Spine surgery can help you overcome chronic discomfort or an acute injury, but if you fall back into the same habits that led to your issues in the first place, there’s a decent chance you’ll need more care from your spine specialist. Conversely, if you take some simple steps in the wake of your procedure, you can significantly reduce your likelihood of needing another surgery down the road. In today’s blog, we touch on some healthy habits that you should adopt after your back operation.
Healthy Spine Habits
Ideally you would adopt these healthy habits well before surgery, but it’s never too late to start making some healthy changes in your daily lifestyle. Here are some of the habits you’ll want to adopt.
- Ergonomic Positioning – You’re going to want to pay close attention to your posture during your recovery and once your rehab is complete. Having poor posture will put additional strain on your upper or lower back, and if this is where your surgery occurred, this area may already be a little bit weaker. Get in the habit of self-assessing your own posture throughout the day and invest in ergonomic chairs and furniture that make it easier for your spine to rest comfortably in alignment.
- Ditch The Alcohol and Tobacco – Alcohol and tobacco can constrict and damage key blood vessels that bring oxygenated blood to your spine. Smokers and heavy alcohol drinkers are at a much higher risk of developing conditions associated with inhibited blood flow to the spine, like degenerative disc disease. Don’t make it hard on your spine to get the essential nutrients it needs from your blood.
- Exercise Regularly – We don’t expect you to become a workout warrior overnight but exercising just a few times a week will do wonders for your spine. Exercise improves healthy circulation and helps to develop key muscles that support your spine. The stronger your spine and the structures that help support it are, the more stress it will be able to handle without injury. Start by exercising just once a week for a half hour, and slowly build that up to a couple times a week for 30-45 minutes.
- Move More – Even if you’re not expressly exercising, we do want you to move more throughout the day after your spinal operation. Movement helps to maintain flexibility and elasticity in soft tissues in the spine, and it also helps to take static pressure off specific structures in your spine. If you’re regularly sitting for extended periods, the same muscle groups are being stressed again and again. Limit this stress and keep your spinal muscles working properly by moving more throughout the day.
- Eat Better – You can do a world of good for your spine by improving your diet after your operation. Not only will a diet full of vitamins and minerals ensure that your spine has access to the nutrients it needs to thrive, but healthy eating can also help you maintain or work towards an ideal weight. Your spine is responsible for dispersing and handling much of your body weight, so the less you weigh, the less stress your spine has to handle, and that can make a major difference for your back after an operation.
It’s not going to be easy to adopt all of these changes, but start slow and gradually add more changes as you find success. Odds are you’ll notice that your spine will continue to feel stronger and more functional, and you’ll also have a reduced risk of needing to sync back up with your spine specialist.
For more information about any of the tips, or to talk to a spine specialist about a back issue that you’re experiencing, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
