Are Exercises After Back Surgery Worthless? The Ultimate Guide
In a recent blog post, a writer poses the question of whether exercises after back surgery are worthless. This is a complex question, as the answer depends on a variety of factors. In general, however, exercises can be beneficial for people who have had back surgery, as they can help to improve strength and flexibility.
In this ultimate guide, we will explore the benefits of exercising after back surgery and whether or not it is worth your time.
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Benefits & Risks Of Exercises After Back Surgery
Exercise is a great way to speed up the healing process, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce pain after back surgery. Besides the benefits, there are a few side effects also as increased pain and increased swelling. Risks associated with exercising is herniated disc, infection, etc. With proper guidance, these risks and side effects can be avoided. So, exercising after surgery isn’t worthless.

Benefits of Exercises after back surgery
After back surgery, exercises can help improve your range of motion, flexibility, and strength. They can also help reduce pain and improve your overall well-being. Here are some specific benefits of exercises after surgery:
- Improvement in range of motion: Exercises help to stretch and lengthen the muscles and tissues around the spine. This can lead to an improvement in your ability to move your back and bend your spine.
- Improvement in flexibility: Exercises also help to improve the flexibility of your spine. This can allow you to move your back and spine in a greater range of motion, which can lead to less pain and greater mobility.
- Improvement in strength: Exercises help to build the muscles around your spine, which can lead to an improvement in your overall strength. This can be beneficial in helping you to perform your daily activities with less pain and discomfort.
- Reduction in pain: Exercises can help to reduce the pain and discomfort associated with surgery. By improving your range of motion, flexibility, and strength, you can help to reduce the amount of pain you experience.
- Improvement in overall well-being: Exercises after back surgery can help to improve your overall well-being. By improving your range of motion, flexibility, and strength, and reducing your pain, you can help to improve your quality of life.
Risks of exercise
Most people are aware that there are many benefits to exercising after back surgery. However, what many don’t realize is that there are also some potential side effects. While these side effects are usually minor, it’s important to be aware of them before starting any exercise program.

One of the most common side effects of exercise after back surgery is increased pain. This is usually due to the fact that the muscles and tissues around the surgical site are still healing. However, the pain should eventually subside as the muscles and tissues get stronger.
Another potential side effect is increased swelling. This is usually due to the fact that exercise can increase blood flow to the area. However, the swelling should eventually go down as the body adjusts to the new activity level.
There are also some risks associated with exercising after back surgery. These include:
- Herniated disc
- Infection
- Worsening of existing conditions
However, these risks are usually very small. With proper care and guidance, most people are able to safely exercise after back surgery.
Overall, the benefits of exercise after back surgery far outweigh the potential risks. Exercise can help speed up the healing process, improve strength and flexibility, and reduce pain. So, if you’ve recently had surgery, don’t be afraid to get moving!
Keep Reading: Tiger Woods Back Surgery By Dr. Nicholas Qandah
Exercises that you can try after your back surgery
After surgery, it is important to start off slow and easy when it comes to exercises. Here are a few exercises that you can try:
Walking
Walking is one of the best exercises you can do after surgery. It is low impact and can help to improve your mobility and flexibility. Walking can also help to strengthen the muscles in your back and prevent further injury.
Walking is a great way to get your body moving and helps to improve your circulation. Start off by walking for 10 minutes a day and gradually increase your time as you feel more comfortable.
If you want to try bed exercise, here are the top 7 bed exercises that you can try after your surgery:
Swimming
Swimming is often recommended as a form of exercise for people who have had back surgery. There are many benefits to swimming that can help people recover from surgery and improve their overall health.
Swimming is a low-impact form of exercise that is easy on the joints and muscles. This makes it an ideal form of exercise for people who are recovering from surgery. Swimming is also a great way to increase cardiovascular fitness and build endurance.
Swimming can also help to improve range of motion and flexibility. This can be helpful for people who are trying to regain movement.
Overall, swimming is a great form of exercise for people who have had surgery. It is low-impact, can help improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance, and can also help improve range of motion and flexibility.
Yoga

It’s no secret that yoga can be beneficial for your health, but did you know that it can also help you recover from surgery?
Yoga can help to improve your flexibility and range of motion, both of which are often limited after the surgery. It can also help to strengthen the muscles around your spine, which can help to support and protect your back.
Yoga can also help to improve your mental and emotional well-being. After the surgery, it’s common to feel anxious or depressed. Yoga can help to reduce stress and improve your mood.
If you’re thinking about starting yoga after back surgery, be sure to talk to your doctor first. Once you get the green light, start slowly and build up your practice gradually.
Pilates
Pilates is a great way to improve your flexibility and range of motion, both of which are often limited after back surgery. It can also help strengthen your core muscles, which can help support your spine and prevent future injuries.
Of course, always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. But if you’re cleared to give Pilates a try, you may be surprised at how much it can help you on the road to recovery.
Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a gentle, low-impact form of exercise that is easy on the joints and muscles. It helps improve flexibility and range of motion, and can also help reduce pain and stiffness.
This exercise can also help improve your balance and coordination, which can be helpful after the surgery. It can also help improve your overall fitness and muscle strength.
Adding this exercise to your post-surgery rehabilitation can help you recover faster and get back to your life sooner. So if you’re looking for a way to speed up your recovery, give Tai Chi a try.
More things you can do after your back surgery
There are a few more things you can try to recover quickly if you had surgery. These are:
- Talk to a physical therapist about specific exercises that would be beneficial for you.
- Find an online support group or forum for people who are recovering from back surgery.
- Invest in a quality back support belt to help you stay safe and comfortable while you exercise.
- Keep a positive attitude and be patient as you work through your recovery.
Must Read: 14 best chairs after spinal surgery.
Final thoughts
In this blog post, I have tried to show you that Exercises After Back Surgery isn’t Worthless and which are the best exercises for you. After having surgery, it’s easy to feel like any sort of exercise is pointless. However, this simply isn’t true! Exercise can actually have a lot of benefits for people who have undergone surgery.
Of course, you shouldn’t just jump into intense exercise right away. Instead, start with some light exercises and gradually increase the intensity as you improve. But even light exercise can help improve your strength, flexibility, and range of motion.
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