So you’ve had spinal fusion surgery to correct a deformity, reduce pain, or help with another condition. Glad that’s over! Now what?
Post-op spinal fusion care is important, too! After having spinal fusion surgery, your back may feel stiff, sore, and even painful. The post-op spinal fusion recovery period lasts anywhere between 1 to 4 months on average. The best way to make sure that your spine heals well is with the right recovery team in place. That’s where Next-Level Physio comes in, we offer Physical Therapy for Spinal Fusion Recovery in NJ!
What is Spinal Fusion Surgery?
Before we get into the nitty gritty of postoperative care for spinal fusion surgery, the first thing to do is get a solid understanding of what spinal fusion surgery is and why people might need to get it in the first place. A spinal fusion permanently connects two or more vertebrae in the spine.
Some doctors do spinal fusions to correct deformities including:
- Scoliosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Serious spine injuries; we’re talking spinal fractures and degenerative disc diseases.
The goal of a spinal fusion is to link two or more vertebrae together so the spine moves like it normally would.
What to Expect After a Spinal Fusion Surgery?
Spinal fusion is a serious surgery. Even though people get the surgery to address the pain they’ve been dealing with for a while, there can still be some lingering pain 3 to 6 months post-op.
Some doctors prescribe a back brace to keep the spine immobilized following spinal surgery. Others are instructed to limit physical activity to avoid disrupting the healing process. Because the post-op spinal fusion period can be painful and challenging, the best course of action is to work with a physical therapist to get you back on the road to health and recovery.
Physical Therapy for Post-Op Spinal Fusion Surgery
The spine is resilient, thankfully, and working with an experienced physio team, like our doctors at Next Level Physio, can accelerate your success after your spinal fusion surgery.
The biggest question we hear from our post-op clients who are active is,
“when can I OR will I ever get back to ?”
Thankfully, we have a lot of success stories :)
Physical therapy for a spinal fusion is a crucial component of returning to everyday living and your active lifestyle. While our phase I focus is all about getting you back to the simple tasks like dressing, sitting, standing, walking, and getting out of bed, we don’t stop there.
We want to get you to your next level!
Next Level Physio for Post-Op Spinal Fusion
We know that a spinal fusion is no joke. That’s why we’re here to take you through the recovery and restorative period following your spinal fusion surgery. Whether you want to get back to fighting shape or are more interested in tackling everyday housework, Next Level Physio’s physio team will work with you post-op. All of our methods are medication and surgery-free. In addition to spinal fusion postoperative care, we also treat the following conditions:
- Sports injuries
- Post-surgical rehab
- shoulder and elbow pain
- Knee and back pain
- Wrist and hand pain
- Ankle and foot pain
- Sciatica/back pain… and more
Just some of the methods we use to help our physical therapy patients include:
- IASTM Technique
- BFRT- Blood Flow Restriction Training
- shockwave
- AlterG antigravity treadmill
- cold laser
- Therapeutic Exercise
- Australian manual therapy
- Cupping, and more
Click here to schedule an appointment and a free consultation.
