPORT THE SHOWIf this episode helped you think differently about barbells, injury risk, pain, or rehabilitation:• Subscribe and check out more episodes• Share the episode on social media and tag @andrewcoatesfitness• Send it to someone who is afraid that squats or deadlifts will automatically damage their backFOLLOW ANDREW COATESInstagram: @andrewcoatesfitnesshttps://www.andrewcoatesfitness.comPARTNERS AND RESOURCESRP STRENGTH APPUse code COATESRP:https://www.rpstrength.com/coatesJUST BITE ME MEALSUse code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off:https://justbitememeals.comMACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL• Download MacrosFirst• Begin setting up your account• When asked, “How did you hear about us?” enter: ANDREWKNKG BAGS — 15% OFFhttps://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676VERSA GRIPPShttps://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoatesTRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIAL• Visit: https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree• Reply to the email you receive or email [email protected]• Let them know Andrew sent youL1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSEUse code COATES:https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents