Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Your recovery after spine surgery isn’t going to happen overnight. In most cases, your recovery journey is going to be measured in weeks or months, and while patients often look back at their rehabilitation period and can clearly see the progress they’ve made, recognizing these improvements in the moment can be challenging.

Acknowledging the progress you’ve made can actually make it easier to continue working hard during your recovery process. Similar to seeing your weight decrease on a scale after starting a new diet and exercise program, acknowledging your progress during spine surgery recovery can fuel you to continue working hard during your PT sessions. However, recognizing your progress isn’t as easy as stepping on a scale and reading a number.

So what does progress really look like? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at what progress during your spine surgery recovery really looks like.

Marking Progress During Spine Surgery Recovery

Managing recovery expectations is crucial for both patient and provider. We have full confidence that you’ll make a strong recovery, but if your timeline isn’t rooted in reality, you may get frustrated with your perceived lack of progress. We try to be realistic with our patients when it comes to their recovery timeline, and we often tell them to start a recovery journal to document their progress. Not only can writing about their experience be cathartic, but it can also make it easier to see the progress they are making.

Progress will be different for each person, but here’s a look at some of the milestones you will make along the way. When you consider all these milestones, there’s a good chance you’ve made more progress than you originally realized:

• Being strong enough to stand, walk and sit in the surgery center
• Being discharged from the surgical center
• Reduced reliance on painkillers and other prescription medications
• Improved tolerance for walking, standing and moving around your home
• Completing longer or more complex physical therapy sessions
• Expanded flexibility and comfort during spinal movements
• Greater confidence in your spine being able to perform certain movements
• Better sleep quality as discomfort fades
• Return to more activities, like daily tasks, driving, work or athletics

Remember that recovery from spine surgery rarely moves in a straight line at the same pace for weeks on end. You’ll have good days and bad days along the way, and you’re not going to mark off all these checkpoints at once. Take things day by day but also make it a point to step back and recognize the progress you’ve made from week to week or month to month. Odds are you’re much stronger and more capable than you may realize, and you’ll only continue to build on your progress if you stick to your doctor’s recommendations and your recovery program.

Let us build a recovery plan that works for you so that you can clearly see the progress you’re making in putting an end to your spinal discomfort. For minor aches to major spinal concerns, Dr. Sinicropi wants to help you find a solution. For more information, or for help with a different spinal issue, connect with his team at Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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