post spinal surgury recovery,

subscriber

Hello everyone,

Two weeks ago I had lumbar discemety surgury to repair a herniated disc in my lower back. Before discharge from hospital, I was seen by an occupational thearpist who gave me daily excersises to do. Esentially, these exercises were just to cover the first two weeks of recovery and were mainily aimed at keeping blood flowing in the legs and preventing complications such as a pulmonary embolism as I was on my back for 15 hours a day in bed. Now I am 2 weeks and a day over my surgery and I am doing 2 x 20 mins walk a day. I am feeling quiet lost though as to where to go from here as per getting back to full mobility. I was instructed not to bend down for the first few weeks so that much is clear at least but the surgeon nor the occupational thearpist gave me any clear set plan as to what I should be doing past three weeks. I seen a physio privately 3 days ago and she basically just gave me a general chat as to what kind of timeline I should be getting back to activities, eg swimming, cycling, running. It wasnt hugely helpful. A lot of this feels like guess work and I am terrified I will do the wrong type of exercise and herniate the problem disc again.

Has anyone had this surgery or similar before? Did u follow a set recovery plan toards the first ten weeks post op? Feeling very lost with this.

Thanks

jane82

subscriber wrote: »

Hello everyone,

Two weeks ago I had lumbar discemety surgury to repair a herniated disc in my lower back. Before discharge from hospital, I was seen by an occupational thearpist who gave me daily excersises to do. Esentially, these exercises were just to cover the first two weeks of recovery and were mainily aimed at keeping blood flowing in the legs and preventing complications such as a pulmonary embolism as I was on my back for 15 hours a day in bed. Now I am 2 weeks and a day over my surgery and I am doing 2 x 20 mins walk a day. I am feeling quiet lost though as to where to go from here as per getting back to full mobility. I was instructed not to bend down for the first few weeks so that much is clear at least but the surgeon nor the occupational thearpist gave me any clear set plan as to what I should be doing past three weeks. I seen a physio privately 3 days ago and she basically just gave me a general chat as to what kind of timeline I should be getting back to activities, eg swimming, cycling, running. It wasnt hugely helpful. A lot of this feels like guess work and I am terrified I will do the wrong type of exercise and herniate the problem disc again.

Has anyone had this surgery or similar before? Did u follow a set recovery plan toards the first ten weeks post op? Feeling very lost with this.

Thanks

Just go with the walks and the little stretching exercises until you see the physio. You get all sorts of exercises then. Once physio starts you go back every few weeks. First few weeks I didnt even want to get out of bed I was so stiff. Im near 100 percent now. Just have the odd morning where Im stiff.
It was about 8 months ago. I can now cycle miles at pace do pull ups and squats.
I cant stand in one place for very long though its weird but I standing in a que is still very tiring in the lower back.

subscriber

jane82 wrote: »

Just go with the walks and the little stretching exercises until you see the physio. You get all sorts of exercises then. Once physio starts you go back every few weeks. First few weeks I didnt even want to get out of bed I was so stiff. Im near 100 percent now. Just have the odd morning where Im stiff.
It was about 8 months ago. I can now cycle miles at pace do pull ups and squats.
I cant stand in one place for very long though its weird but I standing in a que is still very tiring in the lower back.

Thanks for the reply,

How long post op did you wait before seing the physiothearpist, or a better question might be how long was it before u could start proper core strenght work?

jane82

I got an appointment. They made it. It took a month or two to get it.
Core started then.Dont go doing sit ups just yet like. You need to let the stuff they cut grow back.