Physical Therapy After Back Surgery

If you’ve suffered with lower back pain and are preparing to have surgery, receiving physical therapy afterward back surgery is a vital component in your recovery.  At Pontchartrain Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, our physical therapy team can develop a treatment plan to get you as active as possible.

In today’s post, we’ll discuss why it’s so important to get physical therapy after back surgery and what to expect when you go.

The short answer is, yes. You’ll have less pain and better mobility with physical therapy following back surgery. Though you will have some relief from pain after back surgery, you may believe that the surgery alone is enough. However, the spine and its surrounding muscles are complex and the compensation you may have been making to move and deal with pain pre-surgery will need attention post-surgery. Studies of physical therapy after lumber disc surgery show patients experience greatly reduces pain and improves spinal function.

The first goals of physical therapy post back surgery are to help you manage your pain and limit any inflammation you may experience. Minimizing muscles spasms is also important. Your physical therapist will show you exercises that strengthen the muscles that control and stabilize the back. Reducing pain and restoring full range of motion so you can be fully active again are the long-range goals of your physical therapy.

You should meet with your physical therapist a few days after your surgery. Your PT will likely encourage you to start treatment as soon as possible, once your incision has healed. In fact, after surgery, your doctor will want you to get out of bed right away. The sooner you can start to move and then exercise, the less time your body has to stiffen or cramp.

Once you begin physical therapy,  you’ll be expected to start doing basic movements. As you progress, you’ll increase the complexity and weights in your exercises. So as far as physical therapy goes, the sooner, the better.

If you’ve never gone to physical therapy before, the prospect could be a little daunting. But after a few visits with your physical therapist, you’ll see that it’s a collaborative process with the goal of helping you improve. Here’s what will happen when you to physical therapy after your back surgery.  First you’ll receive a thorough evaluation and then you’ll start treatment which will be a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises along with modalities:

Your physical therapist will gather information on the best way to treat you through a multi-approach evaluation. Specifically, your evaluation may include:

Your physical therapy will be tailored to you based on the results of your evaluation. Physical therapists have deep knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and how best to treat you post-surgery. Here are the different types of treatment they’ll prescribe:

Immediately after surgery, you’ll begin stretching to prevent adhesions from forming or scarring to occur. In particular, you’ll work on stretching your quadriceps and hamstrings. Stretches might include:

In addition to a walking exercise program, your physical therapist will have you do some of the following exercises:

Along with stretching and strengthening exercises, you may receive physical modalities that can ease the pain that occurs after surgery. Modalities may include:

Your physical therapist will also work with you and teach you how to move correctly so that you can avoid future injuries to your back. While your physical therapy treatment may last four to six weeks, your recovery may last up to four months.

Once you have back surgery, meet with one of our physical therapists, who will work with you as you recover. Physical therapists are trained in treating the lower back, particularly after back surgeries like laminectomies or discectomies. They can help you reduce pain and regain strength and flexibility through exercises and modalities. Physical therapy is integral to a thorough recovery after back surgery.

If you have questions about physical therapy after back surgery, or to schedule an appointment for your post-surgery physical therapy treatment plan, contact us today.