Category: Spine Surgery | Author: Stefano Sinicropi | Date: March 23, 2026
Prior to your discharge following spine surgery, your surgeon and your care team will go over some topics to ensure you have the tools to make the strongest recovery possible. Since the bulk of your recovery will happen at your primary residence, your care team needs to know that you understand what steps you’ll want to take to keep your recovery trending in the right direction. Oftentimes they’ll focus on four main topics during these conversations, which are:
- Medication Management
- Wound Care
- Movement Restrictions
- Physical Therapy Expectations
In today’s blog, we explore each of these topics so that you can continue making strides in your recovery following spine surgery.
Recovering From Spine Surgery
Although we’ll go into more detail about each of these subjects, remember that spine surgery is unique to the individual, so you should follow your surgeon’s specific advice. If you have questions about any of these topics, bring them up to your surgeon for clarification.
- Medication Management – Before you leave the surgical center, or at least when you pick up your medication from the pharmacy, it’s imperative that you understand the best way to take any prescriptions you‘re given. Dependence and addiction don’t only develop when a person is intentionally taking too much of a medication. If you are unknowingly taking your medications incorrectly, you could be putting your health in harm’s way. Talk with your care team about best practices for taking medication and for weaning yourself off your prescription as your recovery progresses.
- Wound Care – You’ll also want to ensure you understand how to care for any incision sites. Keeping the area clean and changing your dressings as recommended can help lower your infection risk. Caring for your wound sites can be more challenging if it’s difficult to see or reach an incision site on your back, so enlist some help if necessary. Talk with your doctor about the signs of an infection and what you should do if you suspect that your wound site has become infected.
- Movement Restrictions – We understand that you want to get back to all your favorite activities as soon as possible, but you have to be patient. Ignoring your movement restrictions can lead to minor or major setbacks with your recovery, only forcing you to wait longer to drive, work or move comfortably. Your doctor will explain your activity and lifting restrictions prior to discharge, and it’s imperative that you follow these recommendations. If you’re sure you can handle activities that you haven’t yet been cleared for, reach out to your surgeon first.
- Physical Therapy Expectations – Rest is important following your surgery, but rest alone isn’t going to help you make the strongest functional gains. In order to make the best recovery possible, you’re going to have to work to reestablish strength, flexibility and stability in your spine, and the best way to do that is through a physical therapy routine. Ensure you understand when physical therapy will begin and how long you can expect sessions to continue. Never skip out on your sessions, and really give it your all while you’re performing a PT routine. If you are lackadaisical about your physical therapy routine, you’re only cheating yourself.
Make sure you understand what is being asked of you in all four of these phases and follow the expectations put forth by your care team, and we’re confident you’ll make a strong recovery after spine surgery. For more information, or for help with a different spinal issue, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
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