How to Reduce the Risk of Needing Another Spine Surgery
Category: Spine, Spine Surgery | Author: Stefano Sinicropi
Nobody wants to undergo a spinal procedure if it can be avoided, especially if you’ve already undergone an operation. And while you can’t always prevent a secondary or revision procedure, there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk of needing another operation in the future. In today’s blog, we share some tips for how you can help reduce the chances of needing another spine surgery operation down the road.
5 Tips For Avoiding Another Spine Surgery
Since everyone is different and dealing with an individual condition, there is no perfect playbook that will ensure you’ll never need another spinal procedure later in life. That said, if you follow some of this advice, you may be able to reduce your likelihood of needing a revision operation in the future.
- Follow Your Surgeon’s Advice – Your surgeon is going to know the best way to help your body recover following an operation, so make sure you follow their advice and recommendations. If they give you restrictions or tell you to get up and move, follow those recommendations. If you are considering doing things outside of your rehabilitation guidelines, ask your surgeon first so you can avoid a setback.
- Do Your Physical Therapy – Physical therapy will strengthen supportive structures, prevent the onset of problematic scar tissue and help you become more physically fit, all of which can help to prevent the need for another operation. Don’t skip out on your physical therapy sessions or ignore your home-based exercises. PT is one of the best things you can do for your spine after surgery, so make sure you are doing your exercises regularly.
- Lose Weight – If you are overweight or obese, your spine is going to have to help disperse more weight. Over time, this can lead to faster spinal disc degeneration and related nerve issues. Losing just a little weight takes a lot of pressure off your spine, and that can help to prevent the need for another operation in the future.
- Find A Trusted Surgeon For Your First Operation – Making sure that your first operation goes exactly as planned is a crucial step in preventing the need for a revision operation. You can’t control all aspects of your surgery, but you can choose who performs the operation, so go with an experienced spine surgeon like Dr. Sinicropi who has a proven track record of success. Make sure your spine surgeon seems like a good fit before you move forward with an operation.
- Develop Healthy Habits – If you make some positive changes in your life following surgery, you can become healthier and reduce your risk of future health issues or subsequent spinal problems. Eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise and give up smoking, and you’ll help to ward off some of the threats to your spine health.
If you can do these five things, we’re confident that you’ll be doing everything in your power to prevent the need for a second spine surgery. And to check off one of those items on this list and trust your care to Dr. Sinicropi, reach out to his office at (651) 430-3800.
