Post Lumbar Stenosis surgery (Stiffness)

TLIF (they went through your back and you have rails and screws) or LLIF (they went through your side and inserted a "device".

My two pictures show a TLIF (L3 through S1) and an LLIF for stenosis at L2/L3.  Which one is yours?

That's the old, traditional way to do a fusion, especially when the problem is multi-level even though you had a one-level fusion.  I had mine done in 2015; took 4-6 months to recover.  Back brace, PT twice a week, etc.  So, for you, you're still in that "pain zone" after your op.  Your lower back is weak, they retracted your nerve roots, and more.  Your PT people need to get you to the point where you are mostly past the time of most pain but also INSTRUCT you in the exercises that will improve your flexibility WITHOUT impacting the fusion.  Remember, the bones have to actually FUSE and this takes up to a year.

Example: After a fusion, golfers are FORBIDDEN to swing a club for six months and then only gently for another six.  You do NOT want to push your back and jeopardize the healing of the bones.

So, you are still early in your healing...give it time.  Expect stiffness and some residual pain...back off and rest.  Stiffness can be addressed by gently stretching...your PT or an ACSM-certified trainer can help you.  Seek out professionals with back fusion experience.  (Note: When you try to Google this stuff, make sure that the articles you come to rely on are CURRENT, not just the most popular.  Also, make sure that they are reliable sites like NIH, Mayo Clinic, etc. and not some stupid sites pushing products.)

In the end, you may be pushing it too much...it takes time to heal.  Bending will ALWAYS be an issue with fusion.  Too much and you risk blowing out L3/L4.  No heavy lifting, squat instead of bend.

Just curious why your docs didn't do an LLIF for your stenosis.  My doc could have ripped out all my metal and re-fused me L2 through S1.  That would have left me back at the beginning of another 6-12 month recovery.  My LLIF was a 90-minute operation with a one-night hospital stay and zero rehab...like it never happened.  I woke up and was walking and climbing stairs with no stenosis pain 2 hours after surgery.  Yes, some residual nerve pain because of nerve root retraction for a few weeks but that was it.  Search YouTube for "globus lateral" for a cute animation.  Amazing technology.  Since they use an actual Allen wrench to expand the intervertebral device after insertion, I had to give my doc his official Brooklyn Wiseguy Moniker...he's now known as Tommy "The Wrench" Ellis...

Remember...if you have ANY continuing pain, go see your doc.  Good luck.

thanks for the advise.  I was planning to play tennis next week.  I haven't played in 6 years.

Watch torquing the back especially playing singles (I also have a TKR and we can only play light doubles).  I know that golfers are FORBIDDEN to swing a club for six months post-op and then only gently for another six.  People forget that a "fusion" means that the bones have to actually FUSE TOGETHER!!!  Any twisting, bending, heavy lifting, etc. is an absolute no-no for a year...at least.  You cannot risk interfering with those bones knitting together no matter how "good" you feel.  Anytime you want to do something ill-advised, have a good friend come over and duct tape you to a chair...and then hit you upside the head with a 2x4.  Works in Brooklyn where we always "leave the gun...take the cannoli."