IS IT GOOD TO USE A RECLINER?

A lot of people told me to sleep on a recliner. I learned that wasn't such a great suggestion.

Your spine uses surrounding fluids for nurishment. It doesn't make it's own. Your spine needs nurishment to heal.

A recliner doesn't allow you to lie flat so that fluid is sent away from the area that needs to be healed.

It's also very hard to get out of a recliner. I wasn't able to do that for a few months.

My sweet husband got a special "zero" gravity recliner for me. It really helps me now.

When we're watching movies ( which I love to do) I sit in the recliner. I'm able to get through a whole movie. I wasn't able to hold my head up well enough to sit on a couch or chair that didn't have head support for several months.

I was not allowed to wear even a soft collar after 6 weeks. They put a big plate and screws in my neck to support the structure while it healed. The plate and screws will hopefully stay with me forever.

The muscles in my neck were so weak daily tasks were not possible for quite a while. Not all people have as much trouble as I did with weakness. My neck is really long. One of the doctors said I had a "giraffe" neck LOL . She's right!

So think twice before you decide to sleep on a recliner after surgery.

Lynn Hahn    www.getrealfit.org