“I Can’t Deadlift… I Herniated a Disc” – What I Wish Everyone in Charleston Knew About Back Pain

I couldn’t believe what I heard on this

bachelorette trip.

We were all sitting on the beach, talking about life, and one of the girls mentioned how she had recently gotten into strength training.

Naturally, as a physical therapist here in Charleston, I was thrilled to hear it. I lit up.

But then she said something that made me freeze… and immediately open my notes app:

“I’d love to get stronger, but I can't back squat or deadlift. I herniated a disc five years ago, and I’ve just always been afraid of making it worse.”

As Charleston’s best physical therapy team, we hear this all the time—from weekend warriors, CrossFitters, parents, runners, you name it.

People think that if they’ve ever had back pain or a disc herniation, deadlifting is off the table forever.

Let me be clear: That is not true.

You Are Not Your Injury

Here’s what most people don’t realize about back pain:

Pain doesn’t always mean damage. And disc herniations? They can heal.

You don’t have to live your life based on fear.

You don’t have to give up movements like squats or deadlifts forever.

If someone breaks their arm or sprains an ankle, the assumption is that it’ll heal. But when it comes to our backs, there’s this false narrative that it’s a lifelong sentence. That belief alone keeps people from healing.

At our Charleston physical therapy clinic, we meet people every week who have stopped doing what they love out of fear—fear of hurting their back, of making something worse, or of being in pain forever.

What Happens When You Avoid Movement

When you avoid loading your back, something else happens:

• You get weaker.

• You lose confidence.

• You stop doing the activities that make you feel strong and alive.

That “injury” becomes your identity. Instead of focusing on what your body can do, you center your life around what you can’t.

But I want you to know it doesn’t have to be this way.

At Made 2 Move, We Help People Move Again

Whether you're in Mount Pleasant or downtown Charleston searching for "physical therapy near me," our mission is to help you move again—with confidence, strength, and freedom.

We’ve helped countless patients with disc herniations get back to:

✅ Deadlifting

✅ Squatting

✅ Running

✅ Doing the activities they love

Our approach to physical therapy for back pain in Charleston focuses on education, progressive strength, and building resilience—not avoiding movement.

Disc Herniations Can Heal

Yes, really.

In fact, in a 2014 systematic review, researchers found that even severe disc herniations often reabsorbed and healed over time—without surgery.

That’s the power of the human body.That’s why we do what we do.

And that’s why I couldn’t just let that beach conversation go.

Because if one person on a random trip is still living with that fear, I know hundreds more in Charleston are too.

So What Now?

If you’re afraid of movement because of an old back injury, you’re not alone—and you're not stuck.

At Made 2 Move, we specialize in helping people just like you. If you’re looking for:

• Physical therapy in Mount Pleasant

• Charleston’s best physical therapy for back pain

• Or just someone who believes you can get strong again...

We’re here for you.

And in next week’s blog post, I’ll walk you through the exact strategies we use in the clinic to help people get back to deadlifting after a disc herniation—including sample exercises and rehab principles that actually work.

Until then: Start believing your body is capable. Because it is.

Need help now? Let’s get you out of pain and back to doing what you love.

Come see us at Made 2 Move.

We specialize in helping active adults, athletes, and fitness lovers return to the things they love — stronger than ever.

📍 Charleston Physical Therapy Clinic

📍 Charlotte Physical Therapy Clinic

➡️ Book your free discovery call today.

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