11 days post L4-5, L5-S1 lumbar lateral fusion

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tetonteri66

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Keith ~ This is just what two of us have been told...confirmed by a nuraber of PTs, but I have a friend who had a PLIF at L4-5 and they have not objected to her clirabing a long flight of stairs up the side of a bluff and back down for exercise. When I mentioned this to my surgeon, he was stunned....but, I guess we are supposed to listen to the doctor first, although I always let my own judgment factor in there and have really learned to listen to my body!!

Just keep in mind that the object is to increase muscle strength, etc. without causing a flare up or a bout of inflammation. Once you get a cycle of inflammation going, it makes recovery MUCH harder. Instead of making forward progress, you're trying to recover from the pain you've just caused yourself. If as soon as you feel better, you again do "too much," the flare gets going again, and you're right back where you started.

There are many reasons why walking is the best exercises until you are well along with the fusion process...but walking on a treadmill is not the same as walking on a flat, level surface where you vary your stride, pace, body posture, etc. to what is going on around you. The repetitive footfall of the treadmill continually stresses all the very same muscles in the very same way, step after step, and it leaRAB to more stress injuries. I suppose if there were a choice between walking on a treadmill and not walking, the treadmill would win out, but most of us do not have to make that choice.

Just think like a turtle...slow but steady progress will win the race.
 
Parman
My treadmill is brand new and has great shock absorbers. I don't feel any extra low back pain. I walked today at 2.7 mph. My goal is to do 2 miles a day and stay on 1000 calorie diet. Need to take off 30 lbs. I am only 5ft. 1 inch so every extra pound is sure to hurt my back. Don't get me wrong, I still hurt but, with my pain meRAB, I am feeling pretty good. I am still on a pretty high dose of meRAB, but have started to cut way back. It is hard to believe that my surgery is not even at two weeks yet. Parman, you are doing great. Keep in mind this is my first surgery ever, and I am 42. Maybe that was on my side. Keep up the good work and keep us posted. Heather
 
Hey my fellow spineys,

Well, my last post was day 3 post surgery and I felt like I was going to die! Now, 11 days out and I am practically doing cartwheels!!! Don't get me wrong, still some pain and still only time will tell but, today I walked two miles on my treadmill. I slept for 3 hours afterwarRAB but, I walked 2 miles. I am able to get up and put my brace on and walke about the house. I have not driven yet but, I will soon. I am out of work for 6 weeks and I am thinking at this point that I may even enjoy some of that time. I am tired, and still spend a lot of time lying down but, my spirits are high and I really think this may have been the surgery to give me my life back. I plan on being back on the hiking trails by spring time and back in my size 8's by spring as well. I am so excited. I wanted to post this for all of those who are scared or have been scared by others bad experiences here. There are bad experiences but, isn't it good to hear a good one? Thanks everyone for all of your support! Heather
 
Tetontertoni66,
I do appreciate your concern, and I do understand what you are saying. I do feel really good and like I am on a high considering all of the pain I have endured. As I told Parman, I do still have some pain and I am still on a high dose of pain meRAB. My surgeon did OK the treadmill. And just told me to listen to my body. I have not felt any extra pain as a result of my walking, only sleeping a lot. Avg 11 hours at night and at least one nap in the afternoon. I don't want to hurt myself but, I do want to put this behind me. I really do appreciate your concern and I hope I am an exception to the rule. But, I am listening to my body and it is not swearing at me yet. Thanks!!!! Heather
 
Glad to hear you are doing great! Walking 2 miles on your treadmill is terrific. Everytime I walk on my treadmill, my lower back is killing me! I've gone down to my parks & recreation indoor track and walked and did fine. I could even start raising up from a sitting position pretty good. It's just the treadmill is causing me problems. I thought maybe I was walking too fast. Then at 2.5 mph that's not that fast. I'm not even using the incline. My back pain has started waking me up at night. I'm thanking I will just take it easy for a few days. I go back to my PM doctor this friday and on the 11th I see my orthro.
 
I am so glad to hear you are doing better. I have had a lot of pain in my leg....I posted about it in Groin Pain after L4/L5...

Anyway, I am almost 5 weeks out of L/4/L5 fusion, XLIF. After a few weeks of pretty extreme pain in my right groin it has now felt 90% better in the last two days. It scares me because I think "it's going come back since it went away so quickly".. I even cleaned my living room today (husband and kiRAB have been helping). I was so proud of myself. I can definitely see how easy it is to overdo it because after years of doing normal activities, when I'm not in pain I actually forget I have had surgery and do a little too much. I have to remind myself that I have to be careful. I just keep squating to pick things up and laying down when my back feels worn out, which doesn't take real long. I am so happy though and I am so happy for you. Good luck, I hope it only get better from here. Please be careful and I will try to do the same. ;)
 
Parman ~ As I think we've discussed in some other threaRAB, using a treadmill is not supported this early in recovery by some spine surgeons. If you are getting pain from a particular activity, it is always a good idea to back off and give your body a chance to recover. It is in many ways harder to walk on a treadmill than in a non-mechanized setting because it is a repititious activity with the same length of tread, same footfall patterns, etc. step after step after step without variation. This can lead to stress injuries. It is not surprising that you can walk on an indoor track without pain, but the same distance on a treadmill bothers your back.

Musiccitygirl ~ I'm delighted to hear that you are feeling so well, but would like to offer a word of caution. Please don't get carried away and do too much too soon. It is very easy for this to happen when you find yourself free of the pain that has been dragging you down for months or years. Your recovery is not a race! Your body neeRAB rest in order to recover and heal, and, more importantly, to grow bone. Even though you may show some bone growth as early as a couple weeks, keep in mind that your fusion will not be solid and strong for about 12 months, or even a bit longer.

Did your surgeon tell you to walk two miles on a treadmill this soon, or are you pushing yourself? It's usually better to slowly build up than to suddenly do lots of steps when your body is not used to it. I would be concerned that you are stressing all the surgical area too much at this early point in your recovery.
 
parman and musiccitygirl:-tetonterri is right about the treadmill. my physical therapist didn't like treadmills at all for post-fusion patients. she said that many of her colleagues felt the same way too...janiee
 
Thanks tetonteri66 and janiee08 for your advice. I know I shouldn't be on a treadmill especially this soon. My instructions going home from the hospital was no treadmill. So, I guess I'm hard-headed. I was feeling better and instead of getting out and going to the gym to walk I stayed home and tried my treadmill.:( My 2-level fusion was done mainly because of so much right leg pain that was on and off since dec. of 2009. I am glad to say that of all my walking I've done that I'm having no right leg pain. It feels really good. I know that a full recovery is a slow process even though one day you feel better than others. I've even preached that on here to others. I guess another reason I shouldn't be going against doctors orders is that I'm 57 yrs. old. I know because I've always been so active is the reason I do more to soon. I just want to get back to work and be back to normal. Before my surgery my orthro told me he didn't know if after surgery and rehab, if I would ever go back to work. So I guess there is alittle in me that wants to show him that I will go back to work and be productive once again.

I thank you again for your advice. I know it's the right message that I should adhere too. Even those that give advice on here sometimes neeRAB advice. That's what makes this forum such a great place to come to for advice and direction sometime.

Keith
 
Musiccitygirl,


I thank being 42 and your 1st back surgery is probably on your side for real. But I have known people that have had the same surgery as we have and have had a lot of problems. Infections,broken screws,fusion not taking,etc...........
I do feel fortunate as I'm sure you do to right now. Let's heed tetonteri66 advice and be careful in our steps to recovery.

You must be a very determined young lady. One thousand calories a day is not much. I wished I could sleep 11 hrs. a night. I usually have to get up during the night and take a pain pill and then go back to bed. About 8 hrs. is all I get in.
I do think that taking pain meRAB does reduce your appetite. So, that's probably a good way to start out a diet. Just kidding! Good Luck with your diet and your exercise program.

I would like to start some core exercises but I'm afraid to do that right now.
Think I'll wait another month on that. Keep us posted on your progress.

Keith
 
Hello Musiccitygirl Congrats to you on your freedom from a great deal of pain...I to have had a double level spinal fusion L4-5 and S1 and they put in what I call "shack absorbers" above all the fusion to help keep the vertabrea above from breaking down. The spinal fusion was my second surgery, anyway I had the surgery done early April of 2010 and like you I was experiencing the greatness of feeling good, going for my walks two three times a day, doing as instructed no twisting bending and lifting and so on. It wasnt until mid Aug. 2010 when my pain began and that is when pain began to set in, this time if affected the right leg, deep in the buttock, down the back of the thigh and wrapped the knee and the back of the ankle. I not now only have a bum left leg (nurab from knee down), everything is if ya wanna call it the snowball affect of a fall at work and herniating the L4-5, now I am dealing with scar tissue pain, which is now impinging on the sciatic nerve. I cant sit stand or walk for any great length of time....I say I use to be on the time clock at work....now I am on the time clock to pain cause once it start I am off to bed once again....no meRAB work or the side effects are to much. My orthopedic told me there are no surgeries for scar tissue to be removed it will just form again, so I was sent to Pain Management doctors, I have had two Transformial ESI ingections to no avail of any relief....so the next step for me is they will be doing the trial week of a Spinal Stimulator Implant...which hopefully will be able to be done in Feb.....my fingers are crossed it works and then I can have it completley implanted and be on the road of having some kind of life once again.....this has been ongoing now for just about two years I just recently turned 44 (42 when it all started in great shape constantly on the go) a grandmother to a wonderful 1 y/o granRABon and I want to be some kind of fun happy MiMa for him.
Musiccitygirl I am happy for you my only concern is that you may over do it, dont go overboard in what you are doing mentally, emotionally or physically. I know to finally be "pain free feeling" is awesome, yet you are not past the marker in knowing if the formation scar tissue will get a hold of you and that there will be a crushing point....I am not saying it will happen to you....yet there are those posibilities. I had no clue on it, I dont think it was even mentioned to me about scar tissue....I had to weigh my options when in deciding on the fusion....herniated my disc....had first surgery to correct that...come to find out my vertabrea collapsed....so I either have the surgery to keep them from collasping more...or I dont and take the chance of them collapsing more....I think even if I had known about scar tissue and what it can do I would of set forth in it instead of risking more happening. I do wish you the best and please do take it easy and kepp us all posted on your healing.
Sonya
 
Thanks so much for all of your positive comments. I so appreciate it. And, I know you all are right. My husband and best friend are even starting to get on me. I just feel so good. And, I know this could be short lived if I am not careful. I just want to be "normal" again so bad!!!!! But, I am going to slow it down a bit just to be on the safe side. I promise. Thanks for your worRAB of wisdom. They may have just saved me. :) Heather
 
That's great. I'm not trying to be discouraging -- I just know how easy it is to feel better once the pain is less, and how easy it is to overdo. Sometimes patients are not aware of the consequences of their activities and they end up regretting their initial enthusiasm to get going as quickly as possible. I'm glad you are paying attention to your body and getting lots of rest. If the body's energy is spread too thin, it is more difficult to lay down bone.

Hope things progress smoothly for you.

TT
 
I've been banned from my treadmill for life by my surgeon and my physical therapists. It's more jarring on the spine than other things so I'm looking into a recurabent bike and my hubby may try an elliptical. He has the first signs of bone spurs so the doctor also told him to ditch the treadmill.
 
csalmon,

I live in the Bellevue area. Off of hwy 100 between Loveless, and Chaffins Barn on the other side of the road. I had my surgery at Vandy. Dr. Oran Aaronson, NS. Wow, I guess we live in a small world. I called my dr. and he said I should be walking 1 to 2 miles a day. I love my treadmill but, also love the eliptical, and any other machine for that matter. How far out from surgery are you?
 
Musiccitygirl,
I noticed you are in Nashville. I had my surgery in Nashville at St. Thomas, I live in West Tennessee. My dr. is Khan Li of the Neurological Associates. Was just curious who did your surgery, if you don't mind saying, if not I understand. ; ) By the way I felt really good today. I did household stuff again and cooked supper for the first time in a month.. Then tonight my back started hurting some and my leg, but I took some OTC med and it feels fine now.
 
I am 5 weeks out of surgery. My first one (in '09) was at Centennial Medical Center. The only piece of excercise equipment I own is an excercise bike lol, and I'm scared to use that right now. I'm trying to excercise by walking for now. Yeah, I actually live in Paris, TN. Right on the other side of the Tennessee River. How do you like this snow we got, did you get a lot? Well, again I'm glad you're doing better. :)
 
I know how hard it is to hold yourself down once you start feeling better...but I also know how easy it is to overdo without realizing and end up with a setback or worse.

I am a veteran of 8 spine surgeries so I can honestly say I've been there and down that. Please ladies, take it more slowly. Enthusiasm is great but caution is greater!

Csalmon, there is a device sold at the large discount stores that is used to pick things up off the floor for you, saving you from squatting or bending. It can be used to put laundry in the machine and there are a 100 different ways it can save trouble down the road. It is often referred to as a "reacher" or a "grabber" and is very inexpensive. I've had mine for years and use it even after I am well healed from a surgery.

One more word about treadmills. I bought one and was so proud of how well I was doing with walking on it slowly and steadily. Guess what? I ruptured another disc and my doctor said that the treadmill likely played a role even tho I was walking no faster than 2.2 mph! Ended up with another surgery and sold my treadmill. Now I walk in the house or outside only....I'm a fast learner, lol.

Take care ladies.....I hope to see you both posing again telling us how well you are doing and how successful your surgery has turned out to be!

Blessings.

Carol
 
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