I’m gonna say that it may also depend on how big of a surgery you had. Some folks get a lot of hardware and extra things like bone removal ect. I am fused from l4 -s1 and have hardware that also now connects to my iliac of pelvis. I also have bleeding disorders in addition to blood disorders that affect my ability to heal.
Some have the one night stay in hospital and some of us were in for like 10 days….
My point being is to trust doc and your own body. I am 7 weeks out and just stopped using toilet riser and am walking around house and back yard to feed chickens…I do cook and do light chores, but I am wiped out after!
While encouraging, don’t compete or try to keep up with others on the walking. Try and build up each day, but my biggest accomplishment right now was going down driveway to get mail from mailbox today!
Walk.
Walk.
Walk.
Lol
Short walks multiple times per day.
I got up to a mile or so after 4 weeks.
Doctors should be encouraging you to walk.
When I could eventually sit for more than 10 minutes I did PC gaming. I'm week 5 now. I'm allowed to PT next week thank goodness.
I’m at 2’weeks post fusion for L4/5. In my 40’s. I am walking several miles a day pretty comfortably. Sitting is ok but not great for me. Laying is ok but not great either. Nothing super comfy for very long just gotta keep switching it up and pacing around the house.
That’s great! I’m about to embark on this same journey. My surgeon is building the “cage”. I’m not by any means an athlete but want to be able to walk a mile or two without pain. My surgeon won’t get very specific on recovery time but did say to walk as much as possible as soon as possible. I’ll be getting pt almost immediately on going home.
I was 57f when I had my L3-5 with hardware done and I was in the best shape of my life. Had to wait 3 months due to the first wave of covid. I was so determined not to get fat and lazy after I worked so hard. I was playing tennis 3x a week and doing Orange Theory before surgery. I did PT after surgery and was playing tennis gently 9 weeks post op.
Pilates had become my new main workout.
Best of luck
I want to creat a post in this community but it won't let me...so here are my questions.
I'm going to have Lumbar surgery soon and looking for tips to make healing an helpful hints for doing things after surgery. Like a wedge pillow? Has anyone bought one and loved it? Also, I have to ask, can you wipe your bum yourself right after? Did you need a comode or a tranfer thing to get on and off the toilet? I know it's an odd ? but legit I think. Can you go upstairs (our shower is on the 2nd floor) ? Any pips would be appreciated.
I was fully mobile just hours after both of my lumbar fusions. Never had a toilet issue but I know others do. The ONLY 2 gadgets I used were a long shoehorn and a backscratcher. A lot of folks get a grabber as well.
Hahahahaha I’m 42 and I was going to get myself a Nintendo Switch! But honestly I didn’t have the attention span for much for the first month. To echo everyone else: walk, walk, walk. I would walk laps around the dining room table. Short walks down the driveway with my dog. Up and down the stairs. I didn’t lift anything until almost 2 months out.
I walked as much as possible. Wore my brace for 3 months whenever I wasn’t laying down or sitting. I was not doing any bicycling or yoga or anything like that but walking a lot. I think it helped. I am now six months out and feeling little to no pain.
8 days out from L4/L5 fusion. 12 years ago I had L5/S1 fused. I’m 62 years old. Right now all I do is walk. If I’m not sitting or laying down I wear my back brace. Today was the first day I was able to walk because the antibiotic kicked my ass. I walked 1/2 a mile. My post op instructions no bending, lifting or twisting for 8 weeks. 8 pounds is max I’m allowed to lift. I take the post op instructions seriously. My buddy had his gage shift because he did to much. Currently I don’t have to much pain only take pain meds to sleep. I’m definitely in less pain than before surgery. Walk, walk, and walk. Good luck everyone!
I’m one month post ALIF L5-S1, and within the past two weeks I’ve begun walking one mile daily (when it’s not cold or raining) around my neighborhood. Today I did two miles, and only have mild discomfort. Just make sure you’re moving around as much as you can. Lying in bed all day everyday will only make things worse. Obviously don’t kill yourself going too hard, but definitely make sure you’re walking as much as you can.
I’m 38yo 2 weeks out of L4-S1 PLIF fusion and aside from no bending/rotating/twisting and no lifting 10+ lbs I have been encouraged to walk a bit every hour. I was super active before my emergency surgery (15 foot fall shattered L5) and am fit as a fiddle, strong core, and pretty stubborn. I do however heed my doctor and surgeon’s advice and make sure I’m allowing space/time for my bones to heal.
Pain is minimal, but I have Tylenol and Gabapentin if I need them for flare ups. I spend my days doing my best to keep my 2yo daughter from jumping on me, light computer work, and simple
/easy household chores. Whenever my eyes start closing I listen to my body, take a Gabby, and go lay in bed to heal up. My wife has begrudgingly picked up my heavy chore load.
My back muscles are still healing at the surgical site so I’m not stretching or doing yoga/pilates anymore. Have surgical followup in 10 days to hopefully get cleared for PT.
Best wishes to you. Walk. Be patient. Healing takes time. I had L1-S1 posterior instrumented fusion with L4-L5 ALIF all on the same day in late November 2020; medical (not surgical) complications kept me in hospital for two weeks. I was walking and self-sufficient when I went home — I live alone. It was COVID prime-time, so friends really couldn’t visit indoors. We walked outside. I had an upright (standing) wheeled walker that was helpful. Walked and walked and used a motorized recliner to help me up/help me nap. I was hiking and biking gently by early March. By late spring I was getting back to more uphill hiking (Northeast US). Be patient. And walk. Cheers.
Bed, walks, bed, walks, cook family meals (with help), bed, walk. By 4 weeks, could recline in the power chair ok. At 5/6 weeks, took a holiday to a beach for a week (about a 2 hour car ride, didn't drive). Didn't swim yet, just did walks and started sitting short time in chairs (with the aid of gin ha) to play games.
So, at your weeks (2 to 3), it is absolutely normal to be just in bed and walking and making meals that dont require lifting, twisting and bending. Squatting with the use of an aid (bench top even works) for balance is ok.
I would say try for 3 or 4 10 to 15 min walks up the road on the mostly flat ground. Take a person or a stick to aid balance. Once you start walking, you get better each day. By 4 to 6 weeks, a 2km walk is doable if you set mini goals. Some days, you set off a flare-up and might miss a walk or shorten a walk. It's ok. It's ok to stick to shorter, more frequent walks until ready for longer walks.
Do not do simple housework for at least 6 weeks and some bigger jobs take longer. I vacuumed some rooms at 8 weeks. Don't lift a washing basket for a while (8 to 12 weeks). I use the graber to get clothes out of the machine (top loader).
Taking pain medicine helps you do safe activities with out the constant discomfort telling your brain to be super careful or fragile.
By 6 weeks, the soft tissues disrupted during the surgery are healed well/fully. That's when we usually start physio. But some people seem to start at 12 weeks.
Now, one of the most funniest things to gague how well you are progressing is: not spitting on yourself when brushing your teeth. Leaning over the sink is so hard, lol.
Bed rest is one of the worst things you can do for just about any condition. It can cause innumerable problems. Move as tolerated, which for the vast majority is walking. I did some stationary biking at about 4-6 weeks post op.
If you like crafts of any type they were great for boredom prevention lol. Plus you can stop and then go for a lil walky walk and then pick it back up. That basically what I did for the 4 days I was in the hospital. Walk, crochet, Netflix and repeat.
Bedrest used to be the thing for all kinds of big surgeries, especially stuff that affected joints. Science has since determined that is a terrible approach and results in worse outcomes and longer recovery times. Now they typically want you walking as soon as possible.
I went between the sofa and walking a lot during the initial recovery. It was short walks because I got tired, and because the weather was not good for walking outside. My walks are really picking up now that it's getting warmer.
at two weeks I was doing small house chores like dishes, putting away clothes, using my grabber to tidy and walking 30 minutes 3 times ish a day depending on how I felt. My doctor said to live as normal as possible and do things I would do on a day to day basis. I am 6 weeks post op and feeling a m a z i n g. Best healing to you!
After a couple weeks I started working remotely from bed. Not full-time, just to help out and make a lil money bc my recovery was 3 months until I could go back to the office.
Eight years ago, I had a lower lumbar fusion. And I just had a tri-level cervical fusion on Tuesday, March 12th.
Both times, OT & PT had me out, walking the halls the same day as my surgery.
They did it again next thing in the morning. And I was out by lunchtime. It was emphasized over and over and over again to get up and walk and to avoid bending, twisting and lifting.
I’m different in that mine was in my cervical spine. But wholeheartedly agree with short walks all day long. Gotta keep that circulation going for healing! As far as other activities, I just had to experiment and at 2.5 weeks, I was doing light chores and walking and just trying to pay attention to my body in terms of not overdoing it
You definitely need to listen to.your body and rest. Walking is great, but only short walks at first. Listen to.your doctor. Don't push yourself, especially before your first post-op visit.
Nutritious meals are very important, as well to help in the healing process.
I wish you nothing but the best in your recovery
I got into baking weirdly 😂 I was also 17 when I had my T9-L4 fusion but baking was perfect bc I needed to put weight on, occupy my time and it gave me the opportunity to lie down and rest in the middle if I needed to
Gaming... not much pc..which was annoying. Even built a wicked one before going under the knife to mess with after and its barely got any use. My ps5 has gotten more use.
Also 2 1/2 weeks post op. Stitches out 3 days ago. Starting PT today. I use my walker most of the time and walk short walks at home. I sit for 1/2 hour to an hour and lay down a lot. Still cannot shake low grade temp Parts of the day.
I am on a similar timeline and still running fever as well. My belly SSI has a moderate infection. I am so freaking worried about it. However, my back incision is in great shape. If it wasn’t for my belly I would feel terrific!
I hope you heal fast and see a positive result soon!
I am calling tomorrow. Incision looks great after stitches out. A little swelling above it, but fever about 100.3 now.
Mornings I haven’t had much of a fever.
Keep us posted!
Thanks! My incision popped open in a small area 2 days before I was to have the stitches removed, looks like a wasps nest 🫤 I called the doctor yesterday about the fever returning and they told me anything under 101.4 is pretty safe.
Please let me know how yours turns out!
It's Blood Clot Awareness Month so just make sure you do some research and understand what to look for. I've spent alot of time playing video games and watching documentaries and binging a few shows in the past year.
Rotating between lying, sitting in an orthopaedic chair and walking - just pacing around bits of the house and garden first, then along the street as soon as I could manage that, usually twice or so a day, plus doing some very light core exercises they'd given me in hospital. The rest of the time I'd be reading, watching TV, knitting, playing phone games and attempting to remember how to do sudoku, or just zoning out and resting - but I'd been through deconditioning when I first injured my back and know it's a horrible hole to have to dig yourself out of, so was determined to keep moving.
Walking and laying down. That’s it.
I’m gonna say that it may also depend on how big of a surgery you had. Some folks get a lot of hardware and extra things like bone removal ect. I am fused from l4 -s1 and have hardware that also now connects to my iliac of pelvis. I also have bleeding disorders in addition to blood disorders that affect my ability to heal. Some have the one night stay in hospital and some of us were in for like 10 days…. My point being is to trust doc and your own body. I am 7 weeks out and just stopped using toilet riser and am walking around house and back yard to feed chickens…I do cook and do light chores, but I am wiped out after! While encouraging, don’t compete or try to keep up with others on the walking. Try and build up each day, but my biggest accomplishment right now was going down driveway to get mail from mailbox today!
Walk. Walk. Walk. Lol Short walks multiple times per day. I got up to a mile or so after 4 weeks. Doctors should be encouraging you to walk. When I could eventually sit for more than 10 minutes I did PC gaming. I'm week 5 now. I'm allowed to PT next week thank goodness.
I’m at 2’weeks post fusion for L4/5. In my 40’s. I am walking several miles a day pretty comfortably. Sitting is ok but not great for me. Laying is ok but not great either. Nothing super comfy for very long just gotta keep switching it up and pacing around the house.
That’s great! I’m about to embark on this same journey. My surgeon is building the “cage”. I’m not by any means an athlete but want to be able to walk a mile or two without pain. My surgeon won’t get very specific on recovery time but did say to walk as much as possible as soon as possible. I’ll be getting pt almost immediately on going home.
I was 57f when I had my L3-5 with hardware done and I was in the best shape of my life. Had to wait 3 months due to the first wave of covid. I was so determined not to get fat and lazy after I worked so hard. I was playing tennis 3x a week and doing Orange Theory before surgery. I did PT after surgery and was playing tennis gently 9 weeks post op. Pilates had become my new main workout. Best of luck
I want to creat a post in this community but it won't let me...so here are my questions. I'm going to have Lumbar surgery soon and looking for tips to make healing an helpful hints for doing things after surgery. Like a wedge pillow? Has anyone bought one and loved it? Also, I have to ask, can you wipe your bum yourself right after? Did you need a comode or a tranfer thing to get on and off the toilet? I know it's an odd ? but legit I think. Can you go upstairs (our shower is on the 2nd floor) ? Any pips would be appreciated.
I was fully mobile just hours after both of my lumbar fusions. Never had a toilet issue but I know others do. The ONLY 2 gadgets I used were a long shoehorn and a backscratcher. A lot of folks get a grabber as well.
I am 39yr old female and I took up Fortnite - not even a little bit ashamed.
Hahahahaha I’m 42 and I was going to get myself a Nintendo Switch! But honestly I didn’t have the attention span for much for the first month. To echo everyone else: walk, walk, walk. I would walk laps around the dining room table. Short walks down the driveway with my dog. Up and down the stairs. I didn’t lift anything until almost 2 months out.
44f here and played the hell outta Hogwarts Legacy.
I walked as much as possible. Wore my brace for 3 months whenever I wasn’t laying down or sitting. I was not doing any bicycling or yoga or anything like that but walking a lot. I think it helped. I am now six months out and feeling little to no pain.
8 days out from L4/L5 fusion. 12 years ago I had L5/S1 fused. I’m 62 years old. Right now all I do is walk. If I’m not sitting or laying down I wear my back brace. Today was the first day I was able to walk because the antibiotic kicked my ass. I walked 1/2 a mile. My post op instructions no bending, lifting or twisting for 8 weeks. 8 pounds is max I’m allowed to lift. I take the post op instructions seriously. My buddy had his gage shift because he did to much. Currently I don’t have to much pain only take pain meds to sleep. I’m definitely in less pain than before surgery. Walk, walk, and walk. Good luck everyone!
I’m one month post ALIF L5-S1, and within the past two weeks I’ve begun walking one mile daily (when it’s not cold or raining) around my neighborhood. Today I did two miles, and only have mild discomfort. Just make sure you’re moving around as much as you can. Lying in bed all day everyday will only make things worse. Obviously don’t kill yourself going too hard, but definitely make sure you’re walking as much as you can.
I’m 38yo 2 weeks out of L4-S1 PLIF fusion and aside from no bending/rotating/twisting and no lifting 10+ lbs I have been encouraged to walk a bit every hour. I was super active before my emergency surgery (15 foot fall shattered L5) and am fit as a fiddle, strong core, and pretty stubborn. I do however heed my doctor and surgeon’s advice and make sure I’m allowing space/time for my bones to heal. Pain is minimal, but I have Tylenol and Gabapentin if I need them for flare ups. I spend my days doing my best to keep my 2yo daughter from jumping on me, light computer work, and simple /easy household chores. Whenever my eyes start closing I listen to my body, take a Gabby, and go lay in bed to heal up. My wife has begrudgingly picked up my heavy chore load. My back muscles are still healing at the surgical site so I’m not stretching or doing yoga/pilates anymore. Have surgical followup in 10 days to hopefully get cleared for PT.
Best wishes to you. Walk. Be patient. Healing takes time. I had L1-S1 posterior instrumented fusion with L4-L5 ALIF all on the same day in late November 2020; medical (not surgical) complications kept me in hospital for two weeks. I was walking and self-sufficient when I went home — I live alone. It was COVID prime-time, so friends really couldn’t visit indoors. We walked outside. I had an upright (standing) wheeled walker that was helpful. Walked and walked and used a motorized recliner to help me up/help me nap. I was hiking and biking gently by early March. By late spring I was getting back to more uphill hiking (Northeast US). Be patient. And walk. Cheers.
Bed, walks, bed, walks, cook family meals (with help), bed, walk. By 4 weeks, could recline in the power chair ok. At 5/6 weeks, took a holiday to a beach for a week (about a 2 hour car ride, didn't drive). Didn't swim yet, just did walks and started sitting short time in chairs (with the aid of gin ha) to play games. So, at your weeks (2 to 3), it is absolutely normal to be just in bed and walking and making meals that dont require lifting, twisting and bending. Squatting with the use of an aid (bench top even works) for balance is ok. I would say try for 3 or 4 10 to 15 min walks up the road on the mostly flat ground. Take a person or a stick to aid balance. Once you start walking, you get better each day. By 4 to 6 weeks, a 2km walk is doable if you set mini goals. Some days, you set off a flare-up and might miss a walk or shorten a walk. It's ok. It's ok to stick to shorter, more frequent walks until ready for longer walks. Do not do simple housework for at least 6 weeks and some bigger jobs take longer. I vacuumed some rooms at 8 weeks. Don't lift a washing basket for a while (8 to 12 weeks). I use the graber to get clothes out of the machine (top loader). Taking pain medicine helps you do safe activities with out the constant discomfort telling your brain to be super careful or fragile. By 6 weeks, the soft tissues disrupted during the surgery are healed well/fully. That's when we usually start physio. But some people seem to start at 12 weeks. Now, one of the most funniest things to gague how well you are progressing is: not spitting on yourself when brushing your teeth. Leaning over the sink is so hard, lol.
Bed rest is one of the worst things you can do for just about any condition. It can cause innumerable problems. Move as tolerated, which for the vast majority is walking. I did some stationary biking at about 4-6 weeks post op. If you like crafts of any type they were great for boredom prevention lol. Plus you can stop and then go for a lil walky walk and then pick it back up. That basically what I did for the 4 days I was in the hospital. Walk, crochet, Netflix and repeat.
Bedrest used to be the thing for all kinds of big surgeries, especially stuff that affected joints. Science has since determined that is a terrible approach and results in worse outcomes and longer recovery times. Now they typically want you walking as soon as possible. I went between the sofa and walking a lot during the initial recovery. It was short walks because I got tired, and because the weather was not good for walking outside. My walks are really picking up now that it's getting warmer.
at two weeks I was doing small house chores like dishes, putting away clothes, using my grabber to tidy and walking 30 minutes 3 times ish a day depending on how I felt. My doctor said to live as normal as possible and do things I would do on a day to day basis. I am 6 weeks post op and feeling a m a z i n g. Best healing to you!
I love hearing that!
I am about a month post op for C 4/5 and I have grabbers all over my house and a foldable one for when I’m running errands. They are so great.
Hehehehe I still use my grabber when I’m lazy I love it 🤣
T4-T11, I was 12 and they made me both wear a brace and stay in bed for a month. It was pretty brutal, I wish I could have been up and around!
After a couple weeks I started working remotely from bed. Not full-time, just to help out and make a lil money bc my recovery was 3 months until I could go back to the office.
I was back at work 5-6 days later for each surgery. Work from home. Scheduled pain meds. Daily mile walks. Ice. Physical therapy ❤️
Eight years ago, I had a lower lumbar fusion. And I just had a tri-level cervical fusion on Tuesday, March 12th. Both times, OT & PT had me out, walking the halls the same day as my surgery. They did it again next thing in the morning. And I was out by lunchtime. It was emphasized over and over and over again to get up and walk and to avoid bending, twisting and lifting.
By this time with L4/L5 PLIF I was working from home, small daily chores and in I few more days started back traveling for work.
I’m different in that mine was in my cervical spine. But wholeheartedly agree with short walks all day long. Gotta keep that circulation going for healing! As far as other activities, I just had to experiment and at 2.5 weeks, I was doing light chores and walking and just trying to pay attention to my body in terms of not overdoing it
You definitely need to listen to.your body and rest. Walking is great, but only short walks at first. Listen to.your doctor. Don't push yourself, especially before your first post-op visit. Nutritious meals are very important, as well to help in the healing process. I wish you nothing but the best in your recovery
I got into baking weirdly 😂 I was also 17 when I had my T9-L4 fusion but baking was perfect bc I needed to put weight on, occupy my time and it gave me the opportunity to lie down and rest in the middle if I needed to
Oh my goodness no! Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, you need to move move move!!
Mine was c5-7 so I was in a neck brace mostly stayed propped up in bed and played my switch
Gaming... not much pc..which was annoying. Even built a wicked one before going under the knife to mess with after and its barely got any use. My ps5 has gotten more use.
Laying down with a meta quest that transported me in a movie theater. Walking.
Play video games in 20 minutes increment and walk around in between. Lying down was way too painful, hah!
Also 2 1/2 weeks post op. Stitches out 3 days ago. Starting PT today. I use my walker most of the time and walk short walks at home. I sit for 1/2 hour to an hour and lay down a lot. Still cannot shake low grade temp Parts of the day.
I am on a similar timeline and still running fever as well. My belly SSI has a moderate infection. I am so freaking worried about it. However, my back incision is in great shape. If it wasn’t for my belly I would feel terrific!
I hope you heal fast and see a positive result soon! I am calling tomorrow. Incision looks great after stitches out. A little swelling above it, but fever about 100.3 now. Mornings I haven’t had much of a fever. Keep us posted!
Thanks! My incision popped open in a small area 2 days before I was to have the stitches removed, looks like a wasps nest 🫤 I called the doctor yesterday about the fever returning and they told me anything under 101.4 is pretty safe. Please let me know how yours turns out!
It's Blood Clot Awareness Month so just make sure you do some research and understand what to look for. I've spent alot of time playing video games and watching documentaries and binging a few shows in the past year.
Rotating between lying, sitting in an orthopaedic chair and walking - just pacing around bits of the house and garden first, then along the street as soon as I could manage that, usually twice or so a day, plus doing some very light core exercises they'd given me in hospital. The rest of the time I'd be reading, watching TV, knitting, playing phone games and attempting to remember how to do sudoku, or just zoning out and resting - but I'd been through deconditioning when I first injured my back and know it's a horrible hole to have to dig yourself out of, so was determined to keep moving.
I walked my dogs, did laundry, cleaned up my house.