What is The Recovery Time For Laser Spine Surgery?

With any type of operation there is going to be a recovery period. The good thing about laser spine surgery compared to traditional spine surgery is the quicker recovery time, that is why many people opt for this type of surgery. 

But how long can you expect to be out of action for? 

Do Not Rush Things

One of the most common mistakes people make after having laser spine surgery is to rush back into normal everyday life too soon.

Although most people find that their back problem is feeling so much better after surgery, your body still needs time to rest and heal properly. 

So, if your doctor or surgeon suggests that the recovery time period should be four to six weeks, listen to their advice and don’t try to rush things along quicker.

This will only cause you more back problems and likely set you back further down the road on your recovery time.

Although rest is the best medicine after spinal surgery, it’s also important that you do some gentle exercise as well, as if you are not moving the muscle groups around the back they are likely to stiffen up and cause you pain and discomfort. Again your doctor or surgeon should advise on you on this. 

A General Timeline For Recovery

It’s important that you choose a good surgeon to operate on you for the best chance of success and quickest recovery time. Joshua S. Rovner, an orthopedic spine surgeon would be an excellent choice.

Surgery itself can last anywhere between two to six hours depending on the type of injury you have. In most cases it is then safe to start physiotherapy as soon as the next day, but your doctor will advise on this.

Roughly seven to fourteen days later the patient is then normally able to return to their place of work, but will need to take on only light work so as to not put too much strain on the back.

Anywhere between two and four weeks after the operation there should be a consultation with the surgeon or a doctor to access the progress of the patient and to run through recovery plans.

Finally after roughly six to eight weeks the patient should be able to return to full work and resume everyday life.

Physical Therapy

As part of your after care for your recovery process your doctor may recommend seeing a physio. This is an excellent idea particularly if you have been suffering from your back injury for some time.

A physio will be able to help with daily exercises and stretches that can help rebuild the muscles and your flexibility after surgery. They should also be able to advise you on what forms of exercise you should be doing and which you should be avoiding.

It’s always important to follow any advice that your physio offers you as they have many years experience with these types of injuries and recovering from them.

Returning To Work

Although the patient should be able to return to work quite quickly after the laser spinal surgery procedure it is important that they do not over do it. 

They are still in the recovery period, so it’s vital that although they need to use their muscles in the back as not to get stiff and cause other issues, that they also rest and give their back time to properly heal.

To recover successfully from spinal surgery it’s important that they follow the timeline that their surgeon or doctor gives them as if they try to do things too quickly it’s likely to cause more future back problems and hamper their return to normal everyday life.

To Sum Up

Recovery time is a lot quicker when it comes to laser spinal surgery as it is a lot less invasive compared to other various spinal treatments. But with this being said it is vital that you take the recovery process seriously.

You may feel that the problem has been resolved as soon as the operation has taken place and that you are now pain free, but you are likely to have the same recurring problem if you do not give the right amount of time and rest to let your body heal from the surgery process.

Back pain and injuries can be life changing and stop us from going about our daily lives, and laser spinal surgery can help with back injuries that other procedures and remedies may not be able to fix.