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Spinal fusion surgery risks are quite similar to other conventional spinal surgeries and should we discussed in detail with your surgeon prior to the surgery.
After the spinal fusion surgery, it may be required of you to wear a plastic brace or possibly a cloth corset for a few weeks or months. A surgeon may not recommend you to wear a brace at all, but it all depends on what the surgeon performing the spinal fusion surgery believes to be the most successful in their practice.
It may take from several months to well over a year for the spinal fusion healing process to be complete. For this reason as a patient you must realize prior to surgery that noticeable results may take time and you may need to be patient when looking for results from your spinal fusion surgery. This procedure is not a quick fix option and requires a commitment between the patient and the surgeon performing the spinal fusion surgery to improving your back and leg pain.
While staying realistic, total cures are rare but a patient should expect to see lasting improvements in their back pain and leg pain after spinal fusion surgery. After spinal fusion surgery many patients are worried about the lack of mobility that they will experience after. The majority of patients will eventually regain this mobility although with the immobilized area not taking on much of the stresses this will lead to extra wear and tear on the vertebra and disc above and below the spinal fusion. If you smoke, are overweight, have diabetes or other significant medical issues, the success rate of spinal fusion surgery may be lower. During spinal fusion recovery good nutrition and slowly increasing your activity can help you to achieve a higher possibility of success from your spinal fusion surgery.
Debilitating back and leg pain may be combated in the future with the possibility for disc or joint replacement helping to relieve the symptoms of painful spine conditions.
Spinal fusion recovery
There are three key principals that must be examined when judging the benefits of exercise for your low back.
- Attain good aerobic fitness
- Focus on the muscles that support your back for part of your work-out
- Do not place unnecessary stress on your back during these exercises
Exercises involving large muscle groups of your body are ideal after spinal fusion surgery. Swimming, fast walking, cycling, or using a ski or an elliptical machine are a few of the recommended exercises for spinal fusion recovery. It is recommended to achieve your target heart rate for about 30 minutes three times a week. Be sure that you consult with your family physician or surgeon responsible for your spinal fusion surgery before undertaking any aerobic or fitness exercises to be sure that your body can handle it. Your family doctor or the physician in charge of your spinal fusion recovery will be able to inform you on what a good target heart rate should be for you. Make sure that if you have not been active prior to beginning your spinal fusion recovery that you approach your exercise program realistically and start off slow enough that you are not over doing things from the beginning.