It's been a few weeks since the last post and I continue to get regular physical therapy treatment on my back. I've added a few more exercises to my back strengthening routine, including a couple of back extensions. I continue to walk twice a day for 25 minutes each, although I've started replacing one of the walks with a 25 minute swim whenever possible. Last week I was able to swim 3 times which felt great. At this point, I'm using a buoy between my legs to restrict the leg motion and the arms to swim freestyle.
During the week the back doesn't feel too bad, however at the weekend I continue to be too active around the house and with the kids and therefore put unnecessary pressure on the lower back. According to my physical therapist, most of the stabbing/hip pain that I feel is from muscle spams and not nerve or surgical related. At this point, I'm my own worst enemy at weekends and need to let my back heal slowly.
Just over a week ago, I had my first physical follow up, as part of the Abbott Spine sponsorship of the surgery. As such, I had a series of X-rays done, a quick physical and a lengthy questionnaire to fill out.
I'm definitely at an interesting point in the recovery process - with the inflammation around the surgical area almost gone and with the opportunity to start limited exercising, I feel like I'm moving forward in the recovery process. At the same time, it seems that as the back is adjusting to it's new role, it's having to re-align all the muscles, spine and hip position that my pre-surgery posture had created and because of this I'm experiencing some of the previous pain symptoms.
I've included the various X-rays that were taken of my spine last week, as well a composite image of post and 6 week hyper extension positions.
(AP- X-Ray courtesy of BCH)
(Neutral - X-Ray courtesy of BCH)
(Hyper extension - X-Ray courtesy of BCH)
(Hyper flexion - X-Ray courtesy of BCH)
(Comparison of hyper extension - X-Ray courtesy of BCH)
