What To Do After Disc Replacement Surgery: Move Better, Heal Better
Rheannon Reid
Surgery might replace a disc, but it doesn’t replace or change how you move.
When midlife fitness coach Natalie Jill went through a disc replacement, she did what most people do - she trusted the recommendations of her providers and hoped it would fix everything. But as Dr. Mike reminds her (and everyone else):
“Surgery doesn’t guarantee success — moving better does.” - Dr. Mike
If you’ve had a discectomy or disc replacement, this guide will walk you through what really determines your outcome and what to do going forward. Spoiler: it’s not the implant - it’s how you move, align, and rebuild control.
The Reality of Disc Replacement
A disc replacement (like the ProDisc implant Natalie received) replaces a worn spinal disc with an artificial one. It’s FDA-approved and while the intention is to restore motion and reduce nerve pressure — it’s not magic.
Dr. Mike explains that even “successful” implants can run into problems: they can sink into bone, fracture, or cause hyperextension in the spine. Roughly a third of FDA-approved devices are eventually recalled.
Nice. Nothing says “healing” like needing a recall notice for your spine.
That’s why most insurance companies hesitate to pay for them. Hello… red flag, anyone?
Bottom line: procedures like these might buy you some time, but they won’t fix the bad movement patterns that got you into pain in the first place.
Why Alignment Still Matters After Surgery
Dr. Mike measured Natalie’s lumbar angle at 38 degrees — slightly outside the health range. That extra curve meant her spine was in hyperextension.
When your back stays too flexed, the discs get crushed.
When it stays too extended, the joints get crushed.
Post-surgery healing depends on regaining control or your range of motion and finding the neutral place between those two extremes — not forcing your spine into a rigid, “perfect posture,” but teaching your body to control your movement.
Double Flexion: The Key to Rebuilding Balance
If you’re in a chronically hyperextended state, you need to work on double flexion — a coordinated movement that connects your pelvis and ribs.
Here’s how:
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Pelvic flexion – tilt the pelvis without moving the thoracic spine.
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Rib flexion – move the ribs and thoracic spine without moving the pelvis.
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Double flexion – combine both to align the spine and strengthen glutes and abs together.
This helps remove excess curve from your lower back by strengthening the abdominal muscles and glutes.
For more detail, check out our article on how to fix hyperextended posture, which breaks down this alignment principle in more depth.
Slow the Reps Down
If you’re blasting through your sets — stop.
Recovery is about precision and control, not speed. Move slowly, feel each rep, and reconnect to the small stabilizers that protect your spine.
Try that with these 5 Exercises to Fix Lumbar Lordosis and Hyperextension. We promise, slowing down those reps is going to get you working hard and will give you more bang for your buck than busting out the fast, sloppy reps you see so many gym bros and girlies going for.
Level Your Hips, Align Your Legs
Post-surgery, uneven hips are common. Sometimes it’s a structural leg difference, but more often, it’s muscle imbalances and how you move. Dr. Mike spotted it in Natalie’s lunge: a collapsing knee and dropped arch on one side — a recipe for hip and low-back wear.
To fix it, practice these cues:
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Align the ankle so it tracks straight under your knee.
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Ground your entire foot — heel, ball, and toes. Make the arch active. Not sure how to do that? Learn how to do this excellent foot strength exercise.
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Abduct the thigh — drive your knee out to activate your hip.
This trains your hips to stay level and your spine to stay aligned through every lunge, squat, or step.
Want more on this topic? Check out How to Fix Uneven Hips for Good.
Reconnect Your Feet
Thick-soled shoes might look good, but they disconnect you from reality — and the ground.
When your foot can’t feel the floor, your nervous system can’t align your body. Train barefoot or use minimalist shoes so your arches, ankles, and hips can communicate as a complete unit again.
We dive deeper into this concept in Fix Flat Feet, Inverted Ankles & Foot Pain.
The Big Picture
Disc surgery can relieve pain — but it won’t fix the movement that caused it.
The best thing you can do after surgery is the same advice Dr. Mike says is best before surgery: learn to move better.
Surgery replaces hardware; movement retrains the system.
When you rebuild alignment through the right exercises, your body can finally heal the way it was designed to.
Start Your Healing Journey
Unsure where to start your healing journey? Our quick online tool will guide you to the MoveU program made for your type of pain.
Once you complete it:
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If your spine tends to arch or overextend, start the Lordosis & Hyperextension Program.
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If you’re struggling with disc pain, flexion, or sciatica, go with the Disc Bulge, Herniation & Sciatica Program.
Move better. Heal stronger. Fix yo sh*t!