Following minimally invasive spine surgery to address spinal bone spurs at USA Spine Care, our patients are given a postoperative reference guide that includes exercises to try while recovering. While you will typically be told to take it easy for the first few days following your procedure, beginning to exercise with carefully developed stretching techniques two weeks after your surgery will improve mobility in the neck and/or back, limit the possibility for postoperative complications and help facilitate a full recovery.

Level 1 and 2 surgery rehab exercises

The exercise program that we’ve developed at USA Spine Care includes two levels to help patients regain strength and flexibility. Generally speaking, the first level has exercises that should be started two to three weeks after surgery, while the second level is more advanced and will usually be recommended to people four to six weeks after surgery.

The most important thing to remember about exercising after spinal bone spur surgery is that if you experience any increase in pain or discomfort, you should stop immediately and speak with your physician. Listening to your body is essential and the last thing you want to do is overexert yourself.

Here are just a few examples of the types of exercises that are often recommended during recovery from bone spur surgery:

• Cervical level one – diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal bracing, shoulder circles and cervical mobility techniques
• Cervical level two – cervical range of motion exercises and cervical isometrics
• Lumbar level one – diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal bracing, shoulder presses and gluteal sets
• Lumbar level two – hook-lying, bridging, spine sciatica/tibial glides

Learn more

USA Spine Care also has physical therapist consultants available to assist our patients with questions they have about the recovery process. Patients who have undergone minimally invasive spine surgery should call our SPINE LINE for any questions or concerns you have during your recovery. If you’re a potential patient who would like to learn more, contact us today. We can tell you about our caring medical team, our state-of-the-art outpatient facilities and the advantages that our minimally invasive spine surgery can offer.

We can help you find out if you are a potential candidate for one of our procedures by providing you with a free MRI review.*

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