You get hurt at work and need to recover? Thats what it is there for! COMPENSATING for lost wages due to work related injury. There is NO shame in getting the benefits you are entitled to! Did you realize that when workers fail to report injuries and use private insurance instead it only puts your health coverage provided by your workplace(if any) at risk? Your employer pays those premiums for the Comp Insurance(unless self funded) and it is required BY LAW that you report work related injuries properly. You are only hurting yourself when you hide the facts.
I have had two bouts with Back related problems. Herniated disc's at S1 and at L3,L4, L5... Was out of work the first time for 6 months and another 3 on light duty. The second injury was much more severe and left me unable to even feel my legs for 10 days. It sucked and scared the hell out of me BUT when the feeling came back and the pain hit I just wanted em to Cut em off if it would stop the pain! lol
When the Doctor says do nothing I doubt he meant that literally. Sitting at that computer is going to be your worst enemy at recovery. Walking is a great tool to help maintain some strength and is generally recommended. MAny times a twist will simply pinch a nerve and get it all inflamed. It can take a while for it to settle back down.
Given a clean x-ray a visit to a chiropractor for an evaluation may be an option. Many times if you have walked with a limp it takes the hips out of location and a simple pain free adjustment helps with that. Side therapy treatment can also help alleviate pain in the lower back/hip. A Chiro should be researched and checked for complaints very carefully. Your local workers comp board may also have a list of approved chiropractors to help you narrow down the choices of GOOD ones.
How does the lower back look? Is there swelling and what feels like a loss of curve? Anti-inflammatory such as orudis KT extra strength(ketoprophen) went a long way further in providing relief than the flexeril they prescribed(Muscle relax.) I took that once and it made the pain worse! The Chiro may decide to start with a hip adjustment and "drop Therapy" to return lower lumbar curve. if He is wanting to jump right into more aggressive therapy you may wish to discuss it with him more if you are still in considerable pain. You Should always leave the office feeling better than you came in(even if temporary) so if you hurt more or feel increased pain during treatment FIND SOMEONE ELSE!
Workman's Compensation will not cover two therapy methods at the same time so you may have a few choices to make. Chiropractic care is almost a must for faster pain relief and a faster return to work BUT that does not address core body strength. Pilate's is a program that is considered by most to be a physical fitness program but Compensation considers it an excepted form of Physical Therapy for many types of back injuries. I have to say UNEQUIVOCALLY that it is the best option available for long term recovery. When I first started the pain returned because my core wasn't strong enough to maintain skeletal positions and adjustments made so I paid the chiropractic out of pocket. Generally about 30 bucks per visit, twice a week with pilates 4 times a week. After two weeks I discontinued the chiropractic care with great results.
Iceing should be no more than 15 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Left on too long the body begins a hypothermic response and draws blood away from the area to conserve heat. Alternating between heat and ice is OK and the heat will encourage more blood flow to the area. Ultra sound and electro massage are also a nice method for reducing pain.
Ergonomics in the workplace is very important. Twisting is the second leading cause of disc and back issues Improper lifting techniques are the leading cause. To see what twisting does to your back take two small toy blocks and set them on the table. Create a space between them of about 1" and tape them together with several strands of tape to simulate the vertebra. Now twist them slowly and note the changes. They will get closer together, compressing the disc material and possible leading to herniation. You MUST learn to pick up your feet and turn the whole body!
Check your local area for a spine specialist and take your x-rays to them. Talk with them about Pilates "balanced Body Method" and see if it is available at a location close enough for you. I swear to god, you will never regret it! I live by the routines now and have a home studio complete with a "reformer" and many other tools used by the program. I have not been to the chiro since and have been pain free for the first time since 1989.
* a small tip: never allow yourself to become distracted where Fork truck traffic is concerned. It REALLY sucks when one backs into you and pins you to a non moving object like a machine or a wall! My thanks to all who wer there for the hard times in my revcovery and for tolerating my pain driven attitudes! Your encoragements were invaluable even if it seemed like I wasnt hearing you at the time....
For more information on your back check out:
http://www.back.com/
Just kidding. That bites, but so what you need to do to get better. Last thing you need is to make it worse and can't work. Even with comp, it still sucks. It's funny how the back can work. The slightest thing can cause problems. 
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