Lower Back Problem=No Workout- pls help

[EleVaTeD11]

Hello,

I have undergone spinal cord tumor surgery (lower back/waist) 1 year ago.

After surgery I've tried working out at home with bands for about 2-3 months until the pain became unbearable. The workouts were very primitive and short, about 30-40 minutes max.

As soon as I gave up working out the pain went away.

I've started again after 6-7 months of rest and the pain came back the first day.

I just want to workout shoulders, triceps and chest - even only that would be enough.

Day 1: I was doing (only bands) standing shoulder lateral raises, front raises, reverse fly (3-4 sets for each exercise)
Day 2: Seated chest fly (6 sets), standing (or laying) triceps pulldowns (6-8 sets) (all with bands).
Day 3: Rest

Then I've switched to laying down on the floor and doing the same but without standing on the bands - bands were attached to something else. Pain was still there.

It seems that no matter how I workout the tension still transfers to lower back. The only way I can work out is if the tension DOES NOT go to lower back.

Please guys help me find the technique by which I can workout shoulders (I have rotator cuff/tendonitis problems so I have to workout) and chest/triceps without putting pressure on lower back at all.

Thank You!

[Heisman2]

You would likely benefit from checking in with the surgeon who performed the surgery and then undergoing physical therapy. Are these options for you?

[EleVaTeD11]

You would likely benefit from checking in with the surgeon who performed the surgery and then undergoing physical therapy. Are these options for you?

Thanks for the advice, but unfortunately not. The surgeon says some phantom pains may remain regardless of what I do, due to some nerve damage. BUT the fact is there is no pain when I do not workout.

So what I need guys is simply VERY ISOLATED exercises, which do not involve straining spine in any way.

[Heisman2]

If all of those exercises hurt your back despite your back only being a stabilizer in those movements then I really think your time would be best served to once again discuss with your surgeon or even a pain specialist.

If you do pushups does that cause pain?

[sooby]

have you tried physiotherapy? even then they may be limited in what they can help you with but perhaps if you can find one that specializes in sports/lifting they can help you out here in prescribing exercises.

the sort of catch 22 in your case is that it seems like when you "use" your back you experience pain. however the problem with that is that if you don't use your lower back or work it out, it becomes weaker, the muscles there atrophy which will lead into more pain/injury. I think this needs to be addressed by your physio more than anything if it is affecting your ability to actually do a workout. perhaps your surgeon could refer you to some sort of rehab specialist, I would think they should have done that but I don't really know how that works.

[Garage Rat]

Please see a physical therapist to guide you to doing the right things for you.
Then maybe you can branch out to other things.
It's never good to have abnormal pain when your training.