Patient Information – Long-Term Recovery

Finding Your Path to Wellness

Care and Recovery Information

The most dramatic changes will take place in the first eight weeks after surgery. Even if you experience some of your pre-op pain during this time, you should not be too concerned. We follow our patients for a year post-op, knowing the nerves may take a long time to heal. Most feel significantly better after the first week or two.

It is not uncommon to experience post-operative pain. The nerves are still sensitive once pressure is taken off them, and it may take time for them to heal.

You may not have much incisional pain after surgery because local anesthesia is injected at the time of surgery. This will wear off in the evening. We recommend using the pain medicine prescribed or a muscle relaxant to avoid the potential for getting behind your pain.

It is important you keep your bowels moving after surgery. Should you have increasing abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or are not passing any gas you should call the office.

It is not uncommon for patients to come out of surgery with significant improvement in their post-operative pain. This does not always occur, however. The nerves can take time to heal and while they are still swollen and sensitive you may still experience pain, numbness and or weakness.

Strength can sometimes return immediately after surgery and other times it can be a full year before we know what ultimate strength recovery will be. The most dramatic gains occur in the first 2 months then the healing is slow from there.

Be careful with attempting overhead activities and keep lifting to 15lbs. close to the body.

Physical Therapy

Some of our patients may benefit from physical therapy after surgery. Kevin will likely order this for you in 2 or 6 weeks if necessary. We prefer to send you to physical therapists with a specific emphasis on spine and in your immediate area.

Our “partner” physical therapists understand Dr. Paul’s protocols and surgeries. If you live outside our area, or out of state, we will work with your local therapists on a case-by-case basis.

Click below to access Dr. Paul’s curated rehab and physical therapy video library:

Access Video Library

Bracing

The use of a lumbar brace is often used with an instrumented fusion (use of spacer implant, screws, and rods). This bracing is typically for 6 weeks only, which usually aligns with the second post-op visit. The brace is to be worn anytime you are standing, sitting, or walking for more than a few minutes. If you need to get up briefly to use the washroom, you may do so without the brace on. You do not need to use the brace while bathing or sleeping.

We look at the brace as serving three purposes:

1. Pain Control: Your body will respond to the surgery by potentially causing muscles to spasm. The brace can help with this pain.
2. Excessive Motion: Much like putting a cast on a broken wrist, stabilizing the bones allows the new bone growth to bridge and fuse together. Think of the phrase “A rolling stone gathers no moss.” In the fusion, we don’t want motion and actually want the moss. The use of the brace limits excessive motion to allow for bone growth and a successful fusion.
3. Reminder: This is probably the most important reason for using a brace. Because we have been doing our fusions in a less invasive manner, we have found that people are getting back to normal activities quicker than in the past. We ask that you respect the surgery. Even if you have minimal to no pain, it does not mean the fusion is complete. The use of the brace is a reminder not to overdo activity, which may lead to increased pain.

Bone Stimulators

If Dr. Paul believes you are at higher risk for not healing your fusion, he may order a bone stimulator. These are painless devices that you wear for approximately half an hour each day. You can wear them over your brace.

Watch the video to learn more about the science behind, how to control, and apply bone stimulators.