I'm feeling a sense of dread that I may miss out on the entire season as I languish in a rehab facility after back surgery. In a back brace for 3 months at least.

Has anyone got any tales of recovery and getting back into the water to inspire me?

Cheers,

Matt

Goldybear said...

I'm feeling a sense of dread that I may miss out on the entire season as I languish in a rehab facility after back surgery. In a back brace for 3 months at least.

Has anyone got any tales of recovery and getting back into the water to inspire me?

Cheers,

Matt

This may not inspire you

Dude... what happened?
Septmber 23rd 2007 @ ~13:20 I had a paragliding accident which fractured T4, T5, snapped ribs, and burst L2.
L2 had to be removed, and I got a an ugly misaligned Telescopic Plate Spacer between L1-L3.

The 11hr surgery really farked me up good... paralyzed right leg, cramps everywhere, insane pain in both my thighs.

I thought, no I knew I'd be running/kiting by December .
By May I made it down to the beach, but I was feeling so fragile I didn't risk it.
October 2008 I was back in the game... but I had to be on my hands & knees when rolling out/packing up my gear.
By May 2009 I was much stronger, but still in pain everyday.

My biggest problem was sitting down... meant I had a lot of trouble going out, working.
I've had to give up martial arts, gliding (sail planes)... and I get the shakes paragliding, so I've kind of given that up.

It all depends how bad you got hurt from the surgery, and how old you are... I know people who have fractured parts of their spine and been back doing martial arts within 3 months... while others who have ended up in the jacuzzi.

The 1st year things improve a lot... after the 2nd year things improve slowly... I think I'm still getting better... I really wish my right foot wouldn't buzz though.

So welcome to the club.
Are there any benefits? If you're lucky you can get a disabled badge.

Feel like sharing you x-rays?

80% of the longboard forum.

left shoulder recon 2009 6 months rehab, right shoulder recon 2011 6 months recon, 2012 bulged disk C7-6 May to current hope to be on the roadbike, kite, and surfboards end of the month.

It gets better, you find new sports to do that get you on the water SUP is a big one for me at the moment as my issues at the base of my kneck so I couldn't tilt my head back. Take on your rehab with the enthusiasim that you surf/kite/windsurf with it's a good outlet and will help.

Good luck with it.

An observant taxi driver spotted my still burning headlamp on the grass whilst he was stopped at the traffic lights near Langley Park late one night. He investigated and found me barely breathing and contorted from broken collar bone, elbow, wrist and fingers plus some broken teeth in my windpipe, the result from a high speed fang (57kph) on my MTB into a 13" high square faced kerb. If I wasn't wearing my helmet I think I would be dead and the ortho and neuro specialists agreed with me. I spent time at a gym building strength again per a program given to me by the Physio and 12 months later I was back in the water and on the MTB.

My point is, no matter how bored you get, take the time to heal properly and be very disciplined with any exercises the specialist's give you.

EDIT: it is 'kerb' not 'curb'.....phark my spelling and grammar is atrocious at times

GPA said...
EDIT:

but today I just spent with my teenage kids abseiling down a 58m rock face...
EDIT.

That sounds like a lot of fun I spent the day trying to keep up with my crazy 51 year old brother on a very intimidating singletrack at Dwellingup.

I'm not saying don't listen to your Dr., but I spent a small fortune on Neuro specialist trying to stop my cramps.
I couldn't get through the night without my right leg or left oblique muscle cramping up in a really nasty way.
I had nerve conductivity tests, muscle relaxants, massages... pain management clinic.
Nothing worked, and just cost me money and made me feel worse... so I figured I'd sort myself out, like pierrec45 by reading.
I discovered AAKG, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arginine_alphaketoglutarate there's no "scientific" evidence is does anything, but within a week the cramps were down by 90%.

Bottom line: Nobody knows you like you do, so learn to look after yourself and don't depend on experts.