I was born with a bad back. Hasn't slowed me down much, but I've also learned to adapt.
This is a 4X2X6 grow cabinet that I built, as you can see, with comfort in mind. Made from 2 sheets of plywood, 30 feet of poplar face frame, a few lengths of 2'x10" melamine shelving, a few latches and hinges, plus some foil-faced bubble-wrap insulation.
To help make things light and easy, I use a 80% perlite/20% peat mix. Those are two 10-gallon pots, which are very easy to lift and move. I also use 3-gallon pots, which are obviously lighter, and I don't have much of a watering or size issue with the size of space and wattage of lights I'm using.
To ease your mind a bit, I had surgery for a much worse problem in my lower back when I was in my 30s. If I didn't have it I would not be able to walk today. I worked out regularly, and it only gives me problems on rare occasions now.
Get some dumbbells and a weight bench. Cheapest, most effective home gym you can buy. Do what your rehab people say, but find and easy dumbbell workout program you can follow.
As for those bone spurs, if your docs have a way of removing them and suggest you look at that, I'd do it. They'll only get worse.
Spasms happen. You can't plan them. Spasms are your body's way of isolating pain. Your muscles get irritated and they tighten up, and will tighten up more and more as you fight them. So don't.You can talk to your doctor about Flexeril, a muscle relaxant. At the very first sign of a spasm, take your pain med and the Flexeril and REST. One day of this can save you weeks of misery.
I hope this helps.
BR
