life after spine surgery

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> 10 years ago

Shooting the breeze.

captainkaos

247 posts

captainkaos

WA, 247 posts

10 Dec 2013 11:45pm

Hi all

After a year and a bit out of the water due to a back injury I finally found the courage to have a disc in my lumber spine removed and replaced with a mechanical one. The surgery was done at the end of June this year and went pretty well.

I have recovered reasonably well, have a few niggles but hoping to get into the water again on a sup or surfboard in the new year. I'd really like to get back into kiting one day but thinking about all the bumping and jarring I'm not sure if its a good idea.

Has anyone else been through this kind of surgery and got back into kiting or windsurfing without any probs? Surgeon says no reason why I cant get back to my pre accident activities as long as I take it in small steps.

Havnt kited since Jan 2012, if I leave it till next season I may need a lesson!!

Cheers

myusernam

QLD

6158 posts

myusernam

QLD, 6158 posts

11 Dec 2013 9:10am

Hope u continue to improve mate

hundshize

13 posts

hundshize

WA, 13 posts

11 Dec 2013 9:04am

Hey Captain

I had a similar thing done seven years ago. Following an injury, C4/5/6 were replaced with the mechanical type.
I was back Kiting and Windsurfing within 6 months. I could have been back on the water a lot quicker but, I couldn't get my head around the fact that the mechanical replacements would stand up to the 'jarring' and was concerned I would damage myself even more (went through a funny stage of supporting my head with my hands whilst moving, thought my head would fall off!!)
Anyway, once the bone has fully knitted to the replacement discs, think that's probably around six weeks'ish...., you're good to go.
The danger's already passed, you've survived the operation intact, and without infection, the rest is easy mate.

captainkaos

247 posts

captainkaos

WA, 247 posts

11 Dec 2013 9:53am

Re assuring words. cheers
Maybe im a wuss and should be kiting this season? For some reason I don't feel very confident about the bonding of the vertebrae to the plates. Even though the xray looks good. Surgeon rekons that the bonding of the plates at the repaired level will be stronger than the disc above, and if I were to have an accident with a lot of force in that area the natural disc above would be more likely to get damaged? Hard to get your head around that. Just gotta trust the guy with the knife I guess

You wouldn't believe how stoked im feeling thinking about getting in the water after new year. Sharks or no sharks cant wait

I'll mull over the kiting this this season. Been away from the kiting scene for so long wouldn't have an idea of a decent predictable kite to buy. Sold my good gear and don't think the old 2003 C kites will do somehow!!

myusernam

QLD

6158 posts

myusernam

QLD, 6158 posts

11 Dec 2013 12:03pm

captainkaos said..

Re assuring words. cheers
Maybe im a wuss and should be kiting this season? For some reason I don't feel very confident about the bonding of the vertebrae to the plates. Even though the xray looks good. Surgeon rekons that the bonding of the plates at the repaired level will be stronger than the disc above, and if I were to have an accident with a lot of force in that area the natural disc above would be more likely to get damaged? Hard to get your head around that. Just gotta trust the guy with the knife I guess

You wouldn't believe how stoked im feeling thinking about getting in the water after new year. Sharks or no sharks cant wait

yeah I'd be getting new generation kites - a lot more forgiving. something like a switchblade or rebel that you can depower straight away

MintoxGT

975 posts

MintoxGT

WA, 975 posts

11 Dec 2013 12:47pm

Cpt,

Just rig a bit smaller mate, I had a back injury and did just that, it helps mentally as well, you dont have a big rig so you will minimise your effort as there is no point.

Take it easy mate!

GT

PS I dont kite so the above applied to me being a crap wind surfer :)

WA71

1382 posts

WA71

WA, 1382 posts

11 Dec 2013 12:50pm

I had a back op in early 07, Im ok now but took 6-8 months before I felt fully up and running.

Back surfing and waterskiiing now

Mobydisc

NSW

9029 posts

Mobydisc

NSW, 9029 posts

11 Dec 2013 8:22pm

I too had a back operation, removing the material herniated from my L3/L4 disc in 2009. The herniated disc material was pushing against the nerves, causing pain and weakness down my right leg and foot. I was windsurfing again three months after the operation.

captainkaos

247 posts

captainkaos

WA, 247 posts

11 Dec 2013 7:39pm

Good to hear guys are back out there. I think I spoke with you before the OP mobydisc, so thanks for that.
Will do a bit of research on stable kites and hopefully find something with no bad habits before the comeback. Twin tip or surfboard, that's the question. I think nice flexi twintip will be best option to start with.

Kamikuza

QLD

6493 posts

Kamikuza

QLD, 6493 posts

12 Dec 2013 3:14am

I think I had the same as Mobydisc... back on the bike and fell off

within a month.

Surfboard is really bad for smacking up my bad ankles but otherwise is fine... I'm still learning the directional though.

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