Your cervical spine includes the seven vertebrae that connect your head to your spine and extend down to your shoulders. Cervical spine fusion surgery may be recommended when the disc material begins to seep out of your cervical vertebrae and place pressure on your spinal nerves. This causes pain in your neck, along with tingling and pressure in your neck and arms. If you experience severe pain, your physician may recommend cervical spine fusion surgery to repair the diseased disc and fuse together the cervical vertebrae to strengthen your spine and reduce pain.
Post-Surgery
Immediately following surgery, your physician will encourage you to move and position yourself as comfortably as possible. Your rehabilitation will begin with walking, which typically takes place several hours after surgery. Walking and moving around can help you feel better and helps you recover from the anesthesia used during surgery. With each successive day following surgery, you should walk a little more to increase your overall movement. Discuss initial limitations with your physician as far as movement immediately following surgery.
Up to Two Months Following Surgery
Your physician may ask that you refrain from vigorously bending and twisting your neck up to several months following surgery. This is to allow for sufficient time for your vertebrae to heal and fuse together without pressure. The process typically takes at least six weeks. This does not mean that you will refrain from movement entirely. Your physical therapist may recommend gentle stretching exercises, such as moving slightly to the left and right and tucking your chin in toward your neck to stretch the back of your neck. Deep breathing exercises also can help to relax your neck muscles. You may need to wear a special neck brace during this time to immobilize your neck.
Three to Six Months Following Surgery
When your physician has determined the bones of your cervical fusion have sufficiently healed, you may begin more extensive physical therapy exercises. Your physician will feel your neck during exercises to determine where your nerves spasm during exercise. Your physician will likely recommend stabilization exercises to strengthen the neck muscles. These include the chin tuck, shoulder shrugs or shoulder rolls. Another exercise is the scapular retraction in which you hold your elbows in toward your body and bring your shoulder blades together. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then release the exercise.
Cardiovascular Fitness
In addition to specific exercises to stretch the neck and spine, cardiovascular conditioning is important. Exercise strengthens your muscles and improves oxygen flow to your muscles. Better oxygen flow means more nutrients are delivered to your muscles and blood vessels. While vigorous exercise, such as sprinting or playing football, soccer or basketball, may be too much for your spine, low impact exercises like walking, bicycling, swimming or using an elliptical machine can help to improve your cardiovascular function.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Anterior Cervical Fusion
- eSpine: Anterior Cervical Fusion
- Spine-Health; Post-Operative Care for Spinal Fusion Surgery; John E. Sherman, M.D.; Oct. 22, 2000
- North American Spine Society; What Is Spinal Fusion?; 2006
- Orthopaedic Specialists of North Carolina: Cervical Stabilization Exercises
