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back surgery fusion

Mary
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11/02/2009 - 7:54pm
back surgery fusion
Esther:
I have just received your book and started to read it.  

I had back surgery on October 7, 2009.   That has been almost a month.   I need to know if it is safe for me to start the steps you have described in your book such as the "stretchsitting".
I am a 66 year old female.   Have always had people say to sit up or hold your shoulders back, etc.   Amazingly I had no back pain until almost 3 years ago.   And yes, I realize my posture is and was very poor---that is why I have purchased this book---nothing has ever worked to help me with this problem.   I have spinal stenosis of the lumbar region.   It is very painful.  

My surgery included decompression and fusion.     Twisting, lifting, bending, and reaching up are among things I am not to do until the fusion has taken place.  Walking is allowed.  Since I am really anxious to try to improve my posture as I feel it might help my healing I would like to know if there are any of your procedures that you could recommend as safe for me to start now.

Thank you so much if you can help me with this.  
Best regards,
Mary
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Hi Mary,

Which level(s) are your fusion?

You should run all of this by the person who did your surgery. There's no way for me to know what the expected course and stability of your fusion is. I suspect inner corset would be a good thing because it would stabilize your torso. I would start with a really gentle inner corset to make sure you are aren't putting too much traction force on your spine. I would explore tallstanding and glidewalking next. Talk with your surgeon about the desirability of putting some very gentle traction in your spine by stretchsitting and stretchlying.

Once the fusion has set, you definitely want to do all the stretch measures to make sure you don't develop any trouble in the levels around your fusion.

Wish you the best - remember how amazing your body's healing powers are...
Mary
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Esther:  Thank you so much for the reply.
"L-4-5 microscopic lumbar spinal stenosis decompression and percutanious posterolateral fusion" to put it in the surgeons language.  I will check with the surgeon on some of the things listed in your book and proceed lightly with what I fill would not be contraindicated until then. 
Your book is great
Best regards,

Mary
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Since L5-S1 is not involved, I would also consider exploring the beginning of stacksitting (sitting toward the front edge of a chair and letting the pelvis rest forward just a tad and according to comfort). Talk to your surgeon, PT or health practitioner about this. If they give you the green light, stacksit only for a few seconds and only if it is comfortable. What I like about it for you is that the lumbar vertebrae will stack much more easily without muscular strain.
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