Even minimally invasive spine surgery typically comes with weeks or months of recovery and rehab, and it’s highly likely that you’ll be physically limited for an extended period after your operation. You’ll do the bulk of your recovery at home, so it pays to prepare for your return ahead of time. In today’s blog, we go room by room and explain some of the ways you can prepare your house for your return after back or neck surgery.
Prepping Your House For Back Surgery
No two spine surgeries are the same and they will leave you with different restrictions, so it’s possible that you won’t need to follow every prep tip on this list. However, if you’ll be undergoing a major surgery and will have some significant restrictions for a prolonged period, these tips may be extremely helpful for making your transition back home much easier. Let’s go room by room.
Bedroom
Let’s start with the bedroom, because you’ll be spending a fair amount of time in here even if you aren’t spending your waking hours in there. Some tips to keep in mind for the bedroom as you prepare for your return home after surgery include:
- Raise or lower your bed so that it’s at hip level, making it easier to enter and exit with ease.
- Put clean sheets on the bed the night before your operation.
- Pull some comfortable and easy to slip on clothes out of your closet and keep them in an easily accessible spot.
- Do your laundry a day or two before your operation so you don’t have to do it again shortly after your procedure.
Bathroom
You’ll also use the bathroom a few times a day after your procedure, and you won’t be able to move as freely after spine surgery. Some ways to prep the bathroom for your return include:
- Add a toilet seat riser to make it easier for you to get on or off the toilet.
- Make sure that you have non-slip bath mats and shower mats.
- Talk to your doctor about stool softeners if bowel movements may cause discomfort after your operation.
- Find a safe and secure location to store any strong painkillers if you have children or teens in the house.
- Move your bathroom toiletries to an easily accessible spot that doesn’t require any additional bending or twisting.
Living Room
You may be spending a decent amount of time in your living room while you work your way through your recovery, so you’ll want to ensure it is in order as well. Here are some helpful tips:
- Buy some extra chargers so that you can keep your electronic devices charged without needing to bend over to move chargers all the time.
- Pick up the floor and keep it free from tripping hazards.
- Keep a water bottle nearby so that you can always stay hydrated during your recovery.
- Sit on a firmer chair or couch, as these will be easier to transition in and out of than an overly soft piece of furniture.
Kitchen
Finally, let’s talk about the kitchen. You may not be able to stay on your feet for an extended period in order to prepare certain dinners like you could in the past, so make life easier on yourself by prepping the kitchen a bit:
- Cook some healthy, easy to reheat meals before your surgery date.
- Go grocery shopping ahead of time so that you have plenty of healthy options available after surgery.
- Move any commonly used utensils or appliances to an easier to reach location.
- Consider buying some disposable utensils so that you don’t have to do as many dishes.
- Make it a point to regularly consume a variety of healthy options so that your recovering body has access to crucial vitamins and nutrients.
This is far from a comprehensive list, but we know that some of these tips will prove helpful if you’re going to have an extended rehabilitation period after spine surgery. For more tips, or to talk to a spine specialist about an issue you’re dealing with, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
