Physical Therapy and Recovery After Surgery: Part 2

A Tougher Start Than Expected

I finally had my surgery—and it turned out to be harder than I imagined.

Most people choose surgery because of pain, but my situation was different. My main symptoms were numbness and weakness rather than pain. Ironically, after surgery, I experienced more discomfort than before.

The operation, performed by Dr. Cabrillo, was a success. Still, no one walks away from back surgery feeling instantly fine or comfortable. I was prescribed strong pain medication and advised to take Tylenol regularly for a couple of weeks. However, I never took a single painkiller, and I stopped taking Tylenol after just a few days. The discomfort I felt was mostly from the incision site, not deep internal pain.

Of course, I had strict BLT restrictions—no bending, lifting, or twisting. Combined with muscle weakness, daily life became extremely challenging. Living alone, every day felt like a battle:

• I couldn’t cook properly

• I couldn’t pick up things I dropped

• Showers were difficult

• I had to take time off work and couldn’t go out much

Thankfully, family friends helped me with kindness, and my boss was very supportive, so I wasn’t completely alone. Still, those first weeks were very tough.

Starting Physical Therapy

Gradually, things began to improve. During my follow-up visits, my doctor cleared me to start physical therapy. That first PT session, however, was a shock.

Before surgery, I had been very active—an athlete with good flexibility and strength from CrossFit, Parkour, and Kung Fu. After surgery, I felt like a robot: stiff, weak, and restricted. Even the simplest stretches felt difficult.

My physical therapist, Dr. James, started with gentle hip massages to loosen the area, which helped a lot. Later, he introduced back massage. At first, it was intensely painful because my body was stiff and unbalanced from surgery and prolonged rest.

Each session, James gave me new stretches to practice at home. With my personality—and my determination to return to my old self—I made sure to do them diligently every single day.

Progress Through Effort

I also committed to walking daily. At first, I could only manage short walks. Now, I can walk 2–3 miles, including hills (my neighborhood has plenty of them). The hills are challenging, but they are also helping me rebuild strength.

My background in Parkour and Kung Fu wasn’t wasted. It gave me strong balance, which I still have, even though my left big toe remains weak and numb. With consistent effort, my legs are gradually getting stronger, and my spinal flexibility continues to improve through daily stretching and physical therapy twice a week.

I’m also grateful for additional massage support from my partner at E&K Wellness, Eric, which has been very helpful for my recovery.

Ongoing Challenges

Recovery isn’t perfect, and I still deal with several challenges:

• A burning, nerve-like sensation (neuropathy) in my foot

• Swelling at night or after long walks or sitting for extended periods

• Sleep issues, including waking up due to discomfort or numbness

It can be frustrating, but I remind myself that this is part of the healing process.

Lessons Learned

This journey continues to teach me that recovery is about adaptation, positivity, and managing expectations.

Pushing too hard can lead to setbacks, while doing too little leads to no progress at all. Finding the right balance is essential.

I truly believe I will continue to improve—slowly but surely. Miracles don’t happen out of nowhere, but sometimes persistence itself creates them.

Happiness is something we create for ourselves. Our brain, mindset, and attitude are deeply connected to healing. And that’s why I keep moving forward.

If you missed Part 1 of my recovery journey, you can read it here.

In Part 3, I’ll share how my daily routines, mindset, and small habits continue to shape my recovery.