If you have had spine surgery, you want to start feeling normal again as quickly as possible. However, to get back to your normal activities, including your exercise routine, it’s essential to take a slow, steady and thoughtful approach.
Physical therapy and exercise play a key role in rehabilitation after spine surgery. People who exercise in the right way following spine surgery are more likely to experience the optimal benefits of the surgery.
Doing exercise in the right way means enjoying the benefits of the exercise while keeping the risk of re-injury at bay.
Let’s look at how you can exercise after spine surgery in the right way, and where you can go in Westlake, OH, for outstanding spine surgery.
Get Recommendations from Your Physical Therapist
Depending on the type of spine surgery, it could take months for your back to heal. In the early stages of recovery, your physical therapist will do some exercises while you are in the hospital to kick-start healing.
Later, depending you the stage of your recovery, your physical therapist will recommend some at-home exercises that will be gentle on your spine and won’t cause too much discomfort or strain on your spine. You will be advised to avoid exercises that can put a lot of unwanted stress on your spine and require lifting or twisting.
Some exercises that your physical therapist may recommend for you after spine surgery and that are safe to do at home are:
- Walking
- Yoga or Pilates
- Hamstring stretch
- Knee flexion
- Pelvic tilt
- Lying march
- Bridging
- Prone press up
- Prone straight leg raise
- Sciatic nerve gliding
- Spine lumber flexion
Right Way to Exercise After Spine Surgery
In addition to recommending some exercises, your physical therapist will also let you know the right way to do the recommended exercises.
You can follow these simple tips to ensure that your exercise is beneficial for you.
- Do as You Are Told – Your physical therapist will show you and teach you how to do a particular spine-friendly exercise following your surgery. They will also teach you some techniques to do the exercise correctly.
So, if you are doing a prescribed exercise, let’s say a stretching exercise, then use the technique your physical therapist taught you to prevent overstretching.
- Be Patient – If you have been doing a particular exercise before surgery, let’s say yoga, it’s likely that you won’t be able to stretch your poses quite as far after your spine surgery. So, in such situations, be patient. Gradually, you will be able to maintain the pose you used to do.
- Stop when you feel pain – If you feel any pain or discomfort during your exercise, stop immediately and take a rest. If you feel the same pain and discomfort after another attempt, let your physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon know so that they can evaluate your spine and determine the cause of the pain. Your physical therapist may also advise you to avoid that pain-causing exercise.
Spine Surgery Near Me in Westlake, OH
Exercise and physical therapy are imperative in recovering from major surgeries like spine surgery. At-home exercises your physical therapist recommends are essential to keep your body strong.
At Orthopaedic Associates, our physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon work together to ensure that you recover from your spine surgery as soon as easily possible. Our physical therapist will not only recommend exercises but also show you how to do those safely to prevent re-injury.
To make an appointment with our spine surgeon or physical therapist, call our friendly team at (440) 892-1440 or (866) 362-7624. You can also request an appointment online.
