Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

After Spine Surgery, Endoscopic Spine Surgeon Dr. Kaixuan Liu Says: Do THIS But Not THAT

Dr. Kaixuan Liu with Atlantic Spine Center offers tips on the dos and don'ts after spine surgery to boost recovery.


News provided by

Atlantic Spine Center

Mar 24, 2021, 10:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Dr. Kaixuan Liu
Dr. Kaixuan Liu

WEST ORANGE, N.J., March 24, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Almost every type of surgery comes with a list of instructions for what you should or shouldn't do afterward. But when it comes to spine surgery, following those dos and don'ts are vital for ensuring a smooth and successful recovery, according to Endoscopic Spine Surgeon Kaixuan Liu, MD, PhD, founder of Atlantic Spine Center.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, about 500,000 Americans undergo surgery each year for lower back problems alone. Adding operations on the middle and upper spine raises this number closer to 1 million, meaning a sizable proportion of people in the United States decide to have spine surgery each year to alleviate chronic or acute back problems, Dr. Liu points out.

Just as any surgical patients are given written discharge instructions along with prescriptions for pain medication or physical therapy, spine surgery patients should know the dos and don’ts for their operation’s aftermath to pave their way back to normal living.

Post this

Spine procedures range from spinal fusion – the most common type – to discectomy, foraminotomy, laminectomy and others. But regardless of type, patients should consciously plan for how they'll approach activities afterward.

"It makes sense that patients who've turned to spine surgery would want to maximize their outcomes, reducing pain and improving their overall recovery," Dr. Liu says. "Just as any surgical patients are given written discharge instructions along with prescriptions for pain medication or physical therapy, spine surgery patients should know the dos and don'ts for their operation's aftermath to pave their way back to normal living."

The don'ts
Normal post-surgical pain stops many patients from charging ahead just afterward. But some need a reminder of what not to do after spine surgery, especially if they've undergone a minimally invasive procedure and their postoperative pain is minimal, Dr. Liu says.

In the days just after spine surgery, he recommends patients avoid:

  • Climbing stairs: If you need to scale the stairs to get to your bedroom, that should be fine once or twice a day. "But don't overdo it for the first few weeks," Dr. Liu adds.
  • Lifting heavy weights: A gallon of milk is the heaviest item (or equivalent) you should be lifting in the weeks after surgery. "Don't lift items over 10 pounds, including grocery bags, laundry baskets or children," he advises, "and don't lift items over your head if you've had spinal fusion until your doctor OKs it."
  • Driving: If you've had invasive spine surgery, it's advised to let someone else do the driving for the first two weeks, and limit passenger time to short distances. Same day driving is permissible for patients with minimally invasive procedures, but not recommended for more than 30 minutes at a time.
  • Exercising: Walking is fine, even encouraged. But don't swim, run, golf or do other strenuous exercise until your doctor gives the green light.
  • Bending at the waist: Bend at the knees and squat to pick up items to avoid strain on your back muscles.
  • Smoking: It's never a good idea but smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products can also slow healing after surgery.

One big problem Dr. Liu sometimes notices in spine surgery patients is impatience, which compels some to do more than they should, more quickly. "Depending on the procedure you had, recovering from spine surgery can take somewhere between a few weeks and a few months," he explains. "But it can't be rushed – and in fact, doing so can significantly set your recovery back. Resist the urge."

The dos
It's more upbeat, of course, to focus on what you are allowed to do after spine surgery – especially when the list of dos can potentially help speed your recovery. Dr. Liu advises these measures:

  • Keep moving: Walking and other regular, gentle movement speeds healing by keeping blood circulating through your body.
  • Take pain medication: Don't feel you have to grit your teeth and bear post-operative pain. "By all means, take the recommended dosage of any pain medications your doctor prescribes to help you through the days after surgery," Dr. Liu says. "It's much better to stay on top of pain than let it break through."
  • Do physical therapy: This important tactic teaches you to move and do things in a way that keeps your back in a safe position and minimizes pain. "You may learn the safest ways to dress, get out of bed or a chair, or eventually lift and carry things," he explains.
  • Wear a brace: Not everyone will need a back brace after spine surgery. But if your doctor prescribes one, Dr. Liu says, wearing it while sitting, walking, and doing other activities can help stabilize your back as it heals.
  • Sleep with support: If you're a side-sleeper, you may want to wedge a pillow between your knees or behind you to support your back while you sleep. "Good-quality sleep is vital for healing," Dr. Liu says, "so do whatever you can to maximize your comfort."
  • Call your doctor with any questions: Recovering from spine surgery can bring moments of uncertainty or feeling like you're backsliding. If that happens, don't hesitate to reach out to your doctor.

Atlantic Spine Center is a nationally recognized leader for endoscopic spine surgery with several locations in NJ and NYC. http://www.atlanticspinecenter.com, http://www.atlanticspinecenter.nyc

Kaixuan Liu, MD, is a board-certified physician with Atlantic Spine Center. He is fellowship-trained in minimally invasive spine surgery.

Media Contact

Melissa Chefec, MCPR, LLC, 2039686625, [email protected]

SOURCE Atlantic Spine Center

Modal title

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.