Don't get old would be my suggestion, but people don't seem to take it.

You need to do 15~30 minutes warm-ups.

I'm missing a significant amount of cartilage between four of my vertebrae. Comes from a major injury back when I was 15 (a lifetime ago) and then playing football and a few other injuries and poor back maintenance.

Core strength. That's what you need. If you go to the gym you're likely mostly there. But you need three things.

First, sit ups, crunches, oblique work (twists with a bar is great for this). This is all likely obvious.

Second, get on the Roman chair. If you gym is decent you'll have one of these there. It's like a sit up thing except you're face down. Your legs are supported and you bend down and up with your upper body. This massively strengthens the muscles in your lower back. I would usually do 20-30 reps (in 2 or 3 sets) every time I went to the gym. Helps a ton. Be careful of doing alternate exercises like standing and working your lower back using weights. Some people can do this, but I posit they already have healthy backs. If your back is already fucked I'd say stay on the lighter side with this sort of thing. The Roman chair is an excellent fix.

Third, a good light back brace. I'm wearing one right now since my back is also out. (Working on moving to a new state and lifting a lot of crap on top of not having been to the gym regularly for a while.) You can find these on Amazon and it's amazing how much they help. Mine was like $30. It's a slightly flexible band of thick fabric which velcros in the front. Suck in the stomach and wrap it around and stick it in place. But then it has two more very stretchy bands what pull toward the front and velcro, thus tightening it. I'm sitting here for my morning meeting wearing it over basically pajama pants (I work from home) and it's fine and comfortable.

Finally, relax. Really. Maybe your back is tied to mental stress. Maybe not. Doesn't hurt to relax the brain. But relax the body. Lay flat as much as you can. If it's really really bad I'll pop an oxycodone and kiss off a day. Haven't had to do that in a long while as the back brace and basic care keep things mostly in line.

Good luck man. I feel your pain (I've been to the ER twice for this shit). I'll probably need surgery one day. Not looking forward to that.

I also have Jews in the vertebrae and faced the exact same issue last year.

Ask , he usually has good workout advice.

When you get back to it, take it fucking slow and don't be afraid to look like a pussy for awhile. It kind of sucks, but back pain sucks way more.

I've been doing a lower spine/pelvis stretch routine since forever - had something similar pop out in my lower back and was racked with pain. Couldn't do much except curl up in a ball on the floor. Basically stand sideways on the fireplace hearth with one foot on it, relax and lower the other foot/leg/hip, letting that side rotate fully downward. Hold that for 10-15 seconds, then pull/rotate that hip up and hold it for 10-15 seconds. 3-4 reps, switch sides and do it all again another 2-3 times. Will probably need a day or two to mend before you can do this, but it gives me great relief. If I start to feel pain or weakness down there, I can generally do this a couple times a day for a few days and avoid any more drastic pain or immobility.

Back pain sucks. Mend well, friend!

Feel ya. I did the same thing a month ago with Hex Bar Deads. Wrecked either my Erectors or Multifidus. All it takes is one rep (or preparatory positioning?) with poor form to ruin your weekend. Necessity drove me to tinker a topically applied solution to assuage the LBP.

Apothecaried a mixture of DMSO, Castor oil, CBD oil, Peppermint oil & Frankincense oil.

The CBD, Peppermint and Frankincense are all natural analgesics. The DMSO and Castor penetrate barriers and facilitate absorption.

Viola!

I and the fam have since applied this elixir to sore muscles and aches and owies to efficacious effect.

Of course, this in no way should be construed as medical advice, just one aging meathead's own experience. YMMV.

leg lifts instead of deadlifts

Were you using a belt?

I don’t gym. I lift things that need to be lifted. Last week or so I lifted an a-frame I built (one side with 2 legs) and while loving it around the shop, didn’t move my feet and twisted my torso to go toward the door.

Fucking mistake. I’m methodical and calculated about my movement because of things like this, but was not paying attention, was worn out, fuck me.

Took a few days to get back to normal.

Back to the a-frame. Didn’t want to call anyone to help out my mantel in place. It’s 10ft long, 8”x13” live edge old growth river claimed cypress (think that river logger show from years back) So I built an a-frame with 2x6 legs. Double 2x12 ridge beam. Cross braces, 2 x 8:1 hoists to lift it into place. Mantel was back cut for 4 - 2x4’s I had coming out of the wall (back braced into the fireplace framing with cripples below and above to the header, nailed and screwed, so the 2x4 that cantilever out can’t tilt up in the back. It went in like fucking butter. Just had to belt sand one bottom of a 2x4 as it was a little larger than my test board.

Use levers. Use male conical advantage. Use White people things at every turn.

Get better bro.

I always work my back just to prevent injuries. I like this machine for them. Works a lot better than the machines with the weighted stacks. Can hit it with weights if you want but I find doing no weight works great for injury prevention back but on back day I will add 3 plates. Pics of my back and the machine I use.

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Serious stretching is key. Like 30 minutes before and after. After does wonders for recovery.