I herniated two disks in my back (L4-L5, and L5-S1) early in my powerlifting career.
Unless his injury is quite minor and responds well to rehab then you are just wasting time and frustration. The bottom line is shotputting is about power. I had back surgery at age 20. It was like turning off a switch. The pain was gone and I went on the PR in both the squat and deadlift. My only real adjustment was switching to sumo deads and training a little more sensibly. Now 20 years later I don’t squat very heavy anymore, but I can train without limitations and am more or less pain free.
Obviously stick with rehab if possible, but I suggest getting an MRI and making realistic assessment.
Member