My L4/L5 was totally squished together. Running one day and the next thing i knew i was laying on the sidewalk (alongside the grave yard at West Point—very fitting) It was like expresso is to coffee or haiku is to poetry—the most perfect pain i’ve ever experienced
One Nightengale Lear Jet flight down to Walter Reed and into the Neuro ward i went for surgery. Since then have run many marathons. multitudenous Tris (many halfs) and even IMFL. Along the way about 30 or so parachute jumps, multiple combat tours in uniform and many as a contractor guy
so the surgery worked for me. But i still suffer back pain and stiffness. What I’ve found is:
Exercise Ball for core work
Inversion Table to stretch back–I do this couple times a day. Keep it out in my shop
Ice packs for when i get a flair up
I had a kneeling chair for a while but it was a pain the ass as you couldn’t wheel it around. Get a good officer chair. Something like a Aeron Chair
https://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/office-chairs/aeron-chairs/
Sit properly, and get up to stretch ever 30min or so
best of luck to you. Life isn’t for sissys