What is Failed Back Surgery Syndrome?
Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) can occur when a traditional open spine surgery does not effectively treat a patient’s spine condition, or when it causes new pain or symptoms to arise. The painful symptoms of FBSS can be as bad, if not worse, than the original spinal condition.
This can be extremely frustrating for patients dealing with continuous pain that should have been resolved by the initial surgery. If you are suffering from failed back surgery syndrome, understand that while this situation is incredibly frustrating, there are some things you can do to help reduce your pain.
One of the most beneficial activities to reduce the pain of FBSS is walking. Walking can help loosen your muscles and prevent you from enduring even worse pain by being immobile. Continue reading to learn about the ways walking can help to ease pain and discomfort resulting from failed back surgery syndrome.
Benefits of Walking
Walking outside or on a treadmill to treat FBSS can be a great way to get your heart and lungs pumping and can also help you:
- Strengthen muscles. Stronger core muscles provide better support for the spine and enhanced endurance.
- Maintain bone and muscle mass. Long stretches of inactivity can weaken both bones and muscles. Exercise, on the other hand, can help keep them functioning properly.
- Increase blood circulation. Better circulation allows the blood to pump nutrients and pull toxins away from injured areas in the body. This allows the body to promote faster healing.
- Relieve muscle tension. Loose muscles may relieve pressure exerted on a pinched spinal cord or nerve root.
While the benefits of walking typically outweigh inactivity, you should always check with your doctor before starting any exercise plan, especially if you have been diagnosed with failed back surgery syndrome.
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Treatment Options
Failed back surgery syndrome can be difficult to treat and conservative methods such as walking, pain medication, or physical therapy may not provide enough pain relief. If you are seeking additional treatment options, you should contact a spine specialist to help you consider all your options.
At BEST Health System we offer minimally invasive alternatives to traditional open-back surgery. Our board-certified surgeons primary goal is to help our patients find the most effective, least invasive treatment option. Contact BEST Health System to learn more about our therapies and treatments.
