hi and welcome to the forum! we are here to offer you support and answer what questions we can. i do not have experience with your surgery but we do have pain in common. check out the "Good News" forum for a good read on post surgery SH members.. take a look at what they are up to!! i do hope you are able to get back to where you want to be. Jenny

I am 56 and just had my 3 month post-op checkup. Happy to say all is good. I was a runner for 25 years and I also loved high impact aerobics. Who knows how much these activites contributed to my lumbar problems. I suspect they didn't help. Especially since I fractured my sacrum 12 years ago ice skating!

But my point is this - today I asked my doc what I could do to avoid future back fusions. As we all know, after one fusion, the likelihood of future problems with the adjacent vertebra is a big issue. He told me it was a usage issue. The more direct pressure I put on my spine, the quicker it will wear out. Just like a set of tires. He said specifically the things that would stress the area around the fused area are anything high impact. Jumping, running, carrying heavy weights are all things that I was advised to avoid. Including carrying my 1-1/2 yr old granddaughter around too much. Lifting her, OK. Carrying her around, not so good. On the other hand, walking, biking, swimming and hiking are terrific. (No rock climbing-lol)

I know how addictive running can be. I loved it. But I've decided I can substitute speedwalking and be better for it. I've decided to define new "normals" and do everything I can not to have this surgery again!

Just thought I'd share my thoughts with you. You are young. Your back has to "hold up" alot longer than mine does. I'd suggest you find some things to substitute for your higher impact activities. Just one person's opinion. Take it with a grain of salt and best of luck to you!!!

Hello, i just had a revision and went two levels higheron jan 13 09, before that i had my first surgery nov 21 06. i started treadmill everyday 6 day a week that helped with the pain so a feww months ago i started a lil lite jogging, and forget it iwas in oain for 2 days, you should ask your doctor i know they told me no horse back riding i guess cause it is to bouncey, but the doc said i can ride a motorcycle hahah now thats funny i am being very patien . not going to even step in the gym til doc allows me to!! good luck and please be careful

I had PLIF on my L5/S1 in Oct of 06. I run at least a mile every morning and ride my bicycle 200 miles a week. It can be done. It aches a little, but nothing compared to pre surgery.

We have members who have returned to running, golf, bowling, cycling and even surfing after fusion surgery. So, running is by no means off limits. However, as kathyy pointed out (or her doctor pointed out) anything high impact puts your spine at more risk of future problems.

In my case my surgeon said it was OK to go back to high impact activities, but my physical therapist said NO, including no running.

I ran 36 miles a week before I injured my neck. I'm having the acdf on my C5-C6 next week and I asked my surgeon if I'll run after the surgery. He didn't really say if I could, but gave me a look like it wasn't a good idea. I'm only 34 and I can't imagine myself not being a runner anymore.

I was told by my surgeon that all contact and high impact sports are out for me post fusion. This has been hard for me to accept, as I ran a lot in my teens. I always took it for granted that I would be able to run the London Marathon one day, when I wanted to.I hadn't realised that my opportunity to do it had slipped by unnoticed in my mid twenties. I find it hard watching running on the tv...it sounds stupid but it makes me feel emotional and I have a real feeling of loss. I am jealous of friends who can decide to go out running on the spur of the moment.

At the end of the day the important thing is that I can walk around upright with relatively low levels of pain. I do swim, walk and do pilates. I tried playing Badminton and that is when I realised that I am not "normal" physically, but I am not disabled either...I am in the twlight zone between the two - I can do overhead shots, but can't get to drop shots over the net. I got really frustrated that people could see my weakness and take advantage, but was happy at what I could do! This sums up my life...glad at what I can do and frustrated by what I can't! I always assume I can do what I want, but my body tells me otherwise!

I am hoping to find other sports I can do - I guess it will
be a case of trying things and seeing how my body reacts.I have been tempted to go against my surgeons advice, but I don't want to risk ending up on the operating table again.

Best Wishes

Anna

L4/L5 & L5/S1 Fusion and decompression surgery with instrumentation 01 October 2007

It's been a year since my cervical diagnosis, which mandated my last run. I was bitter and angry at first, but as time passed, I've done better. I try to remind myself how lucky I am to walk!!--Mazy

so I've canvassed multiple medical professionals for a completely anecdotal, unscientific survey of this issue. my neurosurgeon, who only does cervical vertebrae, has told me that she has a former patient who is back doing ironman races. so her advice - "no bungy jumping." that was it. and my favorite physical therapist (specializes in necks and jaws) made it clear that my biggest risk was my bad posture, that is, what I do with my waking hours seven days a week - sitting, standing, walking, etc. so what did I take from this - I've got my act together posture-wise, and I let myself run 1-2 miles once or twice a week. it's the last thing I do at the gym - I go up to the track and sprint all out - I fly by people moseying along with their ten-minute mile jogs like I'm some olympic athlete (which I am SO not). I just can't explain how good it feels after being in bed for almost a year to run really, really, fast. so. I am not a medical professional, and maybe I will scrunch another disc. or get hit by a bus. but for now, I am running, just a little bit .... but way fast!

Chicagogal--I am so glad to hear you are back at it!! It's good to hear you have successfully altered your posture. I have such bad posture habits, and they are so hard to change. Happy belated "Neck Day"---Mazy

For those of you who are back to running, good for you! I wish I still could. I do think that having a lower back fusion might be a little harder in terms of wear and tear with regards to high impact activities than cervical fusion but I have NOTHING to base that on but an educated guess. I've had cervical problems for years (yes, in addition to lumbar) but the lumbar fusion is what I'm trying to heal from now. I would think that those of you with cervical fusion might be less at risk for "wear and tear" issues. But again, one person's thoughts - no scientific evidence.

So if you can do it and and your doc says ok....run, run, run. I'm jealous but really happy for you!!!!! But still, at least I can walk, walk, walk!! I'll take it even if it isn't perfect! After all, I had a friend who lost both legs. I should complain??? Not!

Hi my name is Melissa. I had a 360 degree fusion surgery about 3 months ago. Before surgery and before the pain set in I went to the gym everyday. 3 days a week I ran about 2-5 miles and on the other days I used one of the machines about 8-10 miles. I asked the doctor if I would be able to run again and the answer was yes. However it will be 6months to a year before I run again. He told me to start out slow on a tread mill start to walk before I run and start building speed when I walk. I can walk pretty fast now and I belive at his rate I will be running by summer. I walk a mile in 13 minutes. Best of luck to you

Hello. I have a 9 level fusion (just learned that wording today) from T4-T12 and want to get back in to running. Any guidance, suggestions are welcome! I don't have any "restrictions" from the docs, just difficulty working through the new crazy feelings running gives me.

These posts while older are helpful!
I loved to run, then hated it, but then found a love of it again. But ironicaly blew out my disc while training for my 3rd and final marathon. The funny thing is, I was going to do one more big distance run because I wanted to prove "I still had it" had 40 and then was cutting back to nothing more than 1/2marathons. I stretched wrong one morning in bed and that was the end of that.

With the initial microdiscectomy the doctors assured me running would be fine in a year but that I might want to cut back to no more than 10 mile races. I had already planned to cut back to just leisure 3 mile jogs.

Well, that plan went to the dumps b/c I just had a revision (the first one failed within the 1st 3 months). So while my sister and fellow runners do not understand, I know I am done running.

Yes, it is VERY hard to read or listen to people who just go out for a jog. Best stress release. But I know I am happy to be walking and need to commit to myself to do what it takes to avoid future surgeries.

It stinks but I have to appreciate that there are other things...hiking, walking, biking (though not so sure about this b/c of the bumps), swimming, and other activities...especially walking with my dog or just playing with her in the yard is something I miss.

So for all you runners...if you can't run, I will offer to speed walk with you. There is a race near where I live that is 20K and there is a fellow who speed walks faster than some people run. I don't expect to be that person but I do plan to do walk-a-thons for causes like cancer or other related.

I will miss running but I will celebrate walking!

DNICE - you resurested an interesting thread.

I really miss running as well. From what I've read, it does seem to be more of a problem for lumbar patients who want to get back into it.

These posts made me a little sad. One of the posters had commented on how it is hard for him to watch people run - that is me. Summer is the worst because there are runners all over the place and it makes me so sad and frustrated.

I hope I will be able to enjoy speedwalking more in the future. I remind myself that I am lucky to just be walking - especially when I read some of the posts on here. But I think I am still in the place where I just can't get over the fact that I am 30 and will never be able to run again....

Anyway, enough whining for me. I just have to learn to keep moving forward and be happy with all I do have.

If you are ever in Boston I will take you up on the speedwalking offer