Horseback riders/runner who have had back surgery? I need y

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misssuperstitious
misssuperstitious Posts: 178
in Fitness and Exercise
I hurt my back in 2006, I've done PT for it since then, and finally, after 5 years they did an MRI ...and then actually used it at a conference because they couldn't believe I was able to run a block, let alone a marathon. I still have a two week wait until I can get into the Spine Center (Mayo Clinic), but the less specialized doctors I have seen so far are telling me my back is 3 times my age (I'm 30) and that if I kept up my active lifestyle of running and horseback riding, I'd need my whole spine fused in no time. I told those doctors I'd be ok never running a marathon again, but would like to do shorter races...and the no riding thing? AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN! I'd rather be dead. The Spine Doc I will see has seen me before, so he knows PT, and injections won't cut it and has said I'm a candidate for surgery....what kind of surgery I don't know, but I have a feeling he's thinking fusion because I have an L-5 spondi, and 3 bulging discs that are pinching nerves to both SI joints. Has anyone else had back surgery?

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  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
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    The fact that you were able to run a marathon and they didn't believe you'd be able to even run a block shows that your back is strong and maybe in better condition then they what they think it is. I've never had problems with my back however, the ppl that I've talked to have told me that they'd never get back surgery done again. I wish I could give you advice however, I will say take it easy and don't over do it. Your back is one thing you don't want to mess up.

    There is a guy that goes to my gym, he has that curvature in his back and said his back is "weakened" but with him working out @ the gym it has strenghtened and he has an 8% decrease in the curvature. So it has improved from working out.
  • onawho
    onawho Posts: 196 Member
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    I may be reaching, but have you tried "back on track" products? I am recovering from a severally broken leg. and I started using a back on track bandage on my ankle (site of injury, I fell down a horse trailer ramp) WEEE!!

    anyway, I always say if its good for my horse then its good for me.

    if its soft tissue perhaps it will help.
  • xtravisfx
    xtravisfx Posts: 44 Member
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    I'm all too familiar with the "we only see this in people 10 years older than you" comments from the Dr.
    I had partial discectomy done a little over a year ago on l4-l5. I still have stenosis in l2-3 and l3-4, but they weren't causing any symptoms so we left them alone for now. I got most of the feeling back in my right foot (along the outside of the foot and the smallest three toes had gone numb) and the sciatic pain is gone as long as I don't sleep/lay on my back for any length of time and I don't sit too long. Walking really helps and the weight loss is helping as well. My PT told me I shouldn't run and I found out the hard way that I shouldn't by trying to run a bit after I got to feeling a good bit better. He said if I got to my goal weight of 165 or 170 I could possibly run. I don't know about the horse back riding. That sounds like a lot of sitting and a lot of pounding down on the discs so I could see that being a problem.

    I also had neck surgery about 7 years ago (at 30) due to an injury about 8 years before that. I had stenosis in C4-C6. I know have an ankle bone in my neck and all that has been very successful. I was numb all down my back and side and into my big toe on my right foot from that.
  • JEANMARIE66
    JEANMARIE66 Posts: 3
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    Hi i have had both back and neck surgery i was in a car accident in oct of 2007 and what they did was they put 6 plates and rods in my back i had surgery in may of 08 and by oct of 08 i was hiking again but i can not do so with out pain meds and because of the surgery i no longer have pain in my back for the most part every now and again my back hurts but i have pain all the time in my hips and legs and i have to take my pain meds 2 times a day with out them i can't get much of anything at all done around the house no less want to get out of bed for me it was the best thing i have ever done and my neck surgery was just a few months ago they put 4 plates and rods in my neck and from surgery my neck is still sore but not as bad and now i only get mrigrains about once a week now so it has made life a little better for me i also had a great surgon one of the best in the country i do have to have an mri done soon to see if i do need a second back surgery but i will not know that for a few more months good luck to you and i hope what ever you decide to do that it works well for you
  • misssuperstitious
    misssuperstitious Posts: 178
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    Thanks everyone! Keep the stories coming :)

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