# L5-S1 fusion



## cptjack (Jan 14, 2004)

Can I ride after this procedure? Riding is my life.....


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## JHFWIC (Jan 10, 2013)

Do you absolutely have to have that done?


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## cptjack (Jan 14, 2004)

I've had two laminectomies and now the space is totally gone on X-ray. I am sitting here on pain pills and they aren't doin ****. I just retired from the army and wanted to take two years off to ride.... I hear this operation is bad and will lessen my ability to sit on the bike ( range of motion). Riding is the most important thing, what do I do?


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## SJDude (Oct 29, 2009)

Super tough call, I have an L5-S1 spondy, and if unmanaged may lead me to your position over time. The bummer with the fusion is that to get range of motion the stress will now be transferred to the vertebrae above and below which can cause pain, and more disk issues and even the need for more fusions later on.

You MUST must must work on that core strength to help support that weakness. Swim, row, pilates, yoga, whatever it takes with a little impact as possible to support it, but in the end if you are unable to move, the fusion may be the only option.

As I write this I'm enjoying the joy and happiness that goes with my first ever bout of sciatica. At first I couldn't even drive 20minutes to work in the morning without stopping at the side of the highway to just stand up and walk around. I missed almost 3 weeks of riding not because I couldn't ride, but because I couldn't sit in the car long enough to get to the trail head.

Back pain is the worst kind of pain. A sneeze can bring tears to my eyes, at work I'm eating lunch standing up, I can't sit on the couch but I can lay on the hardwood floor with an ice pack on my back...yay!


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## cptjack (Jan 14, 2004)

Yeah, luckily my orthopedic doc, who told me that if that space collapsed he would have to fuse- said he didn't need to fuse and with some back exercising it resolved.
Your situation sounds surprising like mine before I had my first laminectomies 8 years ago. A mistake was made and they didn't realize the disc was crushed. One surgery later and I was fine (for a long while). The first doc thought i had some ideopathic sciatica but that was a majorly painful red herring. Hope you aren't going down the same road.


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## mark.stajer (Oct 15, 2007)

Had an L5-S1 fusion a few years ago. It is a serious procedure. Painful recovery. Took about 6 months before I could ride again offroad. Did some trainer time first. Don't rush it. Took a full year to feel completely healed. I can now race and ride as hard as I want. Only issues occur with super long rough rides. Good luck.


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## loopsb (Aug 9, 2004)

Best thing I've ever done...so happy. Hard decision beforehand ,but the disc had collapsed and partially disintegrated, and there was serious nerve impingement, so I didn't have much choice if I wanted to be active again ( read: get my life back). Cut me up on July 27, told me 12-16 weeks until I could get on a bike. Three weeks to the day I was back riding around my neighborhood, at a month riding light trails at the local park. It was a "miracle " surgery.....very painful but so far amazing


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## cptjack (Jan 14, 2004)

loopsb said:


> Best thing I've ever done...so happy. Hard decision beforehand ,but the disc had collapsed and partially disintegrated, and there was serious nerve impingement, so I didn't have much choice if I wanted to be active again ( read: get my life back). Cut me up on July 27, told me 12-16 weeks until I could get on a bike. Three weeks to the day I was back riding around my neighborhood, at a month riding light trails at the local park. It was a "miracle " surgery.....very painful but so far amazing


Wow! That is really good news because that is definitely in my not so immediate future. Did you have that big metal "screw" thing ?


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## loopsb (Aug 9, 2004)

There are two little bars that have screws going into the flanges. That was done from the back because my spine had slipped out alignment when the disc collapsed. But I had a artificial disc implanted from the front and that is what the bone is slowly filling in around for the fusion. Just took a nice rocky 2hour ride , sitting on some ice, ecstatic that I can once again do what I love to do


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## cptjack (Jan 14, 2004)

Geez... I guess we should be grateful that this technology actually works. Thank god


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## Boris Badenov (May 31, 2015)

I have had a long streak of bad luck the last 23 years. I ruptured my L5-S1 disc while working for the government. They sent me to a Sudanese Surgeon who was in the middle of a medical malpractice suit for crippling a patient. He carved out most of the disc. The physical therapist referred to the surgeon as "the butcher". I held up well for years and rode hard and often. I had three knee surgeries, two foot surgeries, a badly broken collarbone, and in 2006, a second spinal surgery, a thoracic fusion using a plate and four screws. Still, I continued riding hard. I re-injured my lower back several times and kept asking if it was time for a fusion at L5-S1. They said I was not nearly in enough pain to risk another surgery. 

Last September I had my third knee surgery. A few days later I was in the ER with a blood clot just below my left knee. Six weeks later I herniated some remaining parts of my disc at L5-S1. Being on blood thinners, they were not able to try epidural steroid injections. By spring of this year I was back on the bike riding a lot. Just when I was making progress, I had a fall where I landed on my pedal, cracking a couple ribs. Two weeks later, while recovering, I was lying in the street, next to the curb, painting new address numbers on the curb, when my neighbor backed his car over me. 90 minutes later I owed the ER almost $30k. I hired a lawyer to recover the medical expenses from Sate Farm. Three weeks ago, while I was out running, my right shoulder became painful and the next day it froze in place, not allowing me to lift my arm. I went through two rounds of cortisone shots that have allowed me to ride again. I will schedule surgery in December to remove the calcification embedded in my shoulder. I've been too busy to keep other medical appointments for treatment of a stricture in my esophagus. 

Here is my advice to you. Ride as much as you can. Do a lot of core exercises to keep thin and strong near your lower back. Do a lot of research on artificial disc implants. You may be a candidate for an implant vs. having a fusion. I've begun looking into it myself. Pain pills make me nauseous, so I've taken up drinking. I make a drink my friends call "the Cosby". I rarely need a second one. That's how I manage pain. My plan is to ride hard and ride often and see how well my spine holds up. I'll keep losing weight to avoid added stress on my back. I think you should try to lose as much weight as possible, even change your diet if necessary. Keep looking for forums where you can exchange thoughts and experiences with others who share your history of back problems. It's always good to hear how others are coping.


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## cptjack (Jan 14, 2004)

Boris, my hats off to you. Are you from Eastern Europe, you guys are usually very tough.


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## Threedog (Apr 4, 2014)

About 4 years ago i had an artificial disc put in (L4-L5). I could barely walk before the surgery. it was after this that i took up Mountain biking as a way to lose the weight and help my lower back. I am now 48 years old and I'm just now learning to hit gap jumps.
It hurts a little when i land wrong but it was the best thing that i had done.
good luck with your back. there is hope.


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## Metamorphic (Apr 29, 2011)

I crushed 4 disks. Did PT, ESI's, etc. The only thing that worked was Yoga. Specifically HOT yoga. And lots of it. 

I did hot yoga 4 to 5 times a week for a couple years and it more or less save my life. I would not do a fusion till I explored this. Find a good studio, preferably with a lot of male instructors. Guy's bodies move differently that girls and its been my experience that male instructors have a better take on things that's more healing for other guys.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

I crushed my L1 several years ago in a MVA. I had a bone graph and fusion (Plate + screws) of T12 to L2. 

I have always been active. And despite chronic stiffness, mild to moderate pain.... it is tolerable for me. The fusion has not limited me from doing the things I love to do. Just over the last 5 years I have learned to downhill, alpine ski, I practice yoga, run and weight lift. I'm always working on back and abdominal strength. 

What I have learned over the years is that with fusing the spine there is consequence. Fusing one part of the spine shifts additional mechanical stress to the next mobile level above or below the fusion. I've learned through my own research that subsequent accelerated degeneration and instability at the level adjacent to a lumbar fusion is common. I do have to be mindful not to add too much stress to my spine to avoid stress fractures or further adjacent degeneration. 

I hope things work out for you.


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## cptjack (Jan 14, 2004)

Metamorphic--my hats off to you
Cycle delicious - i was an oncology nurse for ten years and have the utmost respect for you


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## Metamorphic (Apr 29, 2011)

cptjack said:


> Metamorphic--my hats off to you
> Cycle delicious - i was an oncology nurse for ten years and have the utmost respect for you


My hat's off the to the yoga instructors. That's one of those things where the pay does not even come close to paying back the training and dedication.


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## SJDude (Oct 29, 2009)

My gawd Boris! Maybe I'm just not tough enough? I drink Rum most nights, but I tell myslef that's just cause it tastes good...

I got through the sciatica ok. I missed 2 weeks of riding, not because it hurt to ride, but rather I couldn't sit in the car long enough to get to the trail head. for 2 weeks I couldn't even drive to work without getting out and walking around at the side of the road to relieve the pain. It was brutal.

I did massage, chiro, and IMS with the physio which helped a tonne. Also did these dynamic stretches the physio called "flossing" the nerve which seemed to increase range of motion.

I was all set to go to yoga with my girlfriend this winter...but then I bought a fat bike. Paying $17 to stretch just doesn't compare to riding 5' tires in snow...but I really should go.

cyclelicious thanks for sharing here and in that thread on bone breaks.

captain, if you are doing the surgery hit that "pre-hab" hard. The stronger your core and back are going in to it, the better you will recover. don't wait for the "re-hab" to go see a physio.


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## cptjack (Jan 14, 2004)

I here ya - I will start a core exercise routine tomorrow 1,1 16


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