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Practical Advice for Recovering from Back Surgery

For many people who have been unable to experience relief from chronic back pain with minimally invasive treatment options, back surgery may be essential to restore a pain free life. While the skill and experience of your spine surgeon is one of the most critical factors impacting the outcome of your surgery, your actions during the recovery period will also play an important role in your ability to regain full mobility, flexibility, muscle strength and range of motion.

The following tips will help you ensure your recovery from back surgery goes as smoothly as possible so that you can restore your quality of life and get back to enjoying your favorite activities as soon as possible.

Follow Your Spine Surgeon’s Instructions

Immediately following surgery, your doctor will give you detailed instructions regarding how to approach your recovery. This will include:

It’s critical to follow these instructions as carefully as possible. The better you adhere to your spine surgeon’s plan, the more smoothly your recovery will go. If you are ever in doubt regarding what you should be doing, consult your surgical team.

Prepare Your Living Space Prior to Surgery

man recovering from back surgery at home with help of an assistant Spine surgery is taxing on your body, and you won’t have the strength or ability to set up your home when you return from the hospital. To ensure you have a comfortable recovery space that is set up to support your mobility restrictions, it’s important to prepare your home before undergoing back surgery.

The following steps will help you create a comfortable environment that is conducive to a smooth recovery:

Maintain Healthy Habits that Support Your Body’s Ability to Heal

Your body will be working hard to heal in the early phases of your recovery, and it’s important to engage in healthy habits that will support the healing process. These habits should include:

Arrange for a Caregiver

caregiver helping man after back surgery It’s common to need assistance around the house for the first month after spine surgery. Make sure to arrange for someone reliable to serve as your caregiver prior to your surgery date. Some of the assistance this person may need to provide includes:

Watch for Signs of Infection

While infections after back surgery are rare, they are still a risk that needs to be monitored. Infections must be treated promptly to avoid developing serious, and sometimes even life-threatening, issues.

It’s normal to experience pain, swelling and inflammation immediately after surgery, and these side effects aren’t a cause for concern. However, it’s important to be on the lookout for the following warning signs which may indicate the presence of an infection:

If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your surgical team at once.

Follow All Medication Guidelines

After surgery, your care team will prescribe medications to help you manage pain and prevent infection. It’s important to take all medications as directed. When taking pain medication, never consume more than the prescribed dosage to minimize the risk of getting addicted.

Attend All Follow-Up Appointments

Your spine surgeon will schedule a series of follow-up appointments so that your care team can monitor your progress. These visits are important and ensure your surgeon is able to address any potential problems or make adjustments to your recovery plan as needed. It’s critical that you attend all these appointments to ensure your body is healing properly and your recovery is going smoothly.

Do Your Physical Therapy

physical therapist helping a patient after back surgery Physical therapy is a critical component to your recovery after spine surgery. It plays an important role in reducing pain, restoring function and boosting long-term outcomes after surgery. There are two components to your physical therapy program, and both are critical to optimizing your recovery:

Your in-person appointments with your physical therapist will involve a combination of treatments and exercises. Treatments may include dry needling, electrical stimulation, massage and other therapies that will help reduce pain, improve flexibility and restore function. Exercises will be prescribed to help you regain strength and stability in your back.

You’ll also be given a series of exercises to perform at home in between your in-person appointments. These exercises will reinforce the strength, flexibility, stability and range of motion work that occurs during your appointments. Performing these exercises as prescribed is critical to making a full recovery.

Listen to Your Body

In the early stages of recovery, it will be important to strike the right balance between resting and mobility. You’ll need plenty of rest to allow your body to heal, but you’ll also want to begin moving – according to the recommendations of your surgeon – so that you can facilitate blood circulation, ease discomfort and accelerate the recovery process.

The best approach is to follow your surgeon’s instructions regarding how much movement and light exercise is appropriate as your body heals. However, it’s also important to listen to your body and avoid pushing yourself too hard. Recovery from back surgery takes time, and it’s important to engage in movement and exercise in moderation to prevent a setback. If you feel like your pain is getting worse, listen to your body and reduce your activity level.

Have Patience

Recovery after back surgery can take a long time and often, progress may not be linear. You may experience good days and bad days, especially in the early stages of recovery. Make sure to remain patient with the process and celebrate small victories. Maintaining a positive mindset and staying consistent with your physical therapy will help you get the best outcome from your surgery.

Colorado Advanced Orthopedics Can Help

If you’ve been experiencing chronic back pain from an injury or a degenerative condition, the orthopedic physicians at Colorado Advanced Orthopedics can help you restore a pain free life. Our team includes some of the finest board-certified, fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons on the Western Slope. We offer a wide range of minimally invasive treatments to address back pain, and we can also perform surgery when necessary to help you achieve the relief you need.

Our spine surgeon, Dr. J. Alex Sielatycki, performs all back surgery procedures at CAO. Dr. Sielatycki has completed a fellowship in spine surgery and specializes in a wide range of procedures, including:

This list is by no means exhaustive. He has the experience to perform just about any spine surgery procedure necessary to address your condition. Dr. Sielatycki prioritizes surgical motion preservation whenever possible to ensure you receive the best long-term outcome.

You’ll also benefit from our in-house physical therapy team which works closely with Dr. Sielatycki and your surgical team. This collaboration ensures everyone on your care team is aligned on your treatment plan, facilitating the best possible recovery.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Colorado Advanced Orthopedics serves patients in Meeker, the White River Valley, Grand Junction and throughout the Western Slope.

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