The number of spinal surgeries performed in the United States continues to grow each year, and thanks to the latest technology and expert physicians, many patients are able to return home the day of surgery or, for more extensive procedures, a day or so later.
“Safety is key. When patients leave the hospital after surgery we want to make sure they are able to return home safely,” said Endeavor Health orthopaedic spine surgeon Jimmy Zhu, MD.
Knowing what to expect ahead of time helps patients prepare and optimize their recovery. Dr. Zhu highlights some key strategies for successful spinal surgery recovery, including the dos and don’ts.
Dos
- DO: Go in strong. Heading into surgery as strongly as possible helps with recovery. “We assess patients’ preoperative mobility level and strength and that helps determine how much they can do in terms of initial physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises,” said Dr. Zhu. And managing patient expectations is important, people should not expect to be pain-free by the time they leave the hospital, he added.
- DO: Work with a rehabilitation therapist. Nurses or physical therapists will help patients get up and walk in the hospital on the day of their surgery. Some patients are sent to preoperative rehab or prehab (prehabilitation) to learn things like how to get out of bed safely or put shoes on after surgery. Physical and occupational therapists help people learn and practice correct posture and other protective strategies.
- DO: Know how to move safely. Patients are given specific instructions of what kind of movements are allowed for the first weeks and months after surgery, and what are not. “Some of it is common sense, like no heavy lifting, no bending and twisting,” explained Dr. Zhu. “You need to let the muscles around the spine heal and protect the surgical repair.”
- DO: Ask for help. It’s tremendously helpful when patients have a family member or friend around to help after surgery, and for those who live alone, Dr. Zhu encourages them to ask for help. “We live in communities, and we need to be comfortable reaching out for help in special circumstances like this, that’s what our communities are for,” he said.
Don’ts
- DON’T: Try a new activity right away. “We don’t want people trying any new exercises or out of the ordinary actions in the weeks after surgery,” said Dr. Zhu. Most people should focus on the normal activities of daily living, like meal preparation and basic tasks at home.
- DON’T: Ignore pain. “Let pain be an indicator. If an activity exacerbates your soreness, that’s a sign you need to rest,” he said.
- DON’T: Avoid moving at all. Being sedentary carries other risks, like developing blood clots. Early and regular walking after surgery is vital to a healthy recovery. People with new hardware like rods and screws in their back may be concerned that excessive movement will jeopardize the spinal integrity, but that’s highly unlikely if surgery is done properly.
- DON’T: Move too much, too soon. While patients are advised not to be sedentary, they also should not make any sudden increases in physical activity after surgery.
At Endeavor Health Orthopaedic & Spine Institute, our multidisciplinary team of spine care experts
specialize in minimally invasive and complex spine surgeries to help you regain your spine health and get back to the activities you enjoy most.
“We want patients to develop confidence in their ability to walk and perform basic functions by the time they return home,” said Dr. Zhu.
The day after surgery, home health professionals will visit people at home and check on wound healing and make sure that people are taking their medications correctly.
“We bring the support of the hospital to them,” added Dr. Zhu.
Related Articles
