Q. My doctor has suggested that I have a spine fusion in my lower spine. How will this affect my ability to bend over?

A. There is not very much movement in the joints of the lumbar spine when you bend forward. The total amount of flexion (fleck-shun) (bending) at each level of the lumbar spine is only about three degrees. Most of the movement of bending forward takes place at your hips, so as long as your hips are okay, you should not have any problems bending forward after lumbar spinal fusion.