In my (limited) experience, physical therapists tend to have much broader recommendations. Like a PT might tell you to walk an hour a day, but a trainer might recommend a specific kind of crunch that targets the actual muscles in question.

And to OP's point, PTs are very much ingrained in the US medical system and consuming their services can be a pain in itself.

But the guys who get professional athletes back on the field every week are for the most part just personal trainers with a master's level education in sports science. THOSE are the guys you want to help your back recover.