I listened to that also. I thought they way underplayed the role of exercise. Like the OP, the bike has been my best doctor.
I picked Alpine skiing back up a few years ago, and one of the first times I was out, I did something to my back. I heard and felt something go rip. Serious pain and sciatica. So I went to the doctor. He was a good guy and ordered an MRI. The MRI reader just looked for what they usually find, and found it: arthritic facets, lumber stenosis, thinning discs, and an old collapsed lumber vertebra. None of those things were the problem this time, though my back has given me a little trouble for years, probably a combination of those factors.
My treatment was exercise: bike, weight room focusing on back work, etc. I'd work out until it hurt really bad, then I'd let it recover over a day or so and then make it hurt really bad again. Fixed it up in about 6 months. Today it hardly ever hurts. I'm using Core Advantage this season with good results. Highly recommended. And almost free compared to the alternatives. Stoker and I are hoping to ride the one-day STP and RAMROD this year. We're getting some good training in. We'll see.