Once a one-level ACDF is solidly fused, you can do whatever you want without restrictions. The time to weight lifting is generally about 8 weeks with autograft and about 12 weeks with allograft. This would depend upon the X-ray images of incorporation and how you would progress in physical therapy.
There are no weight lifting exercises I would have my patients avoid after a one level fusion. I would predict that if you were a power lifter, the forces on the neck would cause further degeneration regardless if you had an ACDF or not.
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
