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I had a fusion done at the L3-L4 lumbar spinal level. The doctor tells me the fusion is a success. Shouldn't I feel stiff in the low back area?

This varies from person to person. You may have less joint mobility after the fusion, but the flexibility of your muscles can make it seem like you have full motion. Further stiffening should be obvious once complete healing occurs.

Reference: 

Fred J. Molz, et al. The Acute Effects of Posterior Fusion Instrumentation on Kinematics and Intradiscal Pressure of the Human Lumbar Spine. In Journal of Spinal Disorders. April 2003. Vol. 16. No. 2. Pp. 171-179.

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