Healing time with Alif/360

Good morning, Annie,
I did not have ALIF / 360, as I did not have the screws inserted in the back of my spine. I did have ALIF surgery last November, it was a fusion of the L5-S1 area that is performed through an incision below your naval (about 3 inches long).

I had the 6 weeks of no bending, lifting, or twisting (BLT), then I had to start looking into physical therapy on my own because my surgeon did not have any follow-up visits or physical therapy scheduled. This still seems crazy to me that a world renowned spine surgeon does not do anything for his patients after surgery.

Most people are told a full recovery from ALIF surgery is 1 year (which I was told), and right now I am at about 9 months post-op, so it is getting close to the 1 year point for me. Unfortunately, I do not have any guidance at this point to know what any restrictions still are at 9 months after surgery.

I have been left on my own out here, and my advice is always the same after my experience. Insist on discussing physical therapy, what you will need and when you will need it. Ask for a time-line for when you should be doing certain things (bending, lifting, twisting that you will do in physical therapy), and where you should be in your recovery at 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.

Good luck, Annie!

Hi Annie
I had an ALIF / 360 (or ALIF plus Pedicle Screws) covering L5 - S1 in a 6-hour surgery exactly 6 weeks ago.
My recovery is going well and I can now walk without hinderance (over 5km at atime), negotiate stairs easily, sleep with no discomfort, but can only sit for 40 minutes continuously before getting up and moving.
I have started light core exercises since my muscles have adequately repaired/reconnected to start using them again.
My reserach and consultations with my neuro-surgeon concluded that the Pedicle Screws (360 component) shorten recovery time because the Ti rods provide additional stability and rigidity while L5 fuses to S1 through the Ti cage.
I will restart work in 3 weeks' time (took 2 months off).

Thanks for the answer. I was reading on Reddit, Spinal fusion group, that someone posted that the abdominal muscles do so much for us that we don't think about and cutting into the abdominal area is hard. Did you have trouble with that? Also, I would need more levels and some people said that is riskier. Alot to figure out. Where was your surgery done and who was the surgeon?

@annie1 , although I am a male, I was informed that the front (Anterior) entrance is similar to a caesarean section. I can't judge, but I can state that the scar is not insignificant.
My first 4-to-5 weeks post surgery was challenging due to the sliced stomach muscles. You're right that we use these muscles without cognition, and when they can't be used, you definitely notice. Simple movement including walking, engages these muscles, which do not want to be engaged over the first few weeks. But now, 6 weeks later, I am exercising them with minimal pain.
My back muscles are also sore, with notable irritation to mild pain on one side (RHS) more that the other. These scars, L and R of the spine, are the access points for the pedicle screws and the two rods.
Having multiple levels done simultaneously will naturally increase the risk, but the surgeons know what they are doing, so surgery risk is mostly mitigated. Unfortunately, fusing multiple levels does translate to a more challenging recovery in terms of BLT and your overall body's accepteance of the new hardware.
My surgery was conducted at a Private Hospital in Perth, Australia, by a neuro-surgeon who belongs to the Spine Institute here, and has operated on my spine previously (an emergency bi-lateral microdisctectomy when I was paralysed R-leg).

I'm following because I'll be having T-10 to sacral fixation at the age of 77 due to degenerative scoliosis and hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. I'm expecting a very challenging time so trying to prepare. I will be getting an ALIF and the next day lots of posterior work. A team of a neuro spinal surgeon and orthopedic spine surgeon will be performing the surgery. Thanks for everyone's input it is so helpful!