The back pain was starting to seriously impacting my well being. Doctors and physical therapists did not find anything to explain it. I actually got depressed. Was not sleeping well.
This was about eleven years ago. One day I stumpled upon an article on Hacker News (the orange site) which led to something called Starting Strength. If I remember correctly I had already thought about going to the gym may be a good idea.
Thing is that Starting Strength is lifting heavy (but not too heavy). Deadlifts, squats, bench press and overhead press. I had in my youth badly tweaked my back doing deadlifts. And bench pressing? I could not even lay on my back in a soft bed. The padded kitchen couch, forget about it. Bench pressing arching my back lifting weights, no fucking way!
But I was desperate. I had had enough. I figured worst case I would seriously injure myself but at least that way I would get a surgery or drugs or something.
I went all in. Bought the book. Spent several tens of thousand SEK and bought equipment and built a proper home gym!
Then I started training. And have been lifting more or less since then. I've learned a lot! I seldom have any back pain and when I do I don't think it's any worse then any other person spending a lot of time behind a keyboard.
Currently I'm getting back into it after about 2 months of not very consistent lifting. It's OK. I have periods where I lift a few times a month and periods where I lift every day.
Now I'm aiming for 3 times a week. A very simple program as follows (last session as example).
And holy shit I Am A LOT stronger now at 42 than I have ever been in my life. That's powerful!