Although elective surgeries will look a little different this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, a spine surgeon’s elective caseload tends to fill up pretty rapidly near the end of the year. Many people like to have their surgery on their current insurance plan, especially if changes are expected the following year, and this sentiment only rings truer if the patient is near or has reached their maximum out of pocket medical expenses. In today’s blog, we explain how patients can prepare for their winter spine surgery if they have one scheduled before the end of the year.
Winter Spine Surgery Factors To Consider
Now, surgery in the wintertime isn’t vastly different from spine surgery any other time of the year, but it does present a few unique challenges. Here’s how you should prepare for your winter spinal procedure.
- Safe Activity – Prehabbing your spine with strength training exercises is helpful before surgery, and odds are some exercise and physical therapy will be in the cards after surgery. However, finding a space for regular exercise can be a little more difficult during the winter, because you may not be able to get outside to walk and move. Invest in home exercise equipment or find an indoor space where you can regularly perform your rehab exercises. Ignoring exercise simply because it’s cold out can negatively impact your spine after surgery.
- Avoiding Slip and Falls – Your spine is in a delicate state while you’re recovering from surgery, and a slip and fall accident can be devastating for your spine after surgery. Make sure you’re extra careful when walking outside in the snow and ice, and invest in quality footwear to help keep you upright. Assistive walking aids can also help prevent winter slip and falls.
- Heed Your Doctor’s Orders – If you’re dead set on having your operation completed before the end of the year, it’s imperative that you follow your doctor’s preoperative instructions to prevent a delay. Work hard through diet, exercise and medication management to get potential complication factors like blood pressure and your A1C levels in order. If you aren’t healthy enough to have the operation performed, it may be delayed, and that can throw off your plan to have it completed by the end of year. Listen to your doctor when they give pre-op instructions, because these will help ensure your body can handle the operation as it’s currently scheduled.
- Stay Warm – This usually isn’t a problem, but it’s worth noting that blood can flow easier when the body is warm. If you’re out in the cold, your blood vessels will constrict and flow will slow down a bit. The better blood flow to an injury or surgical site, the better the environment is for healing. Avoid extended periods outside in the cold and bundle up when you need to be outside while your spine is recovering from spine surgery.
If you keep these tips in mind, odds are your winter spine surgery will stay on track and will be completed as you had hoped. For more information, or for help with your spine issue, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office. We can’t guarantee that we’ll have your operation completed before the end of the year, but there’s no benefit in putting off treatment for a spinal issue causing pain. Give his office a call today at (651) 430-3800.
