Skiing/Surfing After Spinal Fusion Revision

[wraspondy]

I had spinal fusion l5/s1 a few years ago and got back to moderate skiing and surfing. Now my l4/5 is toast and they want to fuse it. Anyone out there still skiing or surfing after a fusion revision? Also, anyone out there had a three level fusion or disc replacement in the lumbar spine and still going hard. Need some glimer of hope.

[liv2ski]

Damn dood, normally I would jong the shit out of you for not putting this in Gimp Central, as this is the wrong forum. However, my best to you with your health issue. I hope you can get healed up and keep doing what you love. As to your question, I am thankfully clueless.

[bourbonisgood]

I had spinal fusion l5/s1 a few years ago and got back to moderate skiing and surfing. Now my l4/5 is toast and they want to fuse it. Anyone out there still skiing or surfing after a fusion revision? Also, anyone out there had a three level fusion or disc replacement in the lumbar spine and still going hard. Need some glimer of hope.

The final answer to this question is best left for your neurosurgeon (or ortho). From a PT's standpoint: I've certainly known a number of patients with single and multilevel fusions that ski. IF you choose to keep skiing, your days of hitting drops and skiing the zipper line should be done. Also, you will need to have the best core (lumbar stabilizers) on the planet. I certainly don't mean to discourage you from skiing, I know that nobody would be able to keep me away. Just exercise good decision making when you're out there getting it! Best of luck with your rehab.

Oh yeah, and like liv2ski said - post in gimp central next time

[skideeppow]

That is tough. I have had multi level laminectomys and still get after it pretty hard. But fusion is an entirely different issue. As you probably know, each time you fuse you redirect the stress to the more mobile part of your spine.
Any way to avoid the next level fusion? Can you get a second opinion? You having referred pain down you leg, loss of strength etc?

[wraspondy]

Sorry for posting in the wrong forum. Yea - I am pissed. They said with the first fusion I could do whatever I wanted and it should last at least 10 years. I got two out of it. I do not know about options. Seeing different doctors and examining disc replacement. I am damn near a cripple now with the back pain. Pain in the legs as well - but mostly back. Just thinking of getting fused again to get back to an active life.

[Tye 1on]

Sorry for posting in the wrong forum. Yea - I am pissed. They said with the first fusion I could do whatever I wanted and it should last at least 10 years. I got two out of it. I do not know about options. Seeing different doctors and examining disc replacement. I am damn near a cripple now with the back pain. Pain in the legs as well - but mostly back. Just thinking of getting fused again to get back to an active life.

moved it for ya.
good luck with finding the right fix!

[jma233]

If you are a candidate for disc replacement then I think this is key. Might prevent you from having subsequent fusions every couple of years. A PT friend of mine says the disc replacement patients he sees do great.

I also have l5-s1 fused but chose to give up skiing and I only stand up paddle surf now. It sucked for the first few years but I don't miss it at all now.

[BigMontana]

Take a years ski travel budget and go get a disc replacement at somewhere REALLY good if you can, Mayo Clinic in Rodchester, MN or somewhere like that. You'd be stunned the difference between a good back surgeon and a great one, as far as athletic performance goes, it's an art to the best of them, but you might have to cover some extra your insurance doesn't WORTH EVERY PENNY.

I'd be more afraid of the spin dry on overhead plus surf than I would of skiing a little back country... more chance of elevators and getting folded in half on a bad ride, but then I cut my teeth on Sandy and Maks on Oahu and never surfed anywhere else so I might have a different picture than you of surfing (boogie boarding here).

[skideeppow]

Last iu read disc replacements in the US are still not perfected. Problem is when they fail, the procedure to get them out can kill you. I know a couple of people who have had them done overseas with mixed results. I am a candidate for this and would still not do in in the states.
One other thing, you should look into Cymbalta for relief of your back pain. I have been taking it for two years with great results. Have not had any back pain since i started.
I know a number of other people who have had great results with it as well. It is expensive but i get it from Trusted Fill in Canada for 1/3 of the cost.

[PB]

Cymbalta is tempting, but ....... NO ALCOHOL?!?!?!?

[spook]

they gave me cymbalta for chronic pain (mostly back) and it didn't do shit that i could tell.

[skideeppow]

^^^How long did you take it for. From what understand, it is like a cox 2 inhibitor, you need to have it build up in your blood.
Also, i drink all the time on Cymbalta it is fine.

[stuckathuntermtn]

My spine is slowly fusing. I had heard there was some fusion in the lumbars from one doc a long time ago, but somehow, this set of x-rays I just got indicates no fusion according to a different doc.
My back is always tight, though, and I'm not naturally athletic, so my core strength can kinda suck and I've got this wonderful beer gut just expanding as I near my 30's.
I still ski alright though. Might not get the aggressive hip flextion that racers use, but just skiing around, it doesn't really effect it. Moguls can be tough as I'm big and lanky and inflexible.
I effectively can't rotate some parts of my back, or only very little, but it doesn't effect skiing much.

[BigMontana]

The words Spinal fusion and calcification as well as the usage of "drop tables" are all tricks of crappy chiropractors. Don't get me wrong I love good chiropractors, but there are a LOT of bad ones.