I've had 14 spine surgeries. Starting around age 35. I was never able to return to work. Personally I believe surgery is not the answer. However when you injure yourself like you did a repair must happen. Going forward try to get a second opinion. I personally have been re-injured during physical therapy. A surgery, cutting tissue and muscles is traumatic. It takes a minimum of 1 year for your body to heal. We go in to inflammatory mode. This is the body's natural very healthy response. Some people like myself get stuck in inflammatory mode for months to years. It can take me 6-12 months to heal after having a tooth pulled. Back surgeries have caused me 2-5 years of pure hell. My body develops scar tissue quickly and easily. And the inflammation is a process for me and others.
I don't go to PT or if I do I get the exercises and work on my own.
There is a technique called active release. Find a good practitioner who specializes in it. There's nothing quite like it. A lot of sports therapists do this. Google or research "ART for pain."
My son is 27 years old. He's had many sports injuries and the most recent about 3 years ago while playing basketball, a player from the other side landed on his ankle. It was a bad injury. He sees a sports therapist who is also a chiropractor. He explained to my son who is in sales and sits a lot, when he plays basketball, runs or uses his ankle for activity it gets really sore. The therapist explained it like this. There's a sticky substance that forms around areas of the body that have had surgery, injury or even after exercise.
Then it forms scar tissue. Scar tissue is literally stuck or sticky areas that when they can't move they hurt.
This can happen in people like me with a genetic pre-disposition to getting scar tissue. My dad had the same issues and so does my son. I've met people who have surgery, heal and have no residual pain, but that's not my experience.
It sounds like you may have formations of scar tissue.
When we are in pain we tend to rest that area. That's okay for a short time however moving is best.
When you restart your activities the scar tissue then starts up again.
So we've learned work arounds. Regular massage. If your insurance does cover massage request massage therapy. They often prescribe it for the specific injured area. I disagree in that massaging one area leaves blocked evergy and with our lymphatic system, a complete body massage is so beneficial. If you can't get it through insurance snd it's something you can budget for, have massage once a month or every other week depending on budget, find a good massage therapist who says they do myofacia release, or active release technique. A good massage therapist is well trained and they often specialize.
Massage, drink tons of good water it helps flush that sticky stuff, do self massage to the affected area while thinking of releasing that stuck tissue. We also use those self massage tools from Brookstone. They're wonderful. I use MSM lotion over painful areas daily.
Pain is very difficult and feet, knees and spine I have personally experienced and know people who have pain for years after. So I think your experience is difficult but not out of the ordinary. Having surgeries so close together puts your body in a sort of shock mode. It's trying to repair the last surgery by doing its thing then add another surgery and your body is in over drive. So take care of yourself. B12, vitamin D, magnesium, good diet plenty of good water and rest helps your body do its thing.
I hope this helps and wish you all the best!