Your second question can only be answered by you and your doctor. Ask your doctor what he or she thinks about you returning to work. Make sure that your doctor knows and understands what it is that you do throughout your day.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any one thing that you can do to be sure that your back pain doesn’t return or get worse when you are at work. There are some things that you can do to reduce the chances of that happening though. For some suggestions, you may have to get your employer on board. Hopefully, once your bosses understand the reasons behind the suggestions, they will see why it’s important for not only you, but all employees to have a safe work
environment.
First, if you sit most of the time at your job, you need to make sure that
your work station is set up correctly to promote good posture and body mechanics. Is your seat high enough or is it too high? Your feet should be able to sit flat on the ground in a comfortable position. If your seat is too high and you can’t lower it, you need a foot rest that can put your feet in the right position.
Is your chair good for your back? Is there lumbar (lower back) support? Is it
comfortable to sit on? Are you sitting at your desk in such a way that you
don’t have to stretch or twist your back to reach things?
If you have to do any lifting, are you lifting correctly? Do you need a support belt for your back? Are you using proper body mechanics? Proper body
mechanics involve never bending and lifting with your back. Always squat and
bend at the knees, using your leg muscles to lift.
If you’re at a job where you have to stand all day, is there a step or
footrest where you can place one leg, taking the load off your back? Are you
wearing good shoes to support your body?
These are a few of the many situations that should be addressed if you want to
make your work place as back friendly as possible.