After Lumbar Disc Surgery: Recovery and Exercises

Day of surgeryYou may start walking if your surgeon agrees

4–6 weeksUsual time before returning to work, depending on your job

6 weeksHow long to avoid lifting and long periods of bending forwards

12 weeksHow long it may take to return to all normal activities

In daily life

To get out of bed, first roll onto your side, let your legs drop over the edge of the bed, then push up with your hand and elbow; do not sit straight up.
When your back hurts, lie down rather than sit: on your front, on your side with a pillow between your knees, or on your back with your knees bent.
At first, sit on a firm chair for short periods and build up gradually. Do not slouch.
Avoid sudden twisting and heavy lifting.

Progress sensibly

A mild ache after a new activity is acceptable; severe pain is not.
If you have overdone it and your back is very sore, keep up gentle exercise and walking until the pain settles, then build up again.
Keep your pain controlled enough to let you move; do not push into pain during exercise.

Exercise after surgery

Six exercises for the first weeks

Do the exercises 3–4 times a day. If your surgeon or physiotherapist has given you specific advice, follow that first. If your symptoms get worse, stop the exercise and tell your team.

Pelvic floor squeeze lying down

Deep tummy muscle squeeze

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Gently draw in the deep tummy muscles below your belly button and your pelvic floor muscles. Do not hold your breath.

Hold for 10 seconds if you can, 10 repetitions

Pelvic tilt

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Gently flatten the hollow of your back towards the bed, then relax.

15 repetitions

Prone press-up on elbows

Lying on your front and pressing up

First lie on your front for 3–5 minutes. As it becomes comfortable, come up onto your elbows; later, push up with your arms while your hips stay on the bed. Let your arms do the work, not your back.

Hold for 5–10 seconds, 10 repetitions

Seated sciatic nerve glide

If your pain spread down the back of your leg before surgery, you can start this from day 2–3. Sit upright and slowly straighten your knee until you feel a gentle pull at the back of your leg, hold briefly, then bend it.

10 reps

Brisk walking

Short, frequent walks

If your surgeon agrees, you can start walking on the day of surgery. Take short, frequent walks rather than a few long ones; stand tall and build up the time gradually.

Often through the day

Ankle pumps

Ankle movements

While lying or sitting, pull your toes up towards you, then point them down. This helps the circulation in your legs.

5–10 repetitions, 3–4 times a day

Frequently asked questions

When can I drive?

When you can make an emergency stop and sit comfortably for the whole journey; this usually takes at least 4–6 weeks. Make sure your pain is well controlled and ask your surgeon about the exact timing.

When can I go back to work?

It depends on your job. The NHS says usually 4–6 weeks; according to one NHS leaflet, you may return to desk work after 6–8 weeks and to heavy manual work after at least 3 months, sometimes 6. Decide with your surgeon.

When can I start sport?

According to one NHS leaflet, once the wound has healed you can swim freestyle or backstroke from week 4, cycle and walk briskly from 4–6 weeks, and play golf and gentle tennis from 3 months. Avoid running and heavy lifting for the first 6 months.

Does an exercise programme after surgery help?

According to a Cochrane review of 22 randomised trials and 2,503 people, exercise programmes starting 4–6 weeks after surgery improved pain and daily function in the short term more than no treatment. Intensive programmes were slightly more effective than mild ones; there was no difference between supervised and home programmes. In no study did exercise increase the rate of re-operation. The quality of the evidence ranged from low to very low.

What are the risks?

Serious complications are rare. They include leakage of spinal fluid, nerve damage, back pain that does not go away and slipping of the vertebrae; some may need further surgery. Leg pain often eases straight away, but the back muscles may ache for a while.

For the time before surgery and treatment without surgery, see the lumbar disc herniation and sciatica guide; for long-lasting back pain, see the low back pain guide.

When should you go to A&E or see a doctor?

If you have numbness in your groin, between your legs or around your bottom (you may notice it when wiping after the toilet)
If you have difficulty passing urine, or have lost control of your bladder or bowels
If you have new numbness, weakness or pain in your legs or both feet that is different from before surgery
If you have a severe headache or dizziness, especially one that gets worse when sitting up
If there is warmth, itching, redness or discharge around the wound

In the first three situations, go to A&E without delay. In the others, contact your surgical team.

Sources

NHS. Lumbar decompression surgery. Page last reviewed: 10 March 2026.
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. Information and exercises following microdiscectomy. September 2025.
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Lumbar discectomy / decompression advice. PH 37.
Oosterhuis T, Costa LOP, Maher CG, de Vet HCW, van Tulder MW, Ostelo RWJG. Rehabilitation after lumbar disc surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(3):CD003007.