How long will I need to stay off work?

Your recovery progress and your job will guide this. Talk to your consultant and physiotherapist. If you’re at a desk job, you are likely to be able to get back to it within 2 to 4 weeks – just make sure you’re able to keep doing your physiotherapy exercises. In a manual job, you might need up to 12 weeks – and maybe some changes to heavy lifting or overhead work - before you can get back to work.