Every recovery is a little different
How fast you recover depends on the operation, your age and health, and how long the nerves were pinched before surgery. Someone who has an endoscopic discectomy may walk out of the surgery center the same day and be back at a desk job within a week or two. Someone who has a long fusion for spinal deformity may spend several days in the hospital and need many months to feel fully recovered. Your surgeon will give you a plan for your specific operation. The timeline below is a general guide.
A general timeline
- Surgery day to day 3Many smaller operations are outpatient or need one night in the hospital. Larger fusions may need two to five days. Nurses and therapists get you up and walking, often the same day.
- Weeks 1 to 2Short, frequent walks. Soreness at the incision is normal. The first follow-up visit is usually around two weeks, to check the wound.
- Weeks 2 to 6Walking distance grows. Many people with desk jobs return to work in this window after smaller surgeries. Lifting and bending limits usually still apply.
- Weeks 6 to 12Physical therapy often starts or picks up. Restrictions ease for many people. A fusion is still healing and may show early progress on X-rays.
- Months 3 to 12Strength and stamina keep improving. Fusion bone often takes six months to a year to become solid. Numbness can keep slowly getting better during this time.
Pain control
Some pain after surgery is expected, and the goal is to keep it at a level where you can walk, sleep and do your exercises. Most plans use several medicines together, such as acetaminophen, a muscle relaxant, ice and, for a short time, a prescription opioid. Using more than one type of medicine often means you need less of each.
Opioids are meant for the first days to weeks only. They can cause constipation, sleepiness and nausea, and the risk of dependence goes up the longer they are used. Take them only as directed, never with alcohol, and do not drive while taking them. Store them safely and dispose of leftovers at a pharmacy take-back site.
Ask your surgeon before taking ibuprofen, naproxen or similar anti-inflammatory drugs after a fusion. Some surgeons limit them for a period because they may affect bone healing.
Walking is your main job
Walking helps prevent blood clots and pneumonia, keeps your bowels moving, and builds stamina. Start with a few minutes several times a day and add a little each day. Flat, even ground is easiest at first. Many people walk inside the house, at a shopping mall, or on a park path. In the Valley's summer heat, early morning or evening walks, or indoor laps, are easier on the body.
Sitting for long periods can be uncomfortable early on. Change position every 30 to 45 minutes, and get up and move around.
Protecting the healing spine
Most surgeons give some version of these limits for the first several weeks:
- Bending: bend at your hips and knees, not at your waist.
- Lifting: nothing heavier than a gallon of milk, or about 10 pounds, until your surgeon says otherwise.
- Twisting: turn your whole body with your feet instead of twisting at the waist.
To get out of bed, roll onto your side with your knees bent, then push up with your arms as you swing your legs down. If you were given a brace or collar, wear it as instructed. Your surgeon will tell you when you can start more activity, such as swimming, golf or yard work.
Caring for the incision
Keep the incision clean and dry. Follow your surgeon's instructions about when you can shower. Most people can shower within a few days if the dressing is waterproof or the wound is dry, but baths, hot tubs and pools are off limits until the incision has fully healed, often for about four to six weeks. Do not put creams or ointments on the incision unless you were told to. Some redness right along the edge is normal. Spreading redness, drainage or opening is not.
Driving, sleep and daily life
- Driving: most people wait until they are off opioid pain medicine and can turn and brake comfortably, often two to four weeks after smaller surgeries and longer after fusion. You can ride as a passenger sooner, with breaks to stretch on long trips.
- Sleep: sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees, or on your side with a pillow between your knees, is often most comfortable.
- Bowels: pain medicine and less activity can cause constipation. Drink water, eat fiber and ask about a stool softener.
- Mood: it is common to feel frustrated or low for a stretch during recovery. Good days and bad days are both normal. Tell your team if low mood lasts.
What happens to nerve symptoms
When surgery takes pressure off a nerve, leg or arm pain often improves quickly, sometimes right after waking up. Numbness and tingling usually take longer and may improve slowly over months. Weakness can take the longest. Some numbness may remain for good, especially if the nerve was pinched for a long time. It is also normal to have a flare of nerve pain in the first few weeks as the nerve heals.
Follow-up visits and therapy
A typical schedule is a visit around two weeks, another around six weeks, then at three months and later, depending on the surgery. After a fusion, X-rays at these visits help track how the bone is healing. Physical therapy may start a few weeks after surgery, or later after a fusion, and focuses on walking, core strength and safe movement.
If you are still preparing, our guide to getting ready for spine surgery covers the weeks before the operation.
When to call us
Call the office for a fever over 101°F, redness that spreads, drainage or opening of the incision, pain that is getting worse instead of better, new numbness or weakness, or swelling and pain in one calf. Call 911 for chest pain or trouble breathing, which can be signs of a blood clot in the lungs, or for sudden loss of bladder or bowel control.
Common questions
How long does it take to recover from spine surgery?
After a small decompression, many people are back to light activity within two to four weeks. After a fusion, most people need about three months for daily activities to feel normal, and bone healing continues for six months to a year.
When can I go back to work?
It depends on your job and your operation. Desk work is often possible within two to six weeks. Jobs with heavy lifting or long hours on your feet may need three months or more, sometimes with light duty first.
Is it normal to still have some pain after surgery?
Yes. Incision pain and muscle soreness are expected and fade over weeks. Nerve pain can also flare while the nerve heals. Pain that gets steadily worse, or new pain that feels different, should be reported.
When can I start exercising again?
Walking starts right away. Low-impact exercise such as a stationary bike or pool work is often allowed after the incision heals. Running, heavy lifting and contact sports come later, once your surgeon clears you.
Sources
- Spine surgery: discharge, MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (NIH)
- Postsurgical pain treatment in adults, MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (NIH)
- Spinal Fusion, AAOS OrthoInfo
- After Surgery, MedlinePlus (NIH)