Rehabilitation is a vital part of your care and, most important, your recovery. Carefully following recommendations from your Norton Leatherman Spine doctor, nurses and therapists can help you get back to normal activities as soon as possible. Each person is different, and depending on your surgery, your individual rehabilitation program may be different. Some programs include ongoing rehabilitation after you leave the hospital.

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The physical therapy staff will begin working with you soon after your surgery to improve your ability to move. They will teach you an exercise program, how to move in bed, how to get in and out of bed, and how to walk safely. An occupational therapist may be involved in your care to teach you how to do everyday activities like dressing, bathing, using the toilet and getting around your house.

Rehabilitation Goals

  • Walk safely without help, including using stairs
  • Get in and out of bed using proper transfer techniques
  • Put on and take off your brace, if you have one
  • Understand spine precautions and your home exercise program

Exercises to Start Practicing Before Surgery and After

These exercises will help improve strength and flexibility before your surgery as well as prepare you for therapy after surgery. Do these exercises 10 times each, two or three times a day with each leg. You may hold onto a countertop so you do not lose your balance.

Squats

Keeping your back straight, slowly bend your knees, lowering your pelvis over your ankles about 6 inches, then return to a standing position (do not lean forward).

Hip abduction

While standing on one leg, slowly raise your other leg out to the side without moving your trunk. Keep your toes pointed forward.over your ankles about 6 inches, then return to a standing position (do not lean forward).

Knee flexion

Slowly bring one foot up behind you toward the buttocks, then slowly lower your foot back to the floor. Make sure you keep your knees side by side.

Calf muscle strengthening

While holding onto the counter, slowly raise yourself up onto your toes. Slowly lower your heels back to the floor and repeat.ankles about 6 inches, then return to a standing position (do not lean forward).

Spine Care From World-renowned Specialists

Norton Leatherman Spine is a world-renowned program delivering groundbreaking care and treatment for back, neck and spine conditions and procedures.

  • Nationally recognized spine surgery fellowship program with over 150 trained fellows
  • First in the world to perform robotic spine surgery using the Medtronic Mazor X Stealth Edition, demonstrating leadership in surgical innovations
  • First health system in the nation to be recognized as an Advanced Orthopedic & Spine Center of Excellence by DNV
  • First in the state of Kentucky to use the EOS Imaging system, a high-resolution image system with 50% to 85% less radiation exposure than traditional X-rays and CT scans
  • More than 4,000 surgeries performed each year
  • Recognized as a national benchmark for patient-reported outcome measures against spine surgeons across the nation, ensuring high-quality, data-driven care
  • team of 45 highly regarded specialists, including orthopedic spine surgeons, neurosurgeons and pain management specialists
  • Internationally recognized leaders in clinical research of spinal disease, injury and deformity, opioid management, spine surgical innovations, scoliosis and more
  • Specialists who have served in senior positions in the Scoliosis Research Society, the prestigious organization for scoliosis surgeons around the world
  • Kenton D. Leatherman, M.D., the program namesake, was the first doctor in Kentucky to repair scoliosis surgically

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