Exercising to Lose Weight After Spinal Surgery

spinal stenosis

Patients who have undergone spinal surgery in the past now the excruciating pain and heartbreak of the inevitable weight gain that follow any medical procedure. Spinal operations are especially difficult to recover from because of the long period of convalescence and the relative inactivity that one must subject oneself to if one wishes to get healthy and achieve a sturdy and dependable spine. Surely, this period of inactivity and rest cannot be circumvented.

One should not fool oneself into thinking that one can disobey a doctor's orders and start exercising as soon as they feel like it- no; the doctor's word on rest and recuperation is final and non-negotiable. But once your doctor gives you permission to begin exercising again, how should you go about dropping the pounds that you put on during your break from exercise? There are two excellent possibilities to begin burning calories: elliptical machines and swimming.

The first thing you need to realize is that, coming back from spinal surgery, your body is likely not to be in a good position to return to high-impact sports such as running or football. Sports such as these stress your joints, and after a long period of inactivity, you put yourself at risk of re-injury if you return immediately to these sports. Likewise, after a long break, returning to these exercises will be especially inefficient and will only cause stress and frustration if you immediately try to start running again.

If you are used to an exercise such as running, try replacing it with an hour or so of elliptical machine use, 3-4 times per week. If you can bring yourself to go to the gym and sweat it out at a low intensity for a solid hour, you should just notice a serious improvement in your health in as little as a month.

If you are averse to remaining in place and working out in a gymnasium, consider taking up swimming as an alternative low-impact option for weight loss. As is well-known, swimming is an exercise that works your entire body. On top of this, swimmers enjoy the added benefit of not taxing their joints and ligaments prematurely, and are often able to swim consistently without worry of deterioration in their physical ability; traits that should be especially appealing to an individual recovering from spinal surgery.

Once you have found an athletic routine that fits your style of life: stick with it. Exercise is only as beneficial as you make it, and if you give up after only a few weeks, you will find yourself in as much of a rut as you were in as when you first started.