You're 30% more likely to have surgery, including all the attendant changes to your life, if you have diagnostic films before three months post injury. Whether you choose surgery or PT, the data bears out that, of the two procedures, intense PT had a much better track record of recovery had almost the exact chance of a good outcome as an intense interdiciplinary physical therapy does, and the PT doesn't have any side effects except pain.physical therapy six week program does,

Read this recently published book. A good idea of treatments, old and cutting edge, that work and ones that don't. The author has bad back problems herself, and describes the physical and psychological aspects of disability dead on.

https://www.amazon.com/Crooked-Outwi...s=crooked+book

Great if you've got Auduble.com. The author narrates the book.

Lose weight (cut out most of the booze and watch the lbs roll off), get some GOOD training (not the free three lessons at 24hr Fitness) to strengthen and make flexible your glutes, quads, hamstrings and core. It's work, but you'll have a better life and longer career taking care of your body.

Or start reading the million page plan documentation now, before it changes in three months, to figure out what you can do about it if you get hurt.

Getting old is rough.