Discectomy surgery and exercise

[yseespgz]

Hoping that someone can give me a little advice about exercise after discectomy surgery?
I had a discectomy in mid December 09 following two MRI scans (the op was done through my husbands Bupa membership)
My pain had started nine months earlier, but became unbearable as time went on. My toes were also going numb, and the massive amount of pain killers did not actually get rid of the pain (they just made me not care about it so much)
When I had the surgery, it was suppose to be about an hour but turned into a few hours.
My surgeon came to tell me that he had made a mistake and opened me up at the wrong disc, but then realized and went on to find the correct prolapsed disc.
I have a scar about 7/8 cm long, which has healed fine.
The exercises they gave me at the hospital have been OK, but I feel that I need to do a bit more now. The only problem is that I am frightened of doing anything physically demanding that will compromise my spine in any way.
I am trying hard to hold my posture correctly, but still have some tugging pain inside and mild sciatic pain.
After a very short time of sitting I feel weak and need to lie down, (almost like my body is too heavy to hold up)
Can anybody advise me on how to strengthen my body, that won't tire me out too much? I know that loosing an odd stone in weight would not go amiss, but then I feel like I am stuck in a bit of a vicious circle. It hasn't been helped by the terrible weather since my op, as I haven't been able to go out walking (because of the ice and snow)
Thanks for any advice! x

 

[Mecala]

Don't relay on hospital.

Go to some institution that works only exercises and physical therapy. After they see you had surgery, they can recommend you appropriate exercises.

DO NOT EXERCISE ON YOUR OWN util they introduce you with exercises.

 

[Sallow]

Specific advice depends on your specific situation, but some general points usually apply, in no particular order (caveat - all or none may apply to your circumstances, so please consult your medical advisors):

How you are a year from now is more important than a week from now.

If you feel like you're getting stronger day by day then everything is probably going fine.

Tissues need a certain amount of stress to heal - not too much, and not too little, not too early, but early enough. Get this right and they can heal stronger than they were before.

Obviously power-lifting, skydiving, ski-jumping all best avoided, as are fierce bending, twisting etc.

Walking is a best exercise, but avoid getting tired at this stage.

Inactivity can be harmful too: taking everything through its full range of pain-free movement without resistance regularly is necessary for health. Do not force anything, and if you get new problems, or any worsening, or progress halts, then stop until you have taken advice.

Also avoid stressful situations, as these tend to allow us to over-ride our in-built protections, whilst too much adrenalin suppresses healing.

Your body will tend to tell you what is sensible, learning to interpret the signals is often the hard part.

Recovery is a whole-body process, so gently working all other areas - shoulders, hips, knees, digestion, breathing, mind etc will help, even if you have to leave the injured part well alone. WHole body activities are good - walking (outdoors, not on treadmill), juggling.

Get plenty of rest and good nutrition/hydration.

There is a lot of fear with spines, but they are actually incredibly tough (although they do have limits, QED).

The spine normally is very good at dissipating stress, through its various patterns of movement and levers. For a disc to rupture takes those same levers working instead to focus forces at one point. Outside of trauma, this is likely the cause of the rupture, and whilst the surgery removes the damaged parts, the same mechanical issues can remain. It may be worth getting help with sorting all of this out.

When a spine is injured, it loses its patterns of movement, and rehabilitation is as much about coordination and mobility as it is about strength. Strength tends to recover automatically as the other areas progress, but the converse is less likely.

 

[Canon 69]

After my immediate post op 'core stability' exercise programe, I was referred to a council run, 16 week, cario-vascilar & skelto-musclar exercise programe (called steps) at my local sports centre. It was monitored and run by specially trained and dedicated sport centre staff.
I found it great, because I could work out (with assistance) at my own speed and I stuck to low impact cardio vascil exercises such as cross trainers, tread mills and bikes.

Ask your GP if knows of a similar course in your area.


Best of luck


SPINELF

 

[Bruce Michael]

I worked in China as a MD and acupuntuist for more than 20 years when I specialised in Disc problems, and have now worked for 7 years in UK and other countries. I recommend acupucture to make the damaged and stiff muscles relax first, to give better blood supply to the damage muscles.They will repair quicker this way. After muscles will relax and not compress the nerves and therefore will relieve the pain. Then you can do exercise easier and benefit from exercise without pain and more importanly without further damage.
It is not easy for you to do exercise without first making the muscles relax. I have helped many patients like you. I hope this helps.
Nan

 

[mtqiyrut]

Hiya Boop.

Try as many non-invasive therapies as you can tolerate and afford, before settling on one or two that suit you and offers you relief and rest bite from the pain.

Some back pain suffers I have met, found acupunture 'very benificial' and helped just as Xianan says but I reacted badly to acupunture, it made my symptoms worse, because my muscles were in constant reactive spasm mode, due to my nerve root impingement. Its very difficult to push needles into severely spasmed muscles without causing a lot of pain.

But it is worth trying, along with other therapies.

Best of luck.

SPINELF

 

[LealeloFrop]

You just described my experience too, the therapist kept telling me I was imagining things and that it couldn't hurt!

Cassie

 

[Jim Boney]

I would like to think that we were alone on this one Cassie, but I know that we are not, 'phsycological refuge' is a diagnosis that is still 'too readily' used by 'too many' Doctors to explain what they don't understand.

Best wishes


SPINELF