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If the concentration of the local anaesthetic is stronger (e.g. if the surgery is very painful), one has to accept that not only pain will be taken away, but also some of the power of the muscles of the legs. In this case it is of course not possible or advisable to get out of bed.

If the epidural catheter is inserted higher up in the back, at thoracic level, for surgical procedures in the upper abdomen or the chest, the innervation of the legs will not be affected, even if strong concentrations of local anaesthetics are used. In these cases it is possible and even advisable to get out of bed. One of the advantages of epidural analgesia is that it allows early ambulation, meaning sitting in a chair or going for a short walk, which decreases the risk for venous thrombosis and improves lung function.

Read more:
When sex hurts
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Links:
Arthritis Foundation of South Africa
Multiple Sclerosis South Africa
The South African Society of Physiotherapy

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