bending to pick things up

[theizzard]

I am 3 months from surgery and as soon as my back felt able, i started bending to pick things up. I emailed my doctor's assistant to find out if it was ok to do this and what weight was acceptable to pick up at 3 months as opposed to when I left the hospital. Also, since I have started bending down to pick things up and to feed the cats, my hips both of which are replaced and have been very good to me are starting to hurt in some positions. I imagine as I am asking this I shouldn't bend at all but once I was able to do it I started to do it especially if out without a gripper. How bad do you think this is?
avis

[debbei]

I am 3 months from surgery and as soon as my back felt able, i started bending to pick things up. I emailed my doctor's assistant to find out if it was ok to do this and what weight was acceptable to pick up at 3 months as opposed to when I left the hospital. Also, since I have started bending down to pick things up and to feed the cats, my hips both of which are replaced and have been very good to me are starting to hurt in some positions. I imagine as I am asking this I shouldn't bend at all but once I was able to do it I started to do it especially if out without a gripper. How bad do you think this is?
avis

Hi Avis,

Sounds like you're doing better! When I saw the Dr. for my 4.5 month checkup, he told me that I could bend. He didn't give me a weight limit, but said only to lift what feels comfortable. I try not to 'overdo' bending, just now and then. And of course I still squat a lot, for instance to feed the dog. I always use my grabber for laundry, because I figure why should I wear out my disks picking up 5 people's clothes off the floor?? No way. I love that grabber.

Another funny thing I do is use my 'built-in' grabber. LOL--I'm constantly picking things up with my toes, and bringing my foot up to my hand to give me the item I pick up. YOu'd think I was a monkey. I was always good with my feet (my younger sister used to tease me that I could write with my toes) but this is a whole new level.

[theizzard]

I have been using my feet as "built in grabbers" all my life. It's nice to meet a
fellow "monkey."
avis

[always smilin']

There's probably more of us monkeys out there than we realize

[chello_ns]

I'm a monkey too!
Did you get an email reply back from your doctor regarding your email?
I'm almost three months post op and able to bend (with doctor's approval). When I saw my doctor a week and a half ago I asked him about any restrictions and he lifted a bunch of mine but everyone's body is so different! Although I can bend I still squat rather than bend most of the time or leave what I dropped for my hubby to pick up (hehehe). Just because I'm doing well I'm not going to risk overdoing it!

[SIsForSarah]

Another monkey here! Picking things up with my toes has been the norm for me since I hernated my L5/S1 about a year and a half ago. Those grabbers are also great - I have three strategically located around my house.

A note to those recently fused: While getting to finally bend down and pick things up may be exciting, it's probably worth doing in moderation. I've been fused from T5 to L2 since 1990 and have herniated my L5/S1 (one of the only "good" 4 discs below my fusion) twice in the last 10 years. It's really worth being very careful to preserve those last discs, because I have a hunch they herniate more easily with the fusion above them. Having said that though, when I last went to a back specialist, I was told I have no more disc degeneration than the average person my age.

[debbei]

It's really worth being very careful to preserve those last discs, because I have a hunch they herniate more easily with the fusion above them.

That's exactly my thought and why I continue to use my 2 grabbers and my monkey feet as much as possible! Why bend for no good reason?

[JanL]

Bending at 3 months! That amazes me. My doctor told me not to bend for a year. Then, at my one year checkup he said, "ok, now don't bend for another year!" Maybe that's because I am fused all the way to the sacrum.

[S4Sarah]

You should not be picking up anything heavy. From what I heard like the first 6 months you can't pick up anything near 20 pounds or heavier, now different cases have different restrictions and time requirements for the restrictions. You really should talk with your doctor about this and even if they say it is okay to bend over it does not sound like a good idea to be picking up anything heavy or even moderatley heavy.

[andyluw]

We must be twins! My first surgery was February 12 and second was March 26 and I have been bending and not using my grabber as well. I also have been rethinking this as I have developed pain in my right side where I used to have herniated disks in the L5-SI. My surgeon said that everyone heals differently and that at this stage it is too early to tell if there are issues as long as the x-rays look good. NSAIDS are helping me to reduce the inflammation, and I'm sure you can guess the next step-BE CAREFUL! We feel so much better from the life that we became accustomed to, and tend to try and take the recovery to fast because we feel better than we have in a long time. It's time to remember to bend from the knees (great exercise for the behind) and/or use your grabber. It's easy to feel that we should be doing more than we are because of the improvement in our pain levels, but the reality is that we are still in the beginning of our recoveries. Remind your family and friends that it time to take a step backwards and take some stress off of your back. By the way, I am fused from the T9-SI and am filling the dog's food and water dishes. Can't use the grabber for this so I try to remember to have someone help or else fill extra full and sit on a chair to place them on the floor. I'm glad to know that I am not the only one in this position. My hubby and three kids got too used to me trying to jump into cleaning that I have no business doing, and after listening to their reasoning and my body, I'm ready to comply and I hope you will too. Good luck and hope to hear things go well for you!

[theizzard]

It jumped out at me that you use NSAIDS to reduce inflammation because my surgeon was most emphatic about not using them because they will negatively impact the fusion that we want to occur. A fusion needs the inflammation and doesn't do well if the inflammation is reduced. Does your doctor know you take NSAIDS? By the way, I started bending because of problems I had when using my grabber to pick up the cat dishes. More times than i care to say when using the grabber to put down nice fresh food, the dish would flip and fall perfectly upside down with the food on the floor. Using 2 grabbers with paper towels I was able to clean the mess up but it got so annoying that when my body felt able, I began to bend. I must say though I cannot bend at all first thing in the morning so I use the grabbers then. My decrepit arthritic body can barely walk so forget about bending and I don't use my inner monkey to pick up cat food bowls. Yuck!
avis

[asccbodypro]

Theizzard,

Glad that someone mentioned bending...and yes I am a fellow monkey as well lol! I am about 5 weeks out now. I was upstairs today by myself and needed toilet paper that was stored on the floor in the bathroom closet. Rather than going to get the grabber or a helper, I got a roll out by using my feet yet just could not get it with my feet so I squated down...very straightly...and picked it up. I didn't feel any discomfort in my back at all and also had my brace on:O) but man oh man my left leg was weak as hell getting up and it hurt just a tiny bit. I am hoping that I won't be paying for this one later. Any opinions out there on bending down at this stage of the game. It certainly isn't something I plan on doing again anytime soon but just wondering if it was a "BAD" thing to do this soon after surgery. Keep in mind I didn't bend the back:O) Guess time will tell throughout the day!

[Singer]

I was told to not bend from the waist AT ALL for a year. At my first year check-up, I was told to bend over from the hips and I said, "Wait -- I'm allowed to do that!?" and it felt okay. I still use my grabber all the time...I can't imagine doing a load of laundry without it.

However, I'm at the point now where I will bend a little without thinking, such as when I'm making the bed..and it's okay. I still don't bend much though.

I was very confused about waist-bending vs. hip-bending for a while and I made my surgeon demonstrate the difference. Someone described hip-bending as bending like a toy soldier and that's exactly right -- you keep your thoracic spine straight while pitching forward. Waist bending is what I do if I'm feeding the cat....such as when I'm already squatting but I need to reach forward as well. I usually make my husband or daughter do it....

[asccbodypro]

bending!

lol...good idea making the doctor demonstrate. I did neither of those bending methods. I more of less bent at the knees and kept everything straight as could be:O) I think I will be ok, I just felt the weekness in my legs vs. anywhere else. thanks, I just wanted to check. It gets a little confusioning sometimes as to what you can and cannot do...I will definitely asks for demonstrations.....should be worth a good laugh.

[JenniferG]

Confusing is right. I only know what I should and shouldn't be doing from reading this forum because I was given no instructions. But I do bend, as a combination of bending at the hips and squatting at the same time. I haven't got a grabber so also use my toes a bit, especially with the laundry.

I had to mop up cat vomit on my bedroom carpet the other day, that was done on hands and knees. No problem but getting up is tricky!