[scduggan]

Hello Adam,

I have the Freedom disc at L4/L5. PLEASE hang in there as the rehab is sometimes ok and sometimes pretty horrible. You will hit tiny milestones with each week. Do NOT be afraid if you still have a lot of back or hip pain. I am six months out now and FINALLY turning a corner. You will not feel awful for six months. Everyone on this sites talks about how recovery is not linear. In other words, you will not feel consistently better each day. The surgery is a HUGE test of patience. You will get there. I am still finding out which things aggravate my back and which things help. I know you already know this but walking does help.

My advise is to walk as much as you can but wait on the PT. This may not be what others will tell you. I started at about seven weeks post-op. I did really well with therapy because I found a physiotherapist who actually worked on my body, not just barking out exercises. He was able to do a lot to get my low back and (very) painful hips to release. Please feel free to send me a private message if you have questions. You are not alone.
CD