Back injury
LHF - sorry to hear about your back issues; looking at this thread it is clearly a common issue.
I swapped a serviceable back for a bug**ered one back in June thanks to the truly wonderful people at Martin Baker. I am now fighting to get my med cat back. Apart from the micro-fractures of the vertebrae I have had no specific diagnosis of the pain I am currently suffering and despite constant physio and about 2 hours a day in the gym for 3 months I am not yet recovered. I have therefore been referred back to a military spinal surgeon and will have another MRI and bone scan. It's all taking a while though.
Not had any experience with osteopaths and thankfully no talk of surgery yet. I have had all this through the SMO and on-station support and am happy with it thus far - I think I have been very lucky with the physio we have though. I'll keep you up to date on getting the bang-seat cat back if and when I have any luck with that. My point being really that it may take a while to get it sorted...as it happens our staish jumped out many years ago and still suffers - his advice was apposite therefore - take the time to get it sorted.