Pt

What is the post op physical therapy consist of or is there generally not anything specific. Dr doesn't feel he will have to touch any of my L regions (so he says now) so I am wondering what I can do to improve my recovery and if there is much pt involved. I don't really hear anyone talk about that but I could have missed it.

[JamieAnn]

Hi there,

I did not have any PT really. Around 3 months post op, I went for a few PT visits, but the PT said that I really just need to start exercising and doing what's comfortable to me. He gave me a few band exercises, but that was it. I had a fusion from T5-L1. So in my experience there wasn't really PT - but others will tell you they went quite extensively. It really depends on your fusion level and what your doctor recommends.

Good luck!

[golfnut]

Dr. Lenke did not recommend PT. He stressed the importance of walking and also allowed me to walk in a swimming pool forward, backward, sideways, etc. After a couple of months, I requested some arm exercises that I do laying on my back using 3 or 5 pounds weights. Even now at 8 months post op, I am to just continue with water aerobics, walking, and the arm exercises and a few new ones that I do daily at home. I have had a smooth recovery so far, so I'm not pushing the issue of seeing a PT even though I was looking forward to it. Maybe at a year post op I can start regular physical therapy.

[Kayde]

My low back has such a small curve he said he plans to stay out of my low back if he can. I am hoping he will and I hope it will make the recovery easier. I have been riding my bike and walking an hour a day with weights so I am hoping my leg pain will be less. I know when I go to the gym and use the weights my pain diminishes for a while. I am glad to hear there isn't a lot of pt. I am hoping that numb back and legs will be minimal so I can resume walking. And golf ... I was wondering about mini golf @ first.

[CaroleM]

I am just past three months post op and only had my thoracic region fused as well, my lumbar self corrected after the thoracic fusion. I am now done to 5* both thoracic and lumbar from 48 and 31 respectively. I started pt approx five weeks post op. Lots of upper body and core strength work at first such as the arm bike, upper body bands, stretches etc.. I was in pt for just about six weeks and just fininished. If you have the choice to go I would recommend it, I went three times a week and also went back to the gym at about six weeks post op, using the treadmill and recumbant bike, also some light weights. I am now at approx three months lifting about 50 lbs upper body and 50-110 lower body. My surgeon says this is fine. He stated that now at three months post op i can go back to most f my notmal activties except running. It was really nice to go to pt and have someone to talk me through all of th ethings that I could and could not do, surprisingly I was able to do a lot more than I thought. The core work has been the biggest challenge, I don't think my lumbar is enjoying its new uncurved state . It has been giving me some discomfort but not enough to deter me from continuing with my excersing and gaining my strenght back. I have recently started pilates reformer classes too and although challenging they are really helping with my core strength. I did get permission from my surgeon though before I started doing anything new. He has been really great and is really of the philosophy that if it doesnt hurt than go ahead and do it. Good luck to you on your up coming surgery and recovery!

[LisaB]

I don't really do physical therapy; maybe because I'm from out of town. But at my 6 month checkup Dr
Bridwell had a physical therapist talk to me and she gave me handouts of what I could do. At 9 months I talked to her and she sent me more handouts. At my one year checkup he had me meet with her again
and she is sending me some more handouts. I joined a gym and gave copies of the handouts to a trainer so she would know what machines I could and couldn't do. Exercise is the key I think. I do some things at home and some at the gym. You really feel so much better when you can start exercising, even though I had been walking since getting home from the hospital. It was nice starting to get my arms, etc back
In shape.

[Marina63]

50 Pound weights?

I am just past three months post op and only had my thoracic region fused as well, my lumbar self corrected after the thoracic fusion. I am now done to 5* both thoracic and lumbar from 48 and 31 respectively. I started pt approx five weeks post op. Lots of upper body and core strength work at first such as the arm bike, upper body bands, stretches etc.. I was in pt for just about six weeks and just fininished. If you have the choice to go I would recommend it, I went three times a week and also went back to the gym at about six weeks post op, using the treadmill and recumbant bike, also some light weights. I am now at approx three months lifting about 50 lbs upper body and 50-110 lower body. My surgeon says this is fine. He stated that now at three months post op i can go back to most f my notmal activties except running. It was really nice to go to pt and have someone to talk me through all of th ethings that I could and could not do, surprisingly I was able to do a lot more than I thought. The core work has been the biggest challenge, I don't think my lumbar is enjoying its new uncurved state . It has been giving me some discomfort but not enough to deter me from continuing with my excersing and gaining my strenght back. I have recently started pilates reformer classes too and although challenging they are really helping with my core strength. I did get permission from my surgeon though before I started doing anything new. He has been really great and is really of the philosophy that if it doesnt hurt than go ahead and do it. Good luck to you on your up coming surgery and recovery!

You were lifting 50 lbs upper body and 50-110 lbs lower body at three months post op?? That is amazing! Where is your fusion?

I am fused T1-L2. I have been lifting weights for 17 years. I am slowly starting to lift 5 lbs upper body after going to PT for four weeks now. I also ran before but realize that if I can go back to running, it will be a long time from now. I agree with what you said about actually being able to do more than you thought. PT has been invaluable in this sense. It has really helped me properly get back into shape as well as give me the confidence to do more.

I started back at the gym 6 weeks post op as well. My doctor gave me the okay. I am getting back into spinning three days a week and walking the other three. How are you doing now? You are almost 6 months post op?