I really messed up my lower back (L5 is deteriorating) early on in the game...too much deadlifting/squating with back form because I was young/stupid/inexperienced. Now if I try doing either, no matter how light the weight or perfect the form, it's instantly painful, and the next day I'm practically immobile. Sitting for long periods (I travel a lot) isn't great either.
Long story short, I've found other ways. For the longest time I was down on myself because I just thought I'd never be able to grow the way I wanted due to the injury. That's a lie. There are a million ways to skin a cat. Horizontal hack squat machines and leg extensions absolutely KILL my quads. Seated leg curls and laying leg curls both do things to my hammies that I'm almost certain promotes growth better than SLDLs ever did for me. Although I've never found an exercise that seems to work everything as well as deadlifts, I've certainly found a great deal of back exercises that allow me to really isolate and stimulate my lats. I'd say the largest issue is my lower back...back extensions are about the only thing I can do for growth, and even on those I can't get too heavy without some noticeable discomfort at my lower back (bad pain, not good burn).
So much of lifting doesn't depend on exercise. Your personal focus, muscle mind connection, intensity, etc. dictate your results a lot more than chosen exercises, IMO. I'm sure the guy doing 1/4 squats with heavy weight thinks he's getting the best leg workout in the world, but I'd take burning the hell out of my quads and getting a massive pump with a leg extension over those any day of the week.
Biggest regret from the injury, though, is bent-over rows. My lower back makes those next to impossible to do, and those hit my lats in an incredible way.