Did you know that a spinal fusion surgery does not actually create the fusion? The surgery is performed to create the environment for the fusion to develop, and over the next 6 to 18 months your body has to create bone-growing cells to form a new bony bridge that crosses the affected spinal segment.
This makes a fusion a lot different than most surgeries, in which the surgeon has addressed the pathology by the end of the operation. In a spinal fusion, your body actually has to do a lot of the heavy lifting.
For people who want to help create the most favorable chances of having their fusion occur successfully, here is the advice I have to offer:
1. Stop smoking
Actually, stop any type of nicotine intake, including chewing tobacco and cigar smoking. The nicotine hurts your bone-growing cells and makes it far more difficult for your body to create enough new bone cells for the fusion to form. A lot of spine surgeons actually require their patients to stop smoking before they will perform a spinal fusion.
2. Be mindful of your weight
Studies have shown that, as a group, obese patients have statistically longer surgical times and higher rates of complications after a lumbar spinal fusion surgery, so to the extent possible it’s best to try to lose extra weight prior to the surgery.
3. Try to exercise before surgery
If you know you’re going to have fusion surgery in a few weeks or months, use that time to try to get in shape as much as possible. If you are in a great deal of pain, it may be difficult to do much, but even a small amount of exercise and movement is better than none. For example, try to walk at least 5 to 10 minutes 3 to 4 times each day. You will find that your effort pays off after the surgery, when you are expected to walk daily as part of your rehabilitation. If you are having difficulty, ask your surgeon to prescribe physical therapy prior to your surgery so you can exercise safely and with guidance.
