---Do NOT lift anything weighing greater than 5-10lbs. ---Try to avoid lifting or reaching above your head. ---During the healing process in the first few weeks after surgery, you will likely tire more easily and will need to rest between activities. It can take a few weeks for your energy level to return to normal.
You will need to follow the below precautions. Good body mechanics will be needed overall for the rest of your life. NO bending • NO pushing & pulling items • NO lifting 5-10 pounds • NO overhead lifting • NO twisting • NO bending neck down to look at a book/tablet/magazine etc.
The neck collar or brace supports and correctly positions your neck after surgery. Follow instructions for its care and use, including how long you must wear it. Don't bend or twist at the waist, or raise your hands over your head for 2 weeks after your surgery.
Most patients fully recover from spinal fusion around eight to 12 months after the procedure. At this point, patients may be able to partake in all of their normal activities. However, spinal fusion patients will never regain the ability to bend, twist, or flex the fused segment.
Don't bend, lift, or twist too much while your back is healing. Lifting items that weigh more than 10 pounds is not advisable, and bending from the waist is also not advisable.
Once the fusion has been found to be progressing as expected, it is no longer as fragile. Instead of endangering the fusion, exercising the area after 3 months helps it become stronger. Excess bending, lifting, and twisting are still to be avoided in most cases, but graduated exercise, as tolerated, has major benefits.
Recovery from neck surgery typically ranges from one to six months, but some cases can take longer. Your surgeon will determine a more specific time frame after evaluating your condition and discussing which procedure is right for you based on your diagnosis.
Following your operation you should aim to get back to normal levels of activity by gradually increasing it as you are able. This can start straight away by sitting up in bed, sitting out in the chair and taking short walks. You should try to avoid long periods where your back is inactive.
Following surgery, the body begins its natural healing process and new bone cells grow around the graft. After 3 to 6 months, the bone graft should join the two vertebrae and form one solid piece of bone.
Neck Surgery Benefits
After the procedure and recovery time, you'll be able to return to your normal life without having to think about pain every day. Neck pain keeps you from doing what you love and is also mentally exhausting because it's constantly occupying your thoughts.
Sleeping On Your Back
When it comes to sleep, the best way to reduce pain and your risk of developing a post-procedural complication is to sleep on your back with a pillow placed under your knees. This provides the cervical and thoracic spine with much-needed support, which may ease your post-surgery pain.
Sleeping Challenges After a Cervical Neck Surgery
The best way to reduce your pain as well as your risk of developing a post-procedural complication is to sleep on your back with a pillow placed under your knees. This provides the cervical and thoracic spine with much-needed support, easing your pain.
It will take between 4 and 6 weeks before light work can be accomplished, while full recovery usually takes between 2 and 3 months. If necessary your doctor may suggest physical therapy sessions to aid recovery.
Some factors that impact recovery time include your overall health and lifestyle choices, complications during or after the procedure and how closely you follow your recovery instructions. Typically, patients make a full recovery within two to six weeks.
You will probably need help for a few weeks with things like cooking, grocery shopping, and housework. If you live alone, see if you can stay with family or friends for a while after surgery. Stop taking blood thinners (for example, Coumadin, Warfarin, Plavix, or Aspirin) 7 to 10 days before your surgery.
Putting undue stress on a bone that needs healing often exacerbates an injury. Apply that same concept to recovery from spinal surgeries. Avoid bending at all after a lumbar fusion if possible, as bending or twisting can interfere with the way the fusion heals and even damage the work that was done.
You may experience some swallowing and/or voice changes following your anterior cervical surgery. This could be due to stretching of the nerves which supply the vocal cords during surgery, or as a result of post-operative swelling.
It has been observed that most patients experience extreme fatigue in the first two weeks following surgery. Over time, fatigue will gradually improve, and most patients recover to baseline at around 6 to 8 weeks following the surgery.
You will continue to recuperate over the following four to six weeks, after which you can resume light activities. It usually takes two to three months to fully recover. You might also be recommended for physical therapy for rehabilitation.
The recovery process following surgery for cervical disc herniation usually lasts between four to six weeks.
Avoid strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, until your doctor says it is okay.
At the 3-month mark, most persons with lumbar fusion should be resuming some regular activity. Twisting, bending, and lifting heavy objects may still be off-limits until the 6-12-month mark. That does not spell the end of exercising. Low-impact, high return exercises are essential to maintain a healthy spine.
You will need to restrict your activity for the first 2 weeks, and it will likely be about 4-6 weeks before you can return to your normal routine. It takes most patients about 3 months to feel fully recovered from spinal fusion surgery.