Scoliosis Surgery Recovery

Scoliosis surgery recovery period depends largely on the exact procedure carried out.  For more invasive surgeries the patient will usually spend around four days to a week in a hospital and can start to move around after around two or three days.  School students are usually able to return to class after two to four weeks but are restricted in some activities as the bones continue to fuse.  A brace of restrictive device may need to be worn on occasion, particularly in the first few days and weeks, to prevent sudden movements of the spine from affecting the formation of a solid fusion.  Bending, lifting, and twisting can all upset the hardware used during fusion back surgery and may result in a pseudoarthrosis; these activities are generally restricted for the first three months or so after back surgery for scoliosis.

High impact sports, such as running, and contact sports, such as football or wrestling, are discouraged for around six months to a year after surgery as they can severely compromise fusion success.  Any other physically jarring or jolting activities are also to be restricted, which can be difficult to monitor in children.  Parents should ensure that their child’s teachers and friends are aware of the surgery and its connotations so that their child is not pressured into activities which may compromise recovery and surgical success.  Patients who have had a thoracolumbar fusion procedure may be able to resume activities more quickly as this operation does not significantly affect the biomechanics of the spine.  Obtaining specific activity guidance from the surgeon is extremely important.

X-Rays and other diagnostic imaging and physical checks are used to monitor patients for one to two years after scoliosis surgery.  Evidence of a solid fusion usually means that no further treatment is necessary in the immediate to mid-term.  Women who undergo scoliosis fusion should have no complications as regards conceiving and giving birth vaginally after the operation.  Most women experience some degree of lower back pain during pregnancy, but this should be addressed with a physician if the patient is concerned at all.

Continued Reading: Scoliosis Surgery Risks