Assessment
A detailed history, then a thorough examination of movement, strength and the affected area. You leave with a working diagnosis you understand and a plan agreed with you, not handed to you.
What We Treat
Spinal Surgery Rehabilitation in London
Back and neck surgery takes pressure off a nerve or steadies a segment of the spine, but the muscles around it still need rebuilding. We run staged rehab after decompression, discectomy and fusion, always to your surgeon's plan, so you get back to work, training and everyday life with confidence.
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- Self-referral; no GP letter needed.
Our spinal surgery rehab team
Charlie Briers
Chartered Physiotherapist, BSc
Claire Cuffe
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, MSc
Jubilee Viforj
Chartered Physiotherapist, BSc
Stefanie Yeh
Chartered Physiotherapist, DPT, BSc
David Thomas
Founder & Chartered Physiotherapist, MSc, BSc
Augustin “Gus” Hadonou
Co-Founder & Chartered Physiotherapist, MAACP, BSc
Brad Donnelly
Chartered Physiotherapist, BSc, MSc
Liam Thornton
Paediatric Physiotherapist, MCSP, BSc
Overview
Understanding spinal surgery rehab
Spinal surgery fixes a specific problem: a disc pressing on a nerve, a narrowed canal, or a segment that needs fusing. What it cannot do on its own is restore the strength, movement and confidence you lost in the months of pain beforehand and the weeks of rest afterwards. That is the job of rehabilitation, and how well you recover depends heavily on it.
We work with people after the most common spinal operations:
- Decompression: including laminectomy, to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves.
- Discectomy and microdiscectomy: removing the part of a disc pressing on a nerve, usually for sciatica.
- Spinal fusion: joining two or more vertebrae, in the lower back or the neck, where movement needs restricting while the bone heals.
Every plan starts with the restrictions your surgeon sets: what to avoid, for how long, and whether you need a brace. Early work is gentle: walking, breathing and simple movement to ease stiffness and protect circulation. From there we rebuild the muscles that support your spine through your trunk, hips and legs, often using reformer Pilates, then load you towards the specific demands of your work, training or sport.
Recovery after spinal surgery is measured in months, and some people take up to a year to feel fully back to normal. We set honest, individual timelines, progress you on what you can do rather than on dates, and keep your surgeon informed along the way.
Excellent
From 6 five-star Google reviews
Source: Google
David helped me when I started to have a strong tibia pain only 5 weeks before the marathon. I genuinely thought at some point that I wasn’t going to be able to do it and I did my PB!
After suffering with terrible back pain, Gus has helped me make huge improvements. Very professional and happy to explain the processes and treatments. Many thanks
Couldn’t recommend this physio team enough! They helped me recover from a knee injury 3 weeks before the London Marathon which I thought was going to prevent me from running it! Everyone was really friendly, supportive and genuinely cared about helping me reach my goal. Special thanks to Charlie, Gus, Brad and Stef!
I came to Dave with an ongoing injury that I’ve been struggling with for months! He helped sort it out straight away, also giving me some exercises to help target the area to get back to full strength. I’m now back to running pain-free already and training properly — I’ll definitely be recommending Kaizen Physiotherapy to my clients!
Gus worked miracles to get me running a marathon after being injured 6 weeks out. He worked out the issue really quickly and provided a clear and actionable plan to deal with it. The sports massages were the best I’ve ever had too — thanks Peggy! Can’t recommend Gus and Peggy enough.
I had such a positive experience working with Brad at Kaizen. He supported me through a meniscus tear and got me all the way back to running a half marathon and HYROX training. Everything was structured, progressive, and easy to follow, and I always felt like I was in safe hands.
Spinal surgery rehabilitation can help to:
Work to your surgeon's plan
We start from the restrictions your surgeon sets: lifting limits, how long to avoid bending or twisting, and whether you need a brace. Everything we add sits inside those limits, and we explain the plan in full so you know what is safe at each stage.
Get you moving early
Short walks, breathing work and gentle movement in the first weeks ease stiffness, protect circulation and stop you seizing up. We show you how to get in and out of bed, sit and stand in ways that protect the operated level.
Rebuild the muscles around your spine
Once your surgeon allows it, we strengthen the trunk, hips and legs that support your spine, often using reformer Pilates, where the springs let us add load gradually and precisely. Each review checks your progress against where you started.
Ease leftover nerve symptoms
Tingling or numbness in the leg or arm often settles slowly after decompression or discectomy. Graded movement and loading help, and we monitor these symptoms closely so anything unexpected goes straight back to your surgeon.
Return you to work and training
Later stages prepare you for the real demands of your life: lifting, long days at a desk, the gym or your sport. You move on when you can do the work comfortably, not because a set number of weeks has passed.
Keep the whole picture joined up
You see the same physiotherapist throughout, and we keep your surgeon or consultant informed as the plan progresses. If you are still waiting for surgery, we can start with prehab to get you stronger before the operation.
Why it happens
What causes spinal surgery rehab?
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Decompression surgery such as laminectomy, where the canal or nerve root has been freed but the surrounding muscles are weak and guarded
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Discectomy or microdiscectomy for sciatica, where nerve symptoms can take weeks to settle as the trunk and hips are retrained
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Lumbar or cervical fusion, where the fused segment needs protecting while the levels above and below learn to share the load
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Months of pain before surgery, leaving the back, hips and legs deconditioned and movement patterns cautious
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Weeks of reduced activity after the operation, with stiffness, lost fitness and low confidence in bending, lifting and sitting
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Returning to work, lifting or training before strength and movement control have been rebuilt
At your first appointment we work out what is really holding you back, then agree the plan with you before you leave.
Your initial visit runs 45–60 minutes: a detailed history, then a thorough examination of movement, strength and the affected area. We explain what we find in plain English and agree a working diagnosis together.
Treatment starts the same day, and you leave with the first exercises of a plan built around your goal.
Better than yesterday. Kaizen means continuous improvement: small, repeatable gains, built session by session, until you are back to what you love and no longer need us.
- One team across five London clinics: Soho, Liverpool Street, Marylebone, Canary Wharf and Wimbledon Village, plus online appointments.
- Rated 5.0 on Google across 218 reviews.
- Founded in 2022 by David Thomas and Gus Hadonou. You see the same physiotherapist at every visit, so each session builds on the last.
Fees and insurance
Book online through Jane and self-refer, with no GP letter needed. If you are using private health insurance, check your policy first: some insurers ask for a GP referral before your first session.
- Initial assessment and treatment: £155 for a full 45–60 minutes
- Follow-up treatment: £93, with your plan progressed at each visit
- Massage (sports, pregnancy and Swedish): £75 for 30 minutes, £130 for 60 minutes, £160 for 90 minutes
- Lomi Lomi massage: £170 for 90 minutes, £220 for 2 hours
- Performance MOT & Screening: £300 for a 90-minute screen with force-plate testing and a written report
- Recognised by Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Cigna, WPA and Allianz
Your journey
with Kaizen
Everything starts with a proper assessment. We find what is driving the problem, treat it, and build the strength that keeps it fixed, so you finish performing, not just pain-free.
Treatment
Hands-on care to settle symptoms and restore movement: manual therapy, with acupuncture, shockwave or soft-tissue work where they genuinely help. The first home exercises go with you the same day.
Rebuild
Progressive exercise that returns strength, control and load tolerance, from Reformer Pilates to strength and conditioning. Each follow-up reassesses against your baseline, so progress is measured rather than guessed.
Perform
Criteria-based milestones return you to work, sport and training. Discharge happens by mutual agreement once you can manage independently, with a Performance MOT available to catch the next weak link early.
We specialise in:
- Musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy
- Western medical acupuncture (AACP)
- Physiotherapy-led Reformer Pilates
- Specialist hand therapy and splinting
- Shockwave therapy for stubborn tendons
- Strength and conditioning for rehabilitation
- Running and gait analysis
- Performance MOT and movement screening
Treatment approach
How do we treat spinal surgery rehab?
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy leads your recovery from the first weeks: assessing your range and strength, setting safe daily activity within your surgeon's restrictions, and building a staged exercise plan that rebuilds the muscles supporting your spine.
See treatment detail →Reformer Pilates
Reformer Pilates is a controlled way to restore trunk and hip strength once your surgeon allows it. The springs let us load the spine gradually and precisely, which suits the middle stages of rehabilitation after decompression, discectomy and fusion.
See treatment detail →Home Visits & Online Physiotherapy
In the early weeks, when travel and sitting are uncomfortable, a home visit or video session keeps your rehabilitation going without the strain of a journey into clinic.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Frequently asked
questions
When can I start physiotherapy after spinal surgery?
Gentle movement and walking usually start within a day or two, often guided by the hospital physiotherapy team. Outpatient rehabilitation with us typically begins once you are home and settled, at a point your surgeon is happy with. We follow their post-operative restrictions, including any lifting limits or brace use, and build the plan around them.
How long does recovery take after back surgery?
It depends on the operation. Many people are back to light work within weeks after a discectomy, while recovery from a fusion takes longer, and a full return to heavy lifting or sport can take many months or up to a year. We set an honest timeline at your first session and update it as you progress.
Can physiotherapy help before my operation?
Yes. Getting stronger and fitter before spinal surgery, often called prehab, helps your body cope with the operation and can make the early weeks of recovery easier. We build a short, targeted programme around your symptoms and the date of your surgery, and check it fits with your surgeon's advice.
What symptoms after surgery mean I should contact my surgeon?
Seek urgent care or contact your surgical team if you notice new or worsening numbness or weakness in the legs, numbness around the saddle area, changes to bladder or bowel control, signs of wound infection, or a fever. We screen for these at every session and will refer you straight back to your surgeon if anything needs review.
Related What We Treat
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Kaizen Physiotherapy & Performance • 111 Charing Cross Road, Soho, London WC2H 0DT
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