Post PRP physical therapy

Im trying to decide if im advocating too hard for myself or should trust PT.

Background: moderate back pain since March, saw insurnace covered PT weekly and was given the standard back pain protocol. Last week of September I was sumo squatting light weight and woke up middle of night excruciating pain. Next day I had drop foot. I went to regenerative dr who thought glute issue but sent for MRI. I have herniations at L3/L4, L4/L5 and L5/S1. I also have stenosis and some arthritis. I’m 38, active, a professional Pilates teacher but unfortunately also was a competitive horseback rider. Went to spine surgeon, he recommended steroid injections and most likely surgery second surgeon recommended microdisectomy, did epidural steroid injections at l3/l4 and l4/l5 and got me an emg. Emg showed continued pressure on nerve. Non surgical ortho also said surgery. Went to a Neuro surgeon and he told me to wait it out. I was seeing two PTs at this point. Started with McKenzie method, worked on trying to refire peroneal, loosen up back, get some strength back in the hip rotators, etc. osteopath recommended prp. I’m three weeks post prp at this point, injections in the SI on right side, glute med, serratus just below rib cage on right and along the facet joints. We were going to do epidural prp as well but by this time the weakness was almost gone, I’m at about 85 percent now. I decided I wasn’t happy with the PTs I was seeing for various reasons. I scheduled sessions with two new people. First PT back was with a highly regarded director of PT at a spine institute. He immediately did dry needling with stim in the low back, I believe to release the multifidus, and then wanted me to do bird dogs and some gentle nerve flossing. I felt like for $230 bird dogs and nerve flossing was a little wild, and stim was maybe too aggressive for first Pt back after prp. The second PT also did dry needling to hit the psoas, no stim, but then wanted to focus on gentle T rotation, Franklin stretch (laying on edge of table with leg dangling, inchworms with up dog/ extension, some banded lateral walks and gentle lateral lunges, and pallof press. Here’s the thing, I really loved moving again. Endorphins started to peek their head out. However, I told him my doctor said not to stress the facet joints yet so why is he so focused on rotation and extension? His home exercises were a handout he created for disc herniation. He told me on the way out that disc herniations are the easiest thing he sees to fix. Yes I have that but the nerve compression is the biggest concern. I’m aware the root cause of that is the herniation and to fix the root, but I told him my foot was tingling when I was doing inchworms, trying to step forward to the hands. He was pushing me and I imagine I need to be pushed, but first week back from prp when I still have inflammation? Now my dilemma is - trust these people? I’ve spent so many months advocating for myself. FOUR doctors told

Me I needed surgery and I had to have faith. The last spine surgeon I saw told me “good thing you didn’t, you don’t need it now ”. My partner told me I’m seeing too many PTs, and I’m getting so tired trying to find one that I feel listens to me and doesn’t just give me a handout I can easily get off Google. This second PT cost $360 out of pocket. I gave up on insurance PTs because I felt I needed one on one care. I’ve reached out to my prp doctor to see if he thinks I should be starting to gentle pressure the facet joints or being staying in neutral. My spine is very sore and the second PT also put quite a bit of pressure directly on the spine even after I told him it was incredibly tender. Almost thought he was trying to give me an adjustment. I can’t go to PT the prp doctor recommends because I travelled pretty far to see him.