Finding a highly qualified, back pain-focused personal trainer or exercise specialist is no simple task. Anyone can call himself or herself a personal trainer. To find the person you need, the American College of Sports Medicine is an excellent resource.
The NSCA is the National Strength and Conditioning Association, based in Colorado Springs, CO, which – probably not a coincidence – is also the location of the flagship training center for the U.S. Olympic Committee. Several people who definitely know told me that NSCA turns out the most qualified personal trainers, most of who have degrees in exercise science. If you look for a trainer with an NSCA-CPT (certified personal trainer) certification, you’re off to a good start. Here are some things you should look for in a trainer. And here is a not-too-great index of NSCA trainers. (You can search by state, but when you do, the results are not alphabetical.)