Laminectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the lamina, the outer part of the vertebra that covers the spinal canal, and relieve pressure on the spinal nerves, notes MayoClinic.com. This procedure is necessary for medical conditions such as spinal stenosis, in which the spinal canal is narrowed and nerve roots are compressed.Your doctor or physical therapist will recommend stretching and flexibility exercises to restore the range of motion in your back, tone and control muscles that stabilize the back and ease the associated pain.
Bridging Progression
During the first three months after a laminectomy, your physical therapist may recommend lumbar stabilization exercises to strengthen the muscles that stabilize the back. The bridging progression is a lumbar stabilization exercise. Begin this exercise by lying on your back. Find the position in which your back is stable and you feel the least discomfort. Bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor. With your feet and heels firmly planted on the floor, lift your buttocks away from the floor. Hold this position for 1 second, ensuring that your back remains straight. Lower your hips back to the floor and hold this position for 1 second. Lift your buttocks off the floor and alternately raise one heel at a time. With your buttocks still raised from the floor, alternately raise one knee at a time and alternately extend one leg at a time from the floor. Repeat this exercise as many times as instructed by your physical therapist.
Pelvic Tilt
Another stabilization exercise that your physical therapist may recommend is a pelvic tilt. This exercise stabilizes the muscles in your lower back and strengthens your abdominal muscles. Strong abdominal muscles stabilize your lumbar spine as well as pelvis. Begin this exercise by lying flat on your back. Bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor. Place both arms behind your head and begin to contract your abdominal muscles. As you contract your abdominal muscles, pull your lower back into the floor. Hold this position for 10 seconds; perform three to five repetitions of this exercise or as instructed by your physical therapist.
Wall Squat
A wall squat is lumbar stabilization exercise that your physical therapist may also recommend. Begin this exercise by standing with your back against a wall. Place both feet hip-width apart and begin to bend your knees. Use your back to slide down to the floor until your knees are parallel to the floor. Hold this position for 5 seconds and slowly push your legs to the starting position. As the pain subsides, you may place a stability ball behind your back to add more resistance to this exercise.
Hamstring Stretch
Begin by lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Find the position in which your spine feels most stable and you feel the least amount of discomfort. While maintaining this position, extend one leg and slowly begin to lift that heel towards the ceiling. Place both hands under the thigh of that leg for support. Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat this stretch on the other leg and perform three sets of 10 repetitions in each leg.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Laminectomy
- Orthopod; A Patient's Guide to Lumbar Laminectomy
- William Beaumont Army Medical Center; Lumbar Laminectomy/Diskectomy Lumbar Fusion; Bryan L. Boyea, Richard J Teff; August 2008
- Permanente; Lumbar Stabilization Exercises
- Spine-Health.com; Lumbar Stabilization Exercises; Andrew J. Cole, MD; April 02, 2001
- DCDoctor.com; Wall Squat Exercises
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