Q: I am a 22 years old woman and have undergone a micro-discectomy surgery for my spine and the report says that the L5-S1 disc has been completely removed. My surgery was done by one of the leading doctors in the country and I am perfectly fine now. But I still suffer from cervical spondylosis. I am presently preparing for my management entrance and have to sit for long hours to study. This causes pain in the neck. My posture too is right and I take short breaks every half an hour. Due to the travelling involved in going for the classes and walking for around 3-4 kms everyday I have started feeling strain in my thighs again. This really makes me worried. The surgery was done 7 months back and my doctor told me that I could lead a perfectly normal life. Since I have shifted to another city now, I cannot contact my doctor. I am regularly doing the exercise suggested by him. What do I do? Should I join a gym to do exercises to strengthen my back muscles?

A:I can understand your anxiety but, I can tell you that there is no need to panic. You will settle down soon. First of all you need to stop walking to your classes. You can take the help of public transport. I do not know which city you live in, but, if autos are the mode of transport preferred, please do not use them as it will aggravate your pain. A bus is always better. Secondly, you can take any pain killer for 2 days till the symptoms subside. If you do not remember the exercises, you can go to any therapist nearby and learn them. Since you do not remember them, you must have not done them regularly and that must have been the cause of your present problem. Regarding your neck problem, you can also learn the exercises for neck and shoulders and follow the ergonomic principles for daily activities. If for any reason you feel your muscles are too tight, please learn some relaxation exercises too and within 2-3 weeks you should be on your way to recovery. I would not advise you to join any gym for your exercises.