Starting to workout after Surgery.

First off I'd like to say that I just found the website and the info here is unsurpassed by any website that I've read in the last 6 months.

On to my problem, I have been battling a herniated disc in my neck for 5 years now. Each time that I have tried to start working out the injury would be aggrevated and I would have to stop for 3 to 4 months. This has been the cycle for 5 years. Finally the disc got so bad I had to have it removed and have the 2 vertibrae fused. Surgery was 2 weeks ago. I'm going to wait a month and after the Doc's release I'm going to start the building process.
What I need are a list of exercises that I can start with to build chest, upper arms and neck. Please include weight that I need to start with. I am a beginner so I will have to start kinda light.

Thanks in advance for the help!!!!!

Greetings to a fellow Louisianian. Try working out with light dumbells for chest and shoulders. Do a couple of shrugs with the dumbells to get your traps in the action. But most of all, start very light. You definitely don't want to exert yourself at all this early into the recovery process. And (if you haven't already done so) you should OK any type of physical activity at this stage with your doctor, in my opinion. Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. I am going to wait for probably another 3 weeks before starting. I tried doing my usual arm work out with my 20 lbs dumbells but it didn't go very well so i'm going to wait. I was just trying to get an idea on somethings I can do when I start to get my neck muscles strong enough to protect the fusion. But in the process I also want to bulk up my chest and arms a bit.

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Originally posted by Slick30
Surgery was 2 weeks ago. I'm going to wait a month and after the Doc's release I'm going to start the building process.
What I need are a list of exercises that I can start with to build chest, upper arms and neck. Please include weight that I need to start with. I am a beginner so I will have to start kinda light.

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Welcome to the board, Slick30, and best wishes in your recovery.

You have an advantageous situation here . . . Assuming that you have decent insurance that covered the surgery and post-op care, you may be able to pull off at least one visit to a physical therapist. My recommendation is to ask your doctor about this, and about his or her recommendations for an exercise program. The referral to a PT (sorry, folks, here it means physical therapist, not personal trainer) will give to the opportunity to see a workout routine demonstrated for you and to have the PT verify that you are educated about the proper form.

You are in a situation in which a general personal trainer is not enough, and could do more harm than good. (Why? Because most personal trainers, even those that are certified, are not qualified to do medical exercise training. That's the work of a physical therapist with, at the very least, a four-year degree in the field.)

You're doing the right thing by not exercising at this point. As with any injury, let it heal and begin your routine when your doctor says you're ready. Try especially to resist the temptation and frustration that would lead you to over-exert prematurely (which could exacerbate the injury and even blow the surgery).

Finally, as to your specific questions about how much weight, how to build specific body parts, etc., take any and all response you receve here and chuck them. Seriously, bro. We all mean well and we all want to the best for you, but we are not medical professionals. The only dude or dudette that you should take advice from is someone who knows the specific surgery you have had and has examined you in person. You are a post-operative bro at this point, so don't listen to amateur advice like ours - it could do more harm than good. Wait until you're a lot better, and then you can listen to the rest of us amateurs who think we know it all. :D

BRO YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE IT EASY FOR A WHILE. AFTER THE DOC RELEASES YOU, GET INTO A CHIROPRACTIC TO HELP YOU WITH THERAPY, TRUST ME IT PAYS OFF. WHEN U START WORKING OUT, TAKE IT LIGHT. I WOULD DO LIKE 3-5 EXCERSISES PER MUSCLE GROUP 2-3 SETS AND 10-12 REPS. ALSO I WOULD START TAKING, GLUCOSIME CHRONDRIEN, MGM, AND CALCUIM PILLS. ALSO GET A GOOD MUSCLE AND JOINT RUB AND ICE AFTER EVERY WORKOUT.

First, I imagine you had an ACDF (anterior cervical disc fusion) probably with plates and screws. Since you didn't mention your hip, I am thinking the surgeon used bone bank bone graft. The thing your doc's are waiting for to clear you to lift again is to see that the graft has taken and has began to form new bone. This generally takes place about 6 weeks post op. They will confirm this with x-rays. After confirmation is made that the graft has taken, he will release you to light lifting, avoiding compound exercises that will add stress to the spine and neck. As TNT said, and is always correct, you need to request a consultation with PT. This is not always done and you need to consult with your doc about this. Most people who have acdf's are secretaries that talk on the phone a lot. Seems strange but very true. Think of the position of your head when you are on the phone and you'll see why. Ask your doc to send you to a SPORTS MEDICINE Physical therapist. If your doc is affiliated with a major university and one that has a big sports program, get him to send you to them. Though physical therapists are trained in all areas of PT, Sports med PT's have a lot more experience with sports related injuries and their concurrent rehab. If your unsure about this, call LSU athletic dept and get the number for their training dept, talk to one of their trainers, mainly their head trainer and ask him where he would go. Call them and make sure your insurance is accepted by them and then get the order from your doc. IMO skip the chiropractor. See a PT. Peace

Hey bud... ive been through the same thing exept w/ my back. i had my L5-S1 disk removed. just take it really really slow. if i were you i would work on stretching more than anything right now. thats good your giving it time , it may feel alot bette but the inside isnt completely healed yet. good luck

All,
Thanks for all the good advice and as all of you said (and yes my wife too) (I hate it when she's right) I think I'll be waiting a while to start an in depth training program. The more I think about it and the more I move the more I realize that this thing is far from healed. I think for now stretching is the best. (Thanks Superman). I guess It'll be another year before I can post my first set of before and after pics! But another year is better than another surgery!! Thanks again for the good advice. Until then I'll be reading!

Hey Bravo11p,
You are exactly right ACDF on C6-C7. Bone was from the bone bank. And the LSU PT thing is a fantastic idea and one that I never would have thought of. Thanks!!!!!