There is hope...
In 1999 I had an accident that really messed up my back. I was 90% wheel chair bound and could walk only steps. I went through two back surgeries on disc L4 and L5 in the year 2000. From doing pool exercises I eventually progressed to a walker and then to walking short distances unassisted. I could not even lift dumbells as that would hurt my back, so eventually I purchased a home gym that focused on cables (Bodycraft K2). I stayed away from all deadlifts or anything that would pressure my back. Although I was able to do squats using a machine if I was very careful with form, and kept the reps high and slow. Reps high and slow is the name of the game. No jerking actions.
I figured out how to do some exercises on my back. I use a belt and strap myself to the bench and used the overhead cable to do rows. I pull the cable to my chest. Not too long ago, while doing the on-the-back cable row, I jerked 180lbs and put myself out of commission for two weeks. Again reps high and slow is the name of the game. No jerking actions.
The back problems made me concentrate more on the pull exercises. i.e. I typically do wide-rip pullups with 50lbs 10 times, take off 10lbs and do 10 more times, take off the weight and do 10-15 more, almost non-stop. The point is that you can still have awesome back exercises without push exercises. Although recently I have started adding back in some push exercises which would have previously killed my back. I warm up with 50lbs DB shoulder presses and then do machine military press 20x150lbs, which previously would have killed my back. Notice the quantity of the push exercises higher than most out of concern for my back. The point is that there is hope in being able to push again.
Three years ago I still had to use a wheel chair at museums, airports or other long walks. Today I typically HIIT walk-jog about 1-2 miles a day, every other day, on a treadmill, which is another thing I could never do previously. There is hope.
This is likely the most important thing I can say. The inversion table is a God send. 15 inverted sit-ups before and after each work out pulls the vertebrae apart and realigns everything. The inversion table is mandatory for me and I suggest you too. Previous to the inversion table I was seeing a chiropractor 2x wk. I can't say enough about the inversion table.
For Training Programs I still mix them up i.e. 4x split for a quarter and then switch to HST for a quarter. The main difference is substitution for the exercises and using a cable focused gym.
I have been on pain meds for over 13 years and Thursday will be my second week of stopping Celebrex completely. I have finally stopped the pain meds. I am living proof of hope and hope I can help someone like you. I hope that is some information to get you started, I will help you with any questions, but I am not always on the board but a few times a week.
