I was told 10 pounds going forward, plus lots of resistance, much of which I do in water, walking is much harder in water, and weight bearing, plus lots of specific targeted exercises with many reps.

I have not had an unfortunate experience…YET, thank goodness, but I work with a very experienced and cautious personal trainer. With. -3.2 lumbar and -1.9 femur, I started about 18 months ago with mostly 5 and 8 pound dumbbells and am presently using mostly 12, 15 and 20 pounders. I use these with squats, overhead presses, curls, deadlifts, rows, lunges, etc. I workout once a week with the trainer and duplicate the exercises at home. Since I do not have a barbell set, I’m not using that yet, but I have used a couple of machines at his gym….inclined leg press up to my own weight, and a few cable exercises with anything from 30-60 pounds. So nothing too ridiculously heavy, a very small start and very gradual increase, and adapting when needed for weak wrists and an occasional cranky knee. The MOST important thing is FORM and learning to properly use your core, which requires someone with experience to spot you and give feedback with consistent prompting. I would never attempt anything like this without professional guidance. It’s the best money I have ever spent!

Since my diagnosis, I don't even pick up watermelons from those big boxes at grocery stores.

To protect my spine, I practice hip hinges with a straight rod at my back to get used the habit of holding a straight back. Doing squats often (make sure you do it the right way) to strengthen major legs muscles also goes a long way for lower body strength, as well as for many daily tasks that involve at lower/floor level.