Just had Disc replacement.

FELTF10 said:

I just had a disc replacement in my lower back and am looking forward to getting back on a bike. Can anyone offer any advice to help me through my therapy and training to get back in the saddle again.

WOW! No one's ever had something like this done. Come on fellow bikers, someone must have some input on this. I was a biking fool before this happened to the tune of 13,000 plus miles a year and have been doing it for over 30 years now. It's not just a sport or a hobby, but a way of life to me. I stopped driving in 1978 and though at times like this it's a problem, I've chose not to drive still. I miss the feeling that cycling gives me and want it back ASAP! Anything at all you may have to offer as a suggestion will be much appriciated.

Congratulations on wanting to get back in the saddle and I'm assuming a sucessful back surgery!

You don't describe exactly what type of surgery or the location but again I'm assuming you had a disc removed and replaced with cadaver bone. Did you have a fusion as well? How many levels were replaced? More importantly, what location, cervical, thoracic or lumbar?

I've had two levels removed and fused in the cervical which makes road cycling somewhat challenging because of the loss of flexibility in the up and down motion of the head. Hard to look down the road so to speak. However, the surgery to my lumbar took a full 3 months to recover from and that was with extensive PT 3e times a week, working hard.

If you are recovering from surgery of the lumbar it is extremely important to build up your core strength and abdominals. Next up would be daily stretching, all of which I'm sure you are being shown if you are in therapy. If you are not in therapy you should be, so they can work on the scar tissue.

If you are recovering from a fusion you obviously have to wait for the fusion to take place and in my case took 6 weeks. You cannot speed that up and it is very important that you do as told during the healing process so as not to screw the fusion up and have to have it redone.

Let me know exactly what you had done and it will help me to relate my experience to you.

John

7Elium said:

Congratulations on wanting to get back in the saddle and I'm assuming a sucessful back surgery!

You don't describe exactly what type of surgery or the location but again I'm assuming you had a disc removed and replaced with cadaver bone. Did you have a fusion as well? How many levels were replaced? More importantly, what location, cervical, thoracic or lumbar?

I've had two levels removed and fused in the cervical which makes road cycling somewhat challenging because of the loss of flexibility in the up and down motion of the head. Hard to look down the road so to speak. However, the surgery to my lumbar took a full 3 months to recover from and that was with extensive PT 3e times a week, working hard.

If you are recovering from surgery of the lumbar it is extremely important to build up your core strength and abdominals. Next up would be daily stretching, all of which I'm sure you are being shown if you are in therapy. If you are not in therapy you should be, so they can work on the scar tissue.

If you are recovering from a fusion you obviously have to wait for the fusion to take place and in my case took 6 weeks. You cannot speed that up and it is very important that you do as told during the healing process so as not to screw the fusion up and have to have it redone.

Let me know exactly what you had done and it will help me to relate my experience to you.

John

Thanks for replying and sorry I wasn't clear on the surgery. The area was L5 and I had a procedure called the SB111 Invertebral Dynamic Disc Spacer which has just this year been approved by the FDA. They've been doing it for about ten or more years but just with in the last few months it was passed. I had a herniated and ruptured disc which they removed from between the vertebral body and replaced it with two cobalt chromium plates with teeth to set them in the vertebral body with a polyethylene core between them. The procedure was developed in Germany at the Charite Institute. You can check it out at www.spine-surgery.com, it's pretty cool what they can do these days. Thanks again for replying and hope to hear from you again about your experience.

FELTF10 said:

Thanks for replying and sorry I wasn't clear on the surgery. The area was L5 and I had a procedure called the SB111 Invertebral Dynamic Disc Spacer which has just this year been approved by the FDA. They've been doing it for about ten or more years but just with in the last few months it was passed. I had a herniated and ruptured disc which they removed from between the vertebral body and replaced it with two cobalt chromium plates with teeth to set them in the vertebral body with a polyethylene core between them. The procedure was developed in Germany at the Charite Institute. You can check it out at www.spine-surgery.com, it's pretty cool what they can do these days. Thanks again for replying and hope to hear from you again about your experience.

So they are finally actually doing replacements. I've known about the technology in Europe but wasn't aware the FDA finally approved it. You are definitely walking 21st century technology! How long has it been since your surgery? Are you still experiencing the same symptoms or as far as you can tell the surgery has relieved your symptoms. I had strictly neurological symptoms, numbness, burning and loss of strength as opposed to actual back pain. Are you rehabbing your lumbar? I hope so. Speaking simply from my own experience, keeping up with the stretching is what enables me to continue riding. When I skip stretching I have tightness and soreness and limited mobility. The cycling position, especially a road specific one, keeps you in a static position so the stretching has been greatly appreciated by my body.

My two surguries were from mid-2002 and early 2003, and I've had no significant problems from cycling. If not anything, cycling is helping to keep weight off which is a significant detriment to your low back.

John

7Elium said:

So they are finally actually doing replacements. I've known about the technology in Europe but wasn't aware the FDA finally approved it. You are definitely walking 21st century technology! How long has it been since your surgery? Are you still experiencing the same symptoms or as far as you can tell the surgery has relieved your symptoms. I had strictly neurological symptoms, numbness, burning and loss of strength as opposed to actual back pain. Are you rehabbing your lumbar? I hope so. Speaking simply from my own experience, keeping up with the stretching is what enables me to continue riding. When I skip stretching I have tightness and soreness and limited mobility. The cycling position, especially a road specific one, keeps you in a static position so the stretching has been greatly appreciated by my body.

My two surguries were from mid-2002 and early 2003, and I've had no significant problems from cycling. If not anything, cycling is helping to keep weight off which is a significant detriment to your low back.

John

I just happened to be at therapy when you sent your reply so that will answer one of your questions. I had the surgery done on June 20th. On that evening I got up and went to the bathroom, I promissed the nurse I would carry that task out if she removed the catheter. I felt instant pain relief from the moment I came to after the surgery. Before the surgery I felt lower back pain, numbness down to my toes, horrible pain in my ankles, knees, and even my butt. It all started on the left side and eventually went down both. I would fall all the time from my legs just giving out. The day after my surgery I could've ran if I wanted to, and I was walking up a flight of steps like it was nothing. It worked , no doubt about it. I now have to stretch the nerves in my lower half because of going from just about no opening between the vertebral to a huge opening; Hell, I might even be a quarter inch taller! I had the surgery done at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa. My Doctor is also a Professor at the University so I feel I had one of the best. In September there's a century ride coming up and I intend on doing it so I will be hard at work the next six weeks. I agree with you about the stretching and know that is one of the most important things for all this to work out for me. My wife (FELTGIRL) is a personal trainer so I'll get help from her and the insurance company will be covering the cost of a gym for a few years to keep me in shape and I will be monitored for the next five years before being totally released. Well, I think that covers everything.

Later,
Oh, I'm John also.