Daniel Rose Massage

Daniel Rose Massage Massage Therapist 🙌
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Training and Massages are by Appointment only!

L5/S1 Fusion Rehab Update – 32 Days Post-OpWith my surgical wounds now fully sealed, I’ve been cleared to swim again, wh...
20/12/2025

L5/S1 Fusion Rehab Update – 32 Days Post-Op

With my surgical wounds now fully sealed, I’ve been cleared to swim again, which marked a big milestone in my recovery.

Yesterday I got back in the pool for the first time since surgery. The facility has a rehab pool with a ramp, making it ideal for a controlled return to the water. I did walking, side-walking and backwards walking, followed by some gentle doggy paddle to test my kicking. I also swam a little freestyle and felt comfortable straight away, settling into 5-stroke breathing. Everything felt good.

This morning I returned to the pool and swam laps with flippers on. I kept it very casual, covering around 500m with short rests after each lap. Some laps I kicked only to halfway, then switched to freestyle for the second half. The flippers helped with buoyancy and momentum, keeping everything smooth and controlled.

This week has really marked a shift into rehabilitation. I’m now:
• Walking around 2km daily
• Completing rehab exercises twice a day
• Managing inclines and declines slowly
• Walking on flat ground at a normal pace

One of the biggest positives has been sleep. After both swims I slept deeply, which has been a great sign. Until now, I hadn’t been able to properly expend energy, so this feels like a positive step forward. 😎

Overall, I’m happy with how my body is responding and will continue to progress steadily and sensibly as I move through this next phase of rehab.

Why checking your phone immediately can be bad for your heartWhen you wake up, your body is in a natural cortisol rise (...
12/12/2025

Why checking your phone immediately can be bad for your heart

When you wake up, your body is in a natural cortisol rise (the cortisol awakening response). This is meant to gently get you alert.

If the first thing you do is grab your phone:
• Stress hormones spike harder (emails, news, social media = instant stimulation)
• Heart rate and blood pressure jump quickly
• Your sympathetic nervous system (“fight or flight”) switches on straight away
• Over time, this can contribute to higher resting blood pressure, especially in people already under stress

Not a heart-friendly as a habit.

What it does long term

If it’s a daily pattern:
• More baseline stress
• Less heart rate variability (a marker of heart health)
• Poorer morning emotional regulation, which affects the heart via the nervous system
• Often linked with poorer sleep quality overall

What’s better (even small changes help)

You don’t need a monk-level morning routine:
• 🕰 Wait 5–15 minutes before phone use
• 🚶‍♂️ Do something light first (stand up, walk, stretch, breathe)
• 🌞 Get natural light early — great for heart rhythm + hormones
• 🧠 If you must check your phone, avoid news or email first

Remember to stop to smell the 🌹

L5 / S1 Fusion Rehab day 24. I managed 1.6km at a 14:30/km pace — the first time I’ve walked all the way around the park...
11/12/2025

L5 / S1 Fusion Rehab day 24.

I managed 1.6km at a 14:30/km pace — the first time I’ve walked all the way around the park without stopping 💪🏽

The next walking goal is walking from the house to the park, which will come as my ability to handle inclines and declines continues to improve.

It’s honestly feeling so good to be more mobile again.

The past few weeks have been the hardest I’ve ever been through, physically and mentally. But I can see the work paying off — the fruit is ripening 🌱
And that feels bloody good 😊

10/12/2025

Hamstring / Glute Stretching
Even if I only felt it in my glute, it’s still doing what I need — loosening tension around the pelvis, improving my stride, and reducing all the compensation my hips have been doing.

10/12/2025

Overhead Resistance-Band Shoulder Extensions
These wake up my lats and upper back without loading the fusion. Great for posture, especially after weeks of being stiff and guarded, and they help me regain strength for daily movements.

10/12/2025

L5/S1 Fusion – Thursday 11/12/25 Update

Today started off a lot better after a couple of pretty rough days.

I managed a 1km walk this morning in 15 minutes. Slow, but it gives me a base to build from. When I got home, I jumped on the bike for a 3-minute no-resistance ride, then did some calf raises, overhead resistance-band shoulder extensions, and a hamstring stretch — which honestly only stretched my butt because everything is that tight right now.

Why I’m Doing These Exercises

Calf Raises
These help get the lower legs firing again, improve circulation, and make my walking feel more natural. They also help with balance and reduce strain through the back by giving me a better push-off when I walk.

Overhead Resistance-Band Shoulder Extensions
These switch on my lats and upper back without putting pressure on the fusion. They’re great for posture, especially after weeks of being stiff and guarded, and help me build strength for everyday movements like lifting and reaching.

Hamstring / Glute Stretching
Even though I only felt it in my glute, it still counts. Loosening up the hamstrings and glutes helps take tension off my pelvis and lower back, improves my stride, and reduces all the compensation my hips have been doing.

How Tuesday and Wednesday went:

Tuesday was rough. After my morning walk I got really uncomfortable — I’d reduced my nerve pain medication and the withdrawals really smashed me. Headache, nausea, jittery, anxious, brain fog, constipation… and every time I tried to move I’d just get sick.

Wednesday wasn’t any better.
I didn’t even go for my morning walk. I fell back asleep for four hours and felt pretty out of it most of the day. I was a little better in the afternoon, but still not myself.

Most of those withdrawal symptoms have eased today, thankfully.
Hopefully tomorrow is another step in the right direction.

08/12/2025

Here are the key benefits of bike riding in spinal rehabilitation, especially relevant for L5/S1 fusion recovery (once cleared by your surgeon and physio):

🚴‍♂️ 1. Low-impact cardiovascular exercise

Cycling allows you to train your heart and lungs without jarring the spine.
No ground reaction forces = far less compression through L5/S1 compared to walking or jogging.

🦵 2. Improves leg strength without overloading the back

Bike riding targets:
• Quads
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Calves

These muscles support pelvic alignment and help stabilise your lower back during everyday movement.

🔄 3. Gentle spinal mobility

The riding position promotes:
• Light flexion
• Rhythmic hip movement
• Improved circulation to spinal tissues

This can reduce stiffness and help you regain comfortable movement patterns.

🧠 4. Neuromuscular re-education

After spinal surgery, your body needs to relearn:
• Balance
• Core activation
• Hip–spine coordination

Cycling is excellent for rebuilding these pathways without excessive strain.

💆‍♂️ 5. Increases blood flow & speeds recovery

Low-intensity cycling boosts circulation to:
• Surgical area
• Hip and glute muscles
• Nerves irritated before surgery

Better blood flow = better healing and reduced inflammation.

⚖️ 6. Builds endurance safely

For many fusion patients, walking becomes fatiguing due to weak stabilisers.
Cycling allows you to:
• Work for longer periods
• Build aerobic capacity
• Progress slowly without overload

🧩 7. Supports mental health & confidence

Getting on the bike post-fusion is a big milestone.
It helps with:
• Feeling “active” again
• Regaining trust in your body
• Breaking the fear of movement cycle
• Reducing anxiety and pain sensitivity

🏄‍♂️ 8. Helps prepare you for returning to sport

For someone like me who’s active and wants to return to bodyboarding, cycling helps rebuild:
• Hip flexor strength (kicking position)
• Core endurance
• Glute strength for paddling posture
• Confidence with sustained movement

⚠️ Important considerations

For spinal fusion patients:
• Keep intensity very low at first
• Use an upright or recumbent bike before road bikes
• Avoid out-of-saddle riding early on
• Focus on smooth cadence, not power
• Stop if you feel nerve symptoms, pinch, or sharp pain
• Follow surgeon/physio clearance closely

07/12/2025

L5/S1 Fusion - 20 days Post Op.
The difference 24 hours can make.
Yesterday I barely had any control. My legs felt foreign to me.
Today I managed a consistent speed for 3 min with no resistance. Legs felt wobbly when I first got off the bike.
With how I’m feeling, I’ll hopefully do that 2 more times today. 💪🏽

06/12/2025

L5/S1 Fusion – 19 Days Post Op

First time back on the exercise bike today…
Total ride time: a massive 60 seconds 😂

Honestly, that was the hardest minute I’ve ever spent on a bike. I’m starting to get an idea of what women must feel like after a caesarean — absolutely no control. I genuinely couldn’t go any faster if I tried.

Right now I’m lying down absolutely flogged.
But we’re out here stacking wins:
• 1km slow walk
• 60-second barely-moving bike ride

Let’s see where I’m at next week on the bike.
Small steps, but they’re all forward 🤙💚

L5/S1 Spinal Fusion – 17 Days Post-OpI’m slowly starting to use less pain medication now. I’m down to slow-release Palex...
04/12/2025

L5/S1 Spinal Fusion – 17 Days Post-Op

I’m slowly starting to use less pain medication now. I’m down to slow-release Palexia twice a day, plus Mobic and paracetamol. I’ve begun reducing my Lyrica as well — I’ve been on the maximum dose for months, so I have to taper off gently. It’s one of those medications you can’t rush, otherwise it can mess with your head.

My dressing came off on Wednesday when I saw my surgeon. He’s really happy with how everything is progressing and reminded me to listen to my body — especially the pain levels — and not push too hard too soon.

I had to cut my morning walk back to about 800m after getting a bit sore, but I’m still managing 2–3 shorter walks of around 200m throughout the day. I’ve also started doing the exercises in the photos each day, and from today I’m upping it to two sessions daily.

I’m honestly stoked to be moving more freely. The weirdest part is feeling how weak my core is right now — but that will come back with time and consistency. Can’t wait until that starts to feel more stable again.

Here’s to feeling even better this time next week. 🙌

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