trying hard to get out of chronic back pain and atrophy

Hi group,
It has been a while since I posted here. I'll summarize:was injured and the orthopedic surgeon, neurologist, pain doc and integrative medicine doc all say I have chronic myofascial pain syndrome. During the last two years I have had many recurrances a couple of big ones followed by small strains that only last a week. The pain is always there except when I lay down. My lower back MRI, bone scan and hip xrays all normal. I take Flexeril, NSAIDs and so forth. In the process I have sat too much and become weak. I have been able to get my walking up to 1 hour and 20 minutes and started a hill and a quarter. My right leg is some what weaker on the side with the pain. But the weaker leg seems to be improving. Does pain in the back make your leg weaker? The neurologist didn't think I had any nerve damage. The next question is despite the walking I can't do much around the house. Lifting a bowl of soup up into the microwave gave me a slight strain as well as lifting a PT styrofoam roller (3 feet long, 6 inches wide). I am afraid to go back to PT again as two of three really injured me. So, do you have some suggestions on how to not injure myself and get strong enough to stop these small strains or of course a bigger one? I am little by little doing some small stretches again and want to get back to some strengthening excerses but do you think doing hills will eventually do the trick? I am still pretty stiff and can't reach or bend and my left leg can't cross as well as the right. Not sure where to go here. I will ask my doctor again for more but I don't get  a lot of time with him. He says stay the course with the walking and hills. What else I can I do at home to progress?
thanks,
Mkh9