I exercise a lot, low impact. I try to walk 3 miles per day, see a physical therapist who also gave me lots of exercises to strengthen my core, arms, legs, butt. I have 2 disc missing, which is bone on bone. I hope one day there will be something like a shot to take the place of the disc. I take a once a year injection for my osteoprosis which creates new bone and helps tremendously. I also have osteoarthitis for which i take medication, but yes it is painful.