Can you have a massage after lumbar fusion surgery?

Yes it is safe to have a massage after spinal fusion surgery, but I would recommend waiting until the incisions have healed.  Enjoy!

Spinal instrumentation and fusion surgery is done to strengthen, stabilize and hold the spine together.  Surgical indications for fusion surgery include spondylolithesis (slipped spine bone), spondylolysis (fracture of the pars articularis that holds the spine together), multiple disk surgery, spinal fracture, cancer, degenerative disk disease (DDD), osteoporosis, etc.

Spinal fusion is done by the placement of  screws through the pedicle into the vertebral body at 2 or more levels.  These screws are linked together with rods forming a strong construct.  Bone is placed to join or “fuse” the vertebrae together.  The bone can be placed in different locations and by different techniques.   Bone may be placed  over top of the spine [posterolateral fusion (PLF)] or between the vertebral bodies [anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), direct lateral interbody fusion (DLIF or XLIF), transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) or posterior lateral lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF)].  Spinal fusion can now be done endoscopic with minimal tissue damage and bone removal.  This is called endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (ELIF).  Please call for more information. Good Luck!