Spinal Surgery

You may get referred for back surgery if you have a major trauma, severe back pain that hasn't improved after other treatments (such as physiotherapy or referral to a pain clinic), or to reduce referred symptoms affecting your arms or legs.

There are a number of different types of back surgery. The type you have will depend on your condition: bone fracture, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis (when one of your vertebra slips forward and out of position), spinal stenosis (the spaces in your spine narrow), bulging disc, bone spur, or herniated or slipped disc. After the operation a physiotherapist in hospital may suggest some exercises to help with moving around, discharge and recovery. After discharge you may receive an exercise programme where the exercises are designed to help you recover and reduce any back pain you may have.

We often find that people need additional physiotherapy to recover to a point that they are happy with the surgery and to maintain their mobility / balance / strength.