@katiejo59, Hi, Katie, Fortunately for me, while my back pain is not chronic and is a result of a former injury, one of the most relief producing aids for me in addition to applying alternating heat and cold, is lying on the floor with my feet raised while trying to internally press my backbone as near to the floor as possible. Getting up from the floor is the challenge, smiles.

Another exercise that has helped is to lie straight on the floor and gently lift one leg as high as is comfortable and move it gently and scissor-like across the other leg. Each person is different and I wouldn't begin to offer something that might have an adverse affect on another, especially one with more serious injury.

I took a chair/standing yoga class primarily for core strengthening and balance improvement but am unfamiliar with the "child's pose".
That stopped with the pandemic but think it did help me. My theory is that whatever brings relief and doesn't cause more harm is worth the effort, yes?

I was most fortunate to find a Chinese physician who brought me the most pain relief by using acupuncture. When he and his physician wife retired and moved back to Hong Kong, I was bereft.

Like you, I am a big believer in not allowing suffering for any creature if there is a way to prevent it. However, I also understand how difficult it can be to weigh the pros and cons of some treatments and surgeries that could possibly make a tremendous improvement to a condition but can offer no guarantees. Will be thinking of you and wishing you the best going forward.

@katiejo Welcome to connect and everyone who shares back problems with you . I too don't want surgery saw way to many go wrong and one lady I knew had multiple to see if another one would work but it didn't . I have had 2 fractures , spondaltiesis loss as you 1 1/2 inch . I found that more magnesium ,calcium help along with heat when it hurts when I had my fractures getting in a shower with hot, as you can stand ,water helps I have a adjustable bed and have massage in it so use this before I get out of bed in morning then ice or heat . Depending on how it feels . Hope some of this helps . I also use a TENS unit for tight muscles

Hi Katiejo59 - My back surgery in 11/2011 was a culmination of my problems over years. Was an RN in hospital areas that did require physical work (43 years worth). Had bulging discs, ruptured discs, significant spinal stenosis, DDD and yes, spondylolisthesis. Also had synovial cyst at L4-5 which ruptured and bled into spinal cord area, which cause severe acute pain, leading to my decision to have the surgery THEN instead of possibly a few months later. I was 61 at the time. Officially it was removal of the cyst sac and a TLIF (translumbar interbody fixation) at several adjacent levels, L side and R side both, though not exactly same levels. Would have to look it up as memory for all involved levels a bit fuzzy by now. When I started to have more issues in the last two or so years, getting MUCH more severe last year - limping, occ cane use, needed wheelchair in airport, significant pain, I was getting pain management (getting by on 1-2 Vicodin by evening, plus daily dosings of aspirin and ES acetaminophen, ice, heat, stretching. BUT was profoundly impacting my daily life. Hard to go for walks, flower garden, etc. More surgery eventually advised, more fusion levels and I just didn’t want to do it again. So I researched and ended up opting for spinal cord stimulator. I am happy with my decision, it has helped greatly. If I need anything it might be aspirin (daily adult two tabs) which has always helped me more and with less side effects than any other NSAID (tried them all!). I might take 1/2 tab lowest dose Vicodin for neck pain at bedtime occ. Refuse to have more surgery on it for several reasons. As to how to make decision re back surgery vs helping vs being worse off - get several opinions. Remember, surgeons will promote surgery , it’s their job! But a quality surgeon will not push you into it! ALL surgery has risks associated with it, that’s the truth.