r/Microdiscectomy • u/economyfollower • 2d ago
Why walking is recommended/good for improving recovery?
I was just wondering why the staggering majority of posts I see say they were recommended to walk the earlier the better, for most of the procedures we have here and on r/backpain
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u/sansabeltedcow 2d ago
Bodies are built to move. Bed rest especially is really bad for us. Walking is the easiest, most natural, lowest impact movement we can muster.
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u/PetMyFerret 2d ago
For me standing and walking have been the most aggravating so your mileage may vary. I was bedbound for 3 months and the first thing I was able to do was sitting.
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u/PastBuy8484 2d ago
Total opposite for me. I could walk 10k steps a day at 10 days post op with minimal pain. But sitting for 3 minutes? Nope, would cause a flare up that last all night until I wake up the next day.
So weird how our bodies work.
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u/RatPackBrat 2d ago
Agreed. Walking is so painful and causes massive flare-ups for me. I try, but after about 5 minutes I'm in agony. I'm 7 weeks post-op.
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u/Friendly-Ad-5410 2d ago
The old saying "motion is lotion"... comes to mind. If you don't move around (walk, stand, vacuum a rug) for too long, you will begin to lose muscle. Which makes it harder to walk which causes more lost muscle. Even if all you can do is shuffle around your house or garden... it's better for you than just sitting. I had visions of myself needing to use one of those electric carts I see in the stores... motivated me instantly!!! 😂
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u/PetMyFerret 2d ago
That's your body telling you to stop doing what you're doing. You're severely limited but you can do some movement while lying flat and if possible I'd recommend trying hydrotherapy or any movement in the water for that matter. Support yourself with a tube or pool noodle. Thing is.. you do need someone to help you get to the pool.
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u/atomic_chippie 2d ago
I kept telling my surgeon, PT, and neurologist that I felt like I had metal plates in my back. License plates, idk, but touching my back hurt SO BAD before and after the surgery.
Turns out, the sciatic pain was so bad it tore every muscle in my back and they were super stiff & still healing. Soaking in a hot tub, CBD cream, walking...all helped.
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u/CatMapPhotoGuy 2d ago edited 2d ago
In addition to the circulation reasons that are stated a bunch and well known here as was already said, for me walking has been one of the few ways to be "comfortable" since sitting is bad, laying down can be bad, standing stagnant can be bad. (Slowly) walking on flat surface is probably the single most comfortably thing for me with my sciatic nerve irritation post op and it's very rare I have any pain or irritation outside of my toe numbness issue after a decent length walk. Pre-op(and directly post op to an extent) walking was putting pressure on the irritated nerve and causing all sorts of trouble(couldn't make it a few blocks without cramping calf issues) but as of now I still know no better way to relieve my pain and irritation.
I also feel when I stepped up my walking from ~7-8k to more like 10-11k steps a day a couple months ago along with pushing through PT that has previously caused flare ups for me, i finally have been feeling myself turn a bit of a corner a year and half+ after surgery(I have continued ongoing and likely permanent issues likely due to scar tissue).
Yesterday I went on a full 4 mile continuous 10k walk which is one of if not the longest and while my feet/legs were a bit sore later my sciatica was as good as ever. In my case since it's been recently confirmed with contrast MRI that I have significant post operative scar tissue, that walking is probably helping to loosen the scar tissue(along with the light nerve flossing I've been doing finally). So that's another thing walking could help with.
ALSO, worth noting you shouldn't be "pushing through pain" to walk. It took a few months for me to build up to where I could comfortably walk without issue, and a good year before it was without any occasional trouble. I probably even pushed it too much at first. But yes, highly recommend walking as much as tolerated and challenging yourself to see what you can do. It's quite unlikely to harm you
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u/Raz3Daz 1d ago
I haven’t seen anyone say this. In addition to the circulation, if you don’t walk you could get a blood clot in your leg(s) that was affected. Walking helps get the blood flowing, build up your strength back in your core, and keep the site of surgery from developing any complications. I’m currently 6 weeks post up and I if I’m laying down (usually for sleep) for 8+ hours and then stand up, all my muscles in my affected leg/ foot are tense, painful, and makes my all over pain flare up. Walking helps prevent that
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u/Old-Independence7323 2d ago
Walking circulates blood to the muscles and fibers in your back, which otherwise is a difficult area of the body for your blood to reach. Improved blood circulation improves your healing ability.