Are you preparing for an upcoming spinal surgery or know that you may need to schedule one?
It is perfectly normal to be fearful or anxious about any surgical treatment, especially one in such a sensitive area. During your preparation time, you are likely priming yourself with surgery knowledge, recovery information, pain management, and more.
At Exchange Physical Therapy in Jersey City, Hoboken, and Weehawken we know how pre-spinal surgery physical therapy can benefit you in the long run.
Two of the Most Common Spinal Surgeries
Roughly 80% of older adults experience a back injury at some point. Not all of them require back surgery, but it shows how sensitive each part of your spine can be. Of the possible spinal procedures, surgeons perform these two the most:
Discectomy
A softer bone disk between each solid spinal bone functions as a shock absorber, connector, and mobilizer. They have a stiff but rubbery barrier and a softer nucleus inside. A disk herniates when the soft insides push through a crack in the rubber-like bone, usually compressing spinal nerves.
Surgeons perform discectomies on herniated disks, removing the small portion causing the problem. They tend to leave most of the disk alone, but more severe circumstances may require disk replacements. Some discectomies, like a microdiscectomy, only require minor incisions to work through, and patients can walk out after rest.
Laminectomy
Sometimes, the back of someone’s spine, called the lamina, fuses or forms bone spurs, which are bony lumps forming around joints. These spinal fusions reduce a person’s ability to move, and the bone spurs can cause significant pain. Like a discectomy, surgeons remove part of the lamina during a laminectomy.
These have minimally invasive options for less severe circumstances. Like a discectomy, surgeons can work through a small incision to remove bone spurs or parts of the lamina and relieve pain. Thankfully, this spinal surgery also has a high recovery rate with proper care both before and after the procedure.
EPTG – Benefits of Pre-Spinal Surgery Physical Therapy in Jersey City, Hoboken, and Weehawken
While you usually utilize physical therapy after a procedure to regain mobility, you can start ahead of time with prehabilitation. You do not have to wait to take care of your back until after the surgery. Preparing your body to undergo recovery helps in the long run.
You are already in pain, and waiting for surgery to resolve it does a disservice to you and your needs. During prehab, the physical therapist teaches you ways to control and manage your pain to help you increase your tolerance. You could also reduce your need for potentially addictive pain relief medicines and avoid dealing with their side effects.
In addition, physical therapy before spinal surgery can prepare your body for the procedure. Your muscles and bones become sturdier and more flexible, increasing how quickly they can recover and develop. After surgery, you can get back to moving around quicker and with less pain, rather than leaving preparation and recovery until later.
Utilizing prehab also helps manage and reduce stress and anxiety. There is nothing quite like a good stretch and reasonable workout to help ease your mind. You can prepare yourself through physical therapy and arm yourself with the knowledge of how to deal with those temporary post-op pains.
Exchange Physical Therapy Group wants you to be the most comfortable you can be through this process. We know spinal surgery can be frightening, but we can help you learn what to do before and after surgery. Then, you can recover with a peaceful mind and a healthier body.
You can find Exchange Physical Therapy in Jersey City, Uptown Hoboken, Downtown Hoboken, and Weehawken, NJ. To contact our Jersey City location, call us at 201-721-6130 today. You can also visit our contact page to schedule an evaluation session with our physical therapists in Jersey City and our other three locations.
