Recovering from spine surgery is a process. Under the direction of your surgeon, you’ll be prescribed exercises, activities and precautions to help you navigate a successful and full recovery.
Hydrotherapy (or aquatic therapy) is an excellent way to keep your body moving, flexible and strong as you move through the recovery process. I’ve seen patients enjoy tremendous results from employing the hydrotherapy strategy.
Think about it. While you’re in the water, your body feels weightless. There’s less tension and strain, allowing your body to move freely. At the same time, the water adds gentle resistance which strengthens you when you need it most.
Exercise speeds recovery
Under the guidance of your surgeon, exercise is the key to a rapid, total recovery. While you may feel as though you have little energy for exercise following surgery, as you heal it’s crucial that you exercise to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine and maintain flexibility.
You’ll be provided with a recovery plan which will include physical therapy, but immediately following your surgery, you’ll need to follow instructions concerning precautions about over-exertion. You won’t be able to exercise as you normally do, but you will need to move your body in the manner prescribed.
That’s why hydrotherapy is so effective. It gives your body a chance to heal, while helping you regain your strength in a gentle way.
Hydrotherapy works
As I’ve mentioned earlier, hydrotherapy offers both a sense of weightlessness and gentle resistance which makes it the ideal therapy for post-operative spine surgery patients. There’s no heel shock and the weigh you’re bearing while in the water is greatly reduced.
A wider range of motion is readily accessible in an aquatic setting, making it possible for you to perform exercises you wouldn’t be able to, otherwise. Stress on the spine is reduced, while allowing your musculature to recover and rebuild.
Following a regular and consistent course of hydrotherapy makes you stronger as you heal and speeds healing. With enhanced blood circulation and cardiovascular health, your system has a much better chance to recover from the trauma represented by surgery.
The chances of recurrence are also reduced with hydrotherapy, as this form of exercise allows you to gradually recover muscle strength and flexibility without risking re-injury.
Customized to your needs
Hydrotherapy classes are led by healthcare professionals under the guidance of the surgeons of those participating. Everyone will have different needs and varying levels of fitness, which will be factored into the formulation of your program.
The value of hydrotherapy for patients recovering from spine surgery is inestimable. I firmly believe it’s one of the most effective recovery tools available and one I highly recommend.
Exercise is a crucial component of surgical recovery. My desire is that you get back to living your life as you did prior to surgery as quickly as possible. For that reason, I prescribe hydrotherapy as a gateway to the full restoration of physical function.
If you’re considering spine surgery, I invite you contact me at Spine Consult NJ.