broken neck: anyone been through it? opinions.

[Timmer]

Well it's been a month now and I'm wondering if any of you out there ride with a broken neck. I know each case is different in the recovery and allowable activity level. My neck is fused with 5 vertabae's (thats gonna be stiff) it will be up to a year before I can ride again, but I wonder if I'll more apt to break my neck again? The doctor might tell me not to ride (man the thought of that pains me!) Well I guess I'm just looking for some others who have been through this and your situations and outcome. Opinions.

Thanks Tim

 

[Bruce in Texas]

Tim, you have my condolences. Back in 90 I had to have C5 and C6 fused along with a lot of clean out work on vertabrae. Mine were fused with a large chunk of my own hipbone which was pretty much like, well chipping a bone. Two painful operations at once. My recovery to some sort of normalcy was about 4 months. My complete recovery was indeed a year.
I got on the bike at the end of the year and started riding. It was very hard and very hard to be comfortable. I would get pain and numbness in my hands quickly and after every ride would have to ice my neck for an hour or so. Not using the ice would result in the a very painful neck for the next few days and a bad headache. I continued this for several years but finally was unable to endure the pain. At that point I switched to recumbents and have not looked back. No more neck pain, no more hand pain, no more headaches after riding.
I am currently riding a quazi low Challenge Hurricane. I am faster overall on it that I ever was my Tomassini and I am now 15 years older and still faster. Great bike, go to www.challengebikes.com and check them out. The new SL line weighs 20-21 pounds, heavy by upright standards, flyweight by recumbent standards. Carbon fiber and titanium on the bikes.
I wish you good fortune in your recovery. By the way, my neurosurgeon told me and several others have verified, the fused areas of your neck are stronger than the non fused areas. Stay away from chiropractors though, fused areas and muscles that go to them don't like the twisting. If the DF's don't work for you, don't hesitate to go to recumbents. You won't regret it.
Bruce (59 years of age and stiff necked)
Challenge Hurricane
Rotator Pursuit

 

[Timmer]

Thanks Bruce, Yea I'm kinda looking to get a new bike and now that I've heard you situation I'm gonna have to give some thought to the recumbants. I know that I'm gonna wait till I can hop back on and see how it goes, then I can form an opinion on my pains and how to work around them(I'm sure there will be some pain somewhere). I know a friend of mine is looking at recumbants, who knows maybe the time he gets around to buying one we could get two for a deal. Well I'm really thankful that I still have my legs and they work, and glad for you too.

Thanks Tim

 

[iwishiwasdata]

hey Timmer..i am not a cyclist but i have had a broken neck(fractures of the c-2/c-4 and t-7 sections of my spinal column) but was lucky enough to avoid invasive surgery. It is now approaching 2yrs and the pain hasn't changed but is getting easier to deal with. As far as mountain boarding and skate-boarding go i am finished but i do still enjoy my longboard. Granted it is not as fufilling as hauling ass down a hill that you probably shouldn't be, or catching some righteous air off of a decent cliff, but i'm still alive so that i can skate and that (mostly) helps me cope with my downgraded agression twords riding.

 

[DocK]

. By the way, my neurosurgeon told me and several others have verified, the fused areas of your neck are stronger than the non fused areas. Stay away from chiropractors though, fused areas and muscles that go to them don't like the twisting.
/QUOTE]

Partially true. You would benefit from a sports chiro or PT for that matter that performs manual soft-tissue mobilization or instrument assisted mobilization. This will help with your mobility as you recover and try to go back to biking. Look for an ART, Trigenics or Graston provider in your area. Adjusting, though wouldn't hurt you, wouldn't do anything as everything is fused and is stronger, but as the poster mentioned can irritate the area.