A laminectomy is a type of surgical procedure that can relieve back pain and improve your quality of life. The nerves of your spinal cord are surrounded by bones of the vertebral column. These bones sometimes become compressed due to pressure on the spinal nerves, which can cause pain and numbness or tingling of the extremities. A laminectomy removes some of the bones surrounding the spinal cord, called lamina, which relieves compression. Following surgery, you may need to do some home exercises to help you recover and gain strength and flexibility to return to your normal life.
Range-of-Motion and Neck Exercises
Depending on the area where you had surgery, you may need exercises specifically for your neck. A cervical laminectomy is one in which part of the lamina is removed from the cervical spine, which consists of the bones below the skull and in the neck. Recovery exercises focus on strengthening the muscles of the neck to support your head and not place too much pressure on your surgical site. Range-of-motion exercises involve turning your head from side to side or moving it up and down. You may also practice stretching your neck muscles by tilting your head and holding the position for 10 seconds before release. Repeat this on each side to keep muscles balanced.
Posture Exercises
Stabilizing the surgical area and developing your posture is good exercise for recovering from a laminectomy. If you had a cervical laminectomy, you can practice straightening your back and keeping your head aligned in order to improve posture. This works to strengthen your neck muscles as well. Practice sitting, walking and your daily activities with your posture in alignment as much as you can tolerate. Your lower back should curve slightly inward. When sitting, keep your lower back against your chair and avoid slouching. By maintaining good posture, you reduce your risk of further back injury or reinjuring the initial laminectomy.
Shoulder Exercises
Your doctor or physical therapist may prescribe a treatment regimen for you according to the type of laminectomy you had and your overall condition. Recovery starts out mild, with an increase in the amount of stretching and exercise as the weeks pass after surgery. You may work the muscles of your shoulders, including shrugging and shoulder rolls, as part of your recovery several weeks after surgery. Add to your shoulder exercises by lifting light arm weights to shoulder level and progress to lifting them over your head as you tolerate. Closely follow your physical therapist's instructions for your recovery exercises, performing them at the prescribed rate and duration.
