How Long Does It Take to Recover From Back Surgery?

how long does it take to recover from back surgery

Back pain is persistent and back surgery recovery is often a strenuous process.

It’s unrelenting and transforms your everyday life, making it difficult to perform even the most mundane tasks.

Our back surgeons are the leading experts helping alleviate back pain, enabling you to get back to the activities you once enjoyed.

Every patient is different, and therefore, each back surgery recovery is an individual journey. That’s why our back surgeons tailor our approach to fit you and your specific needs. However, we’d like to take a moment to talk about surgical recovery in general and when you can expect to return to your normal routine.

How Long is Back Surgery Recovery?

In general, time can vary between two to six months, depending upon the procedure. In many cases, you may be asked to wear a back brace.

Because back surgery recovery depends heavily on the type of surgery you have, we’ll examine the most common procedures performed by our back surgeons.

Spinal Fusions

Spinal fusion is a specific surgical procedure that fuses together two or more vertebrae to eliminate problems with these small bones in the spine. It eliminates painful motion and can restore spinal stability.

It’s used to treat conditions such as:

  • Spinal stenosis
  • Spondylolisthesis
  • Scoliosis
  • Fractured vertebrae
  • Herniated discs
  • Fractures
  • Infections
  • Tumors

After spinal fusion surgery, physical therapy—if needed— typically takes place 6 weeks to 3 months after your back surgery. If healing is progressing well, many who have had spinal fusion surgery can return to work in 4 to 6 weeks, provided their work does not require physical exertion such as heavy lifting.

Discectomies

During this procedure, a lower back (lumbar) herniated disc material is removed to keep it from pressing on a nerve or the spinal cord.
Typically, after this surgery, office workers can return to work in 2 to 4 weeks. However, if your job requires physical activity and labor, you may not return to work for 4 to 8 weeks.

Spinal Decompressions

This type of surgery actually encompasses several different procedures. These procedures have one goal: to relieve pain and symptoms that are caused by compression on the nerve roots or spinal cord.

Sometimes, this procedure requires a short hospital stay of a few days, depending upon the extent of your condition and the surgery. In an estimated 4 to 6 weeks, you’ll have a higher level of mobility and function.

At Raleigh Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic, We Treat a Variety of Spinal Conditions

We’re experts at providing the care you need for a wide range of back conditions. We specialize in treating:

  • Degenerative disc
  • Slipping vertebrae (Spondylolysthesis)
  • Narrowing of the spinal canal, called spinal stenosis
  • Spinal cord compression
  • Spinal instability and deformities
  • Pinched nerves
  • Sciatica
  • Fractures
  • Work injuries

We also specialize in minimally invasive spinal surgery, which is designed to promote a quicker recovery that minimizes post-surgical pain.

We are one of the few, independent, community-based orthopedic practices in the Triangle area. We’re also one of Wake County’s oldest and most well-known orthopedic practices. For 50 years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to providing our patients with the highest level of compassionate medical care.

Tired of living with back pain? Give us a call so we can get started on your road to recovery. Contact us for an appointment today.