why are you not getting this advice from your PT?

With the back muscles, gravity is your friend. Starting and finishing with loose relaxed back muscles is key. If you lie flat on a hard service with your knees resting on a stool at at a 90 degree bend (legs up at 90 degrees, knees bent at 90 degrees with calves resting on a stool/chair). Breath deeply focused on letting your muscles melt into the floor for at least 20 minutes.

Any time during a workout that I feel it starting to happen, I do this again to prevent the spasm.

OP here - thanks. cat cows in the rotation along with pelvic tilts. I am a bit of a sweat junkie and my sport requires a lot of twisting but the suggestion of slow increase in weights is a good one.

Anyone use massage to keep the back loose?

I started with some easy core work like cat-cows, Russian twist and barre curl. Then started light lifting and gradually increased the weight over months and then years of work. It’s a long road, good luck OP. Proper warm up and cool down is essential!

I would stick with simple core work movements and with heavy fully body stretching before and after. Then after a a month or so, start to add some light lifting on machine to gauge how your back is handling it.

Ouch. YouTube stretches, take ibuprofen and consider an out of network physical therapist.

Couldn't decide whether this should go in health or exercise, but I am out of the acute phase and now trying to get back into shape without triggering them again.

No disc issues and didn't pull anything, but after cooling off from a workout, bent down and couldn't get back up. It has been a month of heat packs, ergonomic changes, PT and walking, and I would like slowly start getting back into exercising. I know to take it slow (my back is still sore and tight) and right now just doing some swimming and recumbent bike to start getting stamina back, but ultimate goal is to get back into high intensity sports. Orthopedic surgeon was not helpful and just said "once you get them you just keep getting them". thanks.

Anyone else get back spasms and what did you do to strengthen your back to prevent them from coming back?