What To Expect At Home After Your Microdiscectomy Operation

Dr. Sinicropi has successfully performed microdiscectomies countless times, so while he’s confident he can handle the technical aspect, he wants to ensure you know what to expect during your recovery at home. We explore what you should expect at home following your microdiscectomy operation in today’s blog.

Stay Active

You don’t want to push yourself too hard while your spine is still significantly weakened from the trauma of surgery, but standing up and moving around a bit will help to speed up your recovery. Movement will increase healthy circulation in your body and gradually begin to strengthen tissues that were damaged during surgery. Movement also helps to take static pressure off your spine that can build up if you just stay in bed all day.

Eat Smart

We don’t expect you to start a major diet while you’re recovering from spine surgery, but at the same time, you need to be smart about what you put in your body. Consume a range of healthy vitamins and minerals so that your body has access to important nutrients that can help fuel recovery, and drink plenty of water to expand blood vessels and make it easier for this blood to reach the structures that need it most. You won’t be as active during your recovery period, and this can lead to weight gain if you consume a bunch of empty calories. Extra weight will only put more pressure on your spine, so try to avoid gaining weight during your rehab.

PT In Person And At Home

Once enough healing has taken place, you will likely be ordered to participate in some physical therapy exercises. These therapy exercises are what will drive functional recovery in your spine, meaning you’ll be stronger and have greater range of motion if you participate in your PT exercises. Your physical therapist will walk you through a routine at their clinic, but odds are they will also give you some home-based exercises to pursue to keep your rehab on track between in-clinic sessions. Make sure that you take time each day to do your exercises, otherwise you’re only cheating yourself.

If a microdiscectomy is recommended, we’ll be by your side every step of the way, from the initial consultation to the final stages of rehabilitation. For more information, or for help with a different back issue, give Dr. Sinicropi and his team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute a call today at (651) 430-3800.

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