Aches & pains following exercise

[Rob at home]

Hi All,

Yes the title of the post is an answer in its self as we usually do get aches and pains following exercise! It'll be 7 weeks since I had my L3 - L5 laminectomy and on Monday I was feeling the start of the same old achy pain down my right leg. Having spoken to the physio and working to my new physio regime, I endeavoured to go to the local swimming pool for some water exercising. I even managed 50m front crawl (no kicking). My back felt really good by the end of today and a bit more mobile.

I came down with a bump this morning as my back is really aching and I've had to take extra pain killers (I have been weening myself off these in consultation with the consultant)

Rob

[Cindylou]

Rob, this is that roller coaster ride of recovery we talk about often on the boards, unfortunately. Two steps forward, three back. I will offer that your increased pain is very normal following your exercise routine. Perhaps you should consider cutting back just a wee bit if your pain is too much. We all know that increased pain makes it more difficult to heal. Beginning exercise after surgery should bring some aches, but try not to cross that line into such high peaks of pain afterwards. Slow and steady my friend.

[ajj1001]

Two steps forward, three back. I will offer that your increased pain is very normal following your exercise routine.

Or one inch forwards, two feet back! Seriously I started physio in October 09 and I am making teeny tiny steps forwards and it always hurts but its worth it though to get more mobile. Any progression we do is really small and then build on that if it doesn't aggravate things too much.

[Rob at home]

Hi All,
Just back from swimming during the 'retired' session wheb its nice and quiet. I limited the session to only 30 minutes today and will cut back on my exercising for the rest of the day.

Regards

Rob

[scduggan]

Dear Rob,
Hang in there and keep tweaking until you find the perfect mix of rest and exercise. This is SO HARD is it not? God gave us that inherent desire to move....then back surgery changes all the rules. Your biggest challenge is to find that mix that will give you a baby step of improvement....without going over. I am going to be working on that, too! I am only three weeks post op and just biting at the bit to get going. I thing you are on the right track by going to the pool. You'll get there! Do you find you get tired easily? Are you able to do any stretching? I got a resistance band to try to do a little bit of upper body work while in bed. I feel about 87.
CD

[Rob at home]

Hi CD and All,
Swim yesterday, achy and pains today! Out of 30mg/500 co-codamol to make matter worse but I'm weening myself off these. My upper body is the worst (not used to the exercise) but I have still have the little niggling pain down my right leg that makes me think that the surgery hasn't worked.

No swimming this weekend as I'm taking a break.

Is everyone okay and keeping well (within limits)

Rob

[ajj1001]

I have still have the little niggling pain down my right leg that makes me think that the surgery hasn't worked.

... even when surgery has worked it can leave our bodies very annoyed at being messed with. My left leg nerve is still upset with me from surgery last May . It can be a real long haul.

[Jack-of-all-trades]

I'm really glad you posted about this issue. I was thinking I was special in a bad sort of way and getting really depressed about it. I had L5-S1 fusion 10 weeks ago and thought I could do more at this stage. I worked about 5 hours today do fix-it stuff on a house I had sold a year ago on a lease-purchase agreement that didn't work out. Really hurts bad now. I picked up a 40 lb bucket of cat little two days ago and took a day to get over that.

Another problem, no energy. Is this normal? When does it come back?

[Justin]

I'm really glad you posted about this issue. I was thinking I was special in a bad sort of way and getting really depressed about it. I had L5-S1 fusion 10 weeks ago and thought I could do more at this stage. I worked about 5 hours today do fix-it stuff on a house I had sold a year ago on a lease-purchase agreement that didn't work out. Really hurts bad now. I picked up a 40 lb bucket of cat little two days ago and took a day to get over that.

Another problem, no energy. Is this normal? When does it come back?

After three spine surgeries myself, I do notice myself getting "achy." I think this is partially do to the inherent recovery after my last surgery and also that I am just getting older.

JOAT: it is definitely normal. One of the limiting factors is how invasive your surgery was--energy levels really start to pick up for most people ~3-6 months. Of course, this varies but this is what I have personally observed.

I hope you are doing well.