@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.