Saturday, June 7, 2014

Rehab Following Lumbar Fusion Must Be Taken Seriously

By Neil P. Hines


Most wounds after an operation are closed using metal staples that are normally removed by a surgeon and his staff about 6-14 days after your surgery. A real staple remover will be used, so you can start your rehab following lumbar fusion procedures you have had. Following that, multiple small tape strips are placed all along the edges of your wound to get the edges to stay closed for the rest of your healing period.

The strips that are added must be left to fall out in their own time. Your wound might get wet while bathing, but must be patted until dry, using a towel that is clean and covered with dry gauze, as well as some tape. The wound drains a blood-tinged liquid off, your dressing will get changed as often as it may get soiled.

For your bones to grow and create solid fusion, they require protein. The process gets protein out of 2 sources: drinks and food, or by breaking down muscles into building blocks that form protein. Should you not provide it with enough protein, from your drinks and food, it shall attack your muscles for the protein that it requires to function, so your fatigue would increase accordingly.

Thus, you need to increase your intake of protein in the first few months following the surgery. Foods that are protein-must be stressed, including: fish, eggs, dairy products, chicken, turkey, as well as red meats. The healing process also requires increased calories, so you must still eat your balanced diet.

As your appetite will be typically lower for a while following the surgery, your vitamin intake (as contained in your food) is going to also be diminished. Extra vitamins might be helpful for providing the needed factors for healing properly, though. A nice multivitamin that contains iron will provide for this quite adequately, while helping to restore the iron required to fix your anemia from the blood that is normally lost with a surgery.

The process of physical therapy begins about 3-4 months following the surgery, lasting for 6, to 12 weeks. Stretching exercises will be performed initially, to provide you with maximum flexibility. That is followed by some aerobic exercises, in order to improve your body's general conditioning. This is usually followed by resistance training, often with weights, thus improving your stability and strength, especially your spine.

Driving is generally permitted around 2-3 weeks after surgery. It may be limited due to the patient's lack of ability to stomp on their brakes suddenly, aches from longer periods spent sitting, or from climbing in, or out of your vehicle. Ask your doctor, if you are in doubt.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment