Exercise is typically beneficial after all types of spine surgery, including a microdiscectomy. However, there are certain forms of exercise that may be too stressful on a healing spine, and it is important to avoid reinjuring your spine or reherniating the disc. This article offers a closer look at whether you can do push-ups after a microdiscectomy.
Build Up Your Strength
Initially after the microdiscectomy, your doctor will encourage you to engage in mild forms of exercise to rebuild your strength, such as walking, water-based exercises, yoga, and gentle stretches. Push-ups are not likely to be recommended yet at this point, since your spine is still healing and recovering. Even though a microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive form of a discectomy that requires only a small incision, too much pressure too soon is not beneficial.
Gradually Increase Your Exercise Level with Modified Push-Ups
Approximately four to six weeks after your microdiscectomy, you should be able to do more strenuous forms of exercise if you are careful. It will likely be safe to do push-ups, which may include doing modified versions of the exercise, but make sure to check with your doctor first. A modified push-up can be performed by:
• Getting on your hands and knees
• Placing your hands a little further than shoulder-length apart
• Keeping your knees comfortably apart
• Contracting your abdominal muscles and maintaining correct posture
Make your push-up movements in a slow and controlled manner. Do not put too much pressure on your spinal disc after having a microdiscectomy.
Try Wall Push-Ups
If standard push-ups are a bit too strenuous for you to perform, wall push-ups may be better during the initial phase of your microdiscectomy recovery. Use a wall as a brace as you make the push-up motions. Remember to keep your back straight so you do not put too much stress on your spine.
Do Warm-Up Exercises First
Prepare your body for push-ups by doing some warm-up exercises first, which may involve gentle stretches. By warming up, you prepare your muscles for slightly more strain from push-ups, which can reduce your risk of experiencing muscle spasms. If you have muscle spasms after your microdiscectomy, you may experience flare-ups due to the inflammation.
Listen to Your Body
As you start doing push-ups, listen to your body. If you notice any new or worsening discomfort, stop doing push-ups for a while or do the modified versions mentioned above.
If your pain continues even with modified push-ups, talk to your doctor to determine why. This does not necessarily mean you will need another surgery. Oftentimes, treatment involves medication and a gradual return to more strenuous forms of exercise like push-ups. You may be advised to go back to physical therapy as well if push-ups trigger renewed pain.
Even though a microdiscectomy is a common and generally quite successful back surgery procedure, a hole is frequently left in the outer wall of the disc. In fact, 70 percent of all reherniations come from large holes in the disc. These reherniations often require additional surgery or even fusions. Fortunately, there is a new treatment specifically designed to close the large holes that are often left in spinal discs after microdiscectomy surgery. Barricaid is a bone-anchored device proven to reduce reherniations, and 95 percent of Barricaid patients did not undergo a reoperation due to reherniation in a 2-year study timeframe. This treatment is done immediately following the microdiscectomy—during the same operation—and does not require any additional incisions or time in the hospital.
If you have any questions about the Barricaid treatment or how to get access to Barricaid, ask your doctor or contact us at 844-288-7474.
For full benefit/risk information, please visit: https://www.barricaid.com/instructions.
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