I'm not sure if there is a time limit on when you don't have to worry about overdoing it! I had fusion almost two years ago, and I know instantly if I am doing "too much." It usually involves bending!

Do you spend time lying of the floor each day? If you could spend five minutes of your lunch hour lying flat on the floor, knees bent, feet flat on floor, pelvis in a neutral position, arms close to your sides, palms up, and breathe slowly and deeply, I think it would help you immensely! Just five minutes gives you discs an opportunity to unload, lets the soft tissue relax and helps to realign the spine.

Whenever I start to feel like my muscles are going to cramp or I am getting sore, if I can lie on the floor, it always helps. It is a natural form of traction. Ideally try to do it several times each day -- maybe once during the work day and then at night before you go to bed.

I'm happy you are feeling well enough to want to jog!!

Gwennie

regarding your post and my earlier posting worried about having re-damaged myself after a few glasses of wine and eventual dancing at a party...

Recognize those situations that might put you in an arena to over-do it, and figure out how to: 1) either not put yourself in those positions again or 2) have a back-up plan. For me, I'm a social graduate student, so enjoy spending time with friends, who often get together for a beer and relax, have a party, go dancing, etc. While I might have been able to party with the rest of them, always always remember that your pain meds interact with everything you ingest. For me, 2 glasses of wine = the equivalent of a keg... or so it seemed. So, just watch out for triggers and have ways to stop yourself before you do over do it. For me, 'no drinking whatsoever' has been added to the list of other nos. Also, I gave my partner the go-ahead to tell me firmly I need to stop doing something if he notices me overextending my abilities.

Good luck with your recovery!