Elective spine surgery is extremely common, and one of the benefits of an elective operation is that you have a little more flexibility about when you opt to have your operation. Obviously you don’t want to put it off for too long to the point that the condition worsens, but an elective operation allows you to take a few more steps before surgery so that you’ll be in a better position following an operation. One of those steps is the ability to partake in a prehabilitation routine. In today’s blog, we explore the benefits of a prehab therapy routine before elective spine surgery.
Why Rehab Before Back Surgery
A lot of people mistakenly believe that they need to wait until after their surgery is performed to start rehabilitating the structures that will be addressed during the operation, but that’s simply not true. There’s no need to wait, and there are actually a number of unique benefits to starting your spine surgery rehab early. Here’s a closer look at some of those benefits.
- Your Spine Is Stronger – The stronger your spine and the muscles that support it are heading into surgery, the stronger they’ll be coming out of the operation. Working to make muscles stronger and increasing your range of motion will only give you a stronger starting point after the operation is complete. You won’t lose all this progress as a result of your surgery, you’ll actually be making it easier for your body to pick up where you left off, so start prehab before your operation.
- It’s Habit Forming – Starting a physical therapy routine before surgery will make it more likely that you’ll continue to do your therapy exercises after your operation because you’ll already be in the habit of doing so. Odds are you’ll be a little uncomfortable after your operation, and you may not be super receptive to the idea of jumping into a new therapy regimen. But if you’re already familiar with the exercises and can do them when you have some free time, it can feel like less of a hassle. You will be more likely to follow through with your expected PT routine if you’ve already been doing one prior to your operation.
- Education – Physical therapy and prehabilitation is also very helpful from an education standpoint. You can understand what’s going on in your spine, what led to your need for surgery and how you can prevent problems in the future during these informative sessions. The earlier you learn how to protect and strengthen your spine, the better off your back will be because of it.
- Better Outcomes – Studies have shown that patients who partake in physical therapy prior to their spine surgery operation tend to have better physical function after their post-op rehab compared to patients who wait until after surgery to perform their rehabilitation exercises. To give yourself the best chance at making the fullest recovery, it’s in your best interest to strengthen your spine prior to your operation.
- Saves Money – Finally, partaking in a few weeks of prehab therapy before your spine surgery can help to save you money in the long-run. Those who prehab are more likely to need less post-op care, which can cut down on medical bills and related expenses. If you make a stronger and quicker recovery because you put in the work before surgery, you can reduce the financial toll of the operation and recovery.
To learn more about the best prehab routine for your spine, or to talk to a doctor about your back pain, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today at (651) 430-3800.
