BRACE WEANING – LUMBAR FUSIONS
For patients who have had and have already had your first post-operative appointment.
Lower Lumbar Interbody Fusion
(ALIF, PLIF, TLIF, XLIF)
Week 3:
- Apply your brace in the morning as usual, then wear your brace for 6 hours.
- Remove the brace and remain out of your brace for approximately 4 hours.
- Reapply the brace and wear it for approximately 6 hours again (until bed time)
- Then remove the brace at bed time as usual for sleep
- This total is approximately 12 hours / day in your brace
Week 4:
- Apply your brace in the morning as usual, then wear your brace for 4 hours.
- Remove the brace and remain out of your brace for approximately 8 hours.
- Reapply the brace and wear it for approximately 4 hours again (until bed time)
- Then remove the brace at bed time as usual for sleep
- This total is approximately 8 hours / day in your brace
Week 5:
- Apply your brace during your most active 4 hours each day.
- This total is approximately 4 hours / day in your brace
Week 6:
- Apply your brace only during periods of unusual activity or for protection in crowds.
- Minimize your brace wearing to less than 2 hours / day
Week 7:
- Discontinue your brace wearing
- Keep your brace in storage in the unlikely case that it is needed again
