Hi! I am now 10 days out from L4-L5 fusion. No leg pain at all dispute being crippled by it before surgery. Recovery is going quite well with more activity each day and less systemic “blahs” each day. I have felt like someone with flu and a backache much of the time. That leg pain was so ferocious I had thought nothing could be that painful. With respect to post op pain, I was certainly correct. No one warned me about the muscle soreness of thighs, hips, and butt after this surgery. I was face down on a flat table (after spending 4months in self imposed flexion posture) for the 5 hour surgery. Hence the feeling like I had just completed a track event. Other than that and feeling more tired than expected this 10 days has been close to expectations. I feel very blessed to not be among those with scary stories of pain and disability. My heartfelt wishes to those brave people who check it out, learn the complex lingo, then plunge in to the surgery. May you ALL enjoy recovered function and joy of life!