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Lumbar Fusion is next. Last year my Shoulder......

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2ez

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Feb 25, 2012
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As if yesterday, I am out on Leave again. Patient passed out in bathroom, I had to lift, carry. This was last month.

Experienced discomfort...so Motrin, Acupuncture, cupping, massages. No relief. Sent for MRI....and told I will be out. This Tuesday, appt with Neuro surgeon/ Orthopedic Spine MD

Lower back pain, right leg numb when ambulating.

Short staffed, but the patient population has not decreased.
 
Pig Vomit

Pig Vomit

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Nov 12, 2022
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I had a fusion on two levels as well as a multi-level laminectomy with an excellent surgeon who I had known for years. I had been in such severe pain for so long that when I woke up, I immediately felt the difference.....pain free. It was a little disconcerting when they made me get up and walk just a couple hours after surgery, but it was doable. As long as you have a great surgeon who has done hundreds or thousands of these, you have nothing to worry about. My back has been solid for over 10 years now. Do I squat or deadlift anymore? No, because I'm not stupid and know that although I had a really good result.....don't be stupid.

My shoulder.....ugh. I need a total replacement, but choose to suffer the pain instead. The doctors are rather amazed that I'm not in more pain, most people would have given up and had the surgery long ago, but apparently my pain tolerance is rather high (yet they still won't prescribe opioids).

Bottom line is don't fear the surgery as long as you have a great ortho with a ton of these surgeries under their belt.
 
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2ez

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Feb 25, 2012
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Thanks for the replies.....

So no squatting or deadlifting at all.....not even lighter weight with more reps ?

How long did it take you both to return to work ?

I treat post surgical Pts, but never followed anyone after surgery.
 
Pig Vomit

Pig Vomit

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Nov 12, 2022
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It took me almost a year to get back to full duty....but my job description included wearing 20-30# of gear, much of it around my waist, and occasionally fighting with people. When would I have felt comfortable doing your stuff (I assume you are a nurse)? About 6 months, maybe less (I'm thinking 4). It's the lifting of patients (dead weight) that is really hard to do while focusing on stability of your back. I would avoid that whenever possible for the rest of your life.

As for the deads and squats....there's also the issue of my post-surgical ruptured quad tendon (that automatically killed the squats right there), and when the back issues came up, that killed the squatting for me.

Thing is when you are a police officer in California, if you're going to have a career-ending injury, you damned well better do it on duty. Medical retirement = 50% of your base salary tax free every year. Last thing I wanted was to have a career ending injury due to being too aggressive in the gym, which would have just meant regular retirement which is taxed as income. So the possibility of being stupid in the gym and ending my career was a real concern.

As it was, post traumatic stress took me out, and that is/was far worse than any ortho injury I ever had.

Could I squat these days? No. The ruptured quad tendon (also on-duty) was a horrific injury I wouldn't wish on anyone, and it still hurts and limits leg work. The back issues (also on-duty) are secondary, but since I haven't even tried squatting, it's hard for me to say with certainty.

Could I deadlift with lighter weight? I suppose, but you gotta remember.....fusion on two levels.....laminectomy on an additional 3. At some point you have to balance desire to be huge with age, reason and the ability to continue on with your decent paying career. Although the back surgery level of inconvenience and pain was only about 10% of what the ruptured quad was, it's not something I'd like to repeat, because with each successive back surgery your results will be worse.

My attitude is why risk it? My legs and glutes aren't anything I'm thrilled about, but they're good enough. My back is fine, lots of work arounds. For a guy my age I'm still bigger and better than 99.9% of my contemporaries. My low back certainly speaks to me every time I fool myself into thinking I can do intensive low back stuff....not so much when I'm doing it, but for about a week afterward.

You're in the industry. Have you not heard the term "three time loser" with respect to back surgeries? It's a thing, trust me. Best not to even get up to #2.

Bottom line is a good surgeon is gonna get you back to where you need to be for work and life, but you have to be careful. The recovery process for my back was not very painful or lengthy. Gaining confidence back can be hard. During your recovery process, you need to have extensive discussions with your surgeon as well as your physical therapist about what you can/should be doing in the gym on your own, and what you can't/shouldn't be doing. Discuss specific exercises and weights. It helped that my surgeon was a gym rat who knew his way around a weight room.
 
2

2ez

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Feb 25, 2012
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Dayum PV.....appreciate all you shared here.

Yes, I am a Nurse. I know the text book stuff. Friends in PT has always suggested to stop with the heavy lifting.....

But i need to hear what people like yourself, that share this same brand of fitness.

Between the shoulder, bicep and now back....my lifestyle is going to change.

Thanks my Board Brother !!!
 
Littleguy

Littleguy

TID Board Of Directors
Sep 30, 2011
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2ez this recovery will be a cakewalk compared to shoulders.
I have had L fusions and C fusions the C was 3 vertebrae as stated above pain went away immediately and I could actually move again.
The neck surgery was scarier to think of than shoulders, elbow, wrists etc but it actually was the EASIEST recovery of any of them.
take care brother.
PS have not barbell free squatted since 95 and my leg pics are on here so don't worry you can still kick ass!
 
jipped genes

jipped genes

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Oct 22, 2022
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I had L4-L5 fused and all went well, did my first pl comp a few yrs later.
Same here back in 91'.
I can do 99% of the stuff I used to do. Get into a stretching routine for glutes, hamstrings and lowerback. Also before you have your surgery, a strong core will speed recovery if you can do low impact ab work. Also a strong core will help after.

I do not squat or deadlift heavy anymore but I am fit and have good range of motion. It really is not that bad compared to some sugeries I have had. Shoulder is WAY worse so you are good.
 
R

rawdeal

TID Board Of Directors
Nov 29, 2013
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Lmao ... at myself.

Only medium-level surgery I've ever had was ruptured patella tendon and avuncular patella fracture yrs back. Was back to normal strength, appearance, and comfort levels compared to the uninjured leg within a year.

Shoulder problems began way before that. Mighta(?) started when I broke my collarbone and healed naturally enough to satisfy Workmens' Comp, returned to a job asap that required rapid, feather-light "forward raise" reps, and stubbornly kept playing fetch with my dogs for yrs until I quit doing both.

Today, I still sorta play fetch, but I throw underhanded, and skinny 12yo boys in the dog park throw way further. I still train hard, but I pay attention to what exercises I can+can't do (SSB Squats instead of straight bar, and "Swiss Bar" benches instead of straight bar), and to training styles as well (High Reps, Low Weights, Quick Rests, partial ROM, T*U*T, etc.)

Kinda wish I'd had surgery done years ago, before all these posts on various threads that compare shoulders to other joint surgeries/recoveries, but the post-op downtime is not an appealing prospect.

Decades ago 4 young Brits in their 20s called The Who sang "hope I die before I get old." How'd they know all that shit?!
 
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5.0

5.0

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Nov 3, 2012
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Same here back in 91'.
I can do 99% of the stuff I used to do. Get into a stretching routine for glutes, hamstrings and lowerback. Also before you have your surgery, a strong core will speed recovery if you can do low impact ab work. Also a strong core will help after.

I do not squat or deadlift heavy anymore but I am fit and have good range of motion. It really is not that bad compared to some sugeries I have had. Shoulder is WAY worse so you are good.
My core got %1000 stronger after that. I've had 2 ops on my shoulder and I agree on the pain, my back has healed nicely while the shoulder has never been close to the same
 
2

2ez

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Feb 25, 2012
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My core got %1000 stronger after that. I've had 2 ops on my shoulder and I agree on the pain, my back has healed nicely while the shoulder has never been close to the same
Same here with my shoulder.....MRI a few months ago shows a lateral bicep tear. Now the bicep is mushy, lost some strength, punching there is no power,..lot of tingling and soreness. The Surgeon that did the Shoulder stated it is related to the shoulder injury. He added other muscles surrounding can compensate, but like i said, lost strength and visually, you can see the difference between the two biceps.
 
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2ez

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Feb 25, 2012
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So tentatively scheduled for TLIF surgery in February. This is the earliest I can get with my chosen MD. Level he believes L3-L4. Possible 2 to 3 days in the hospital. I should not need a rolling walker. Hopefully, not even a freaking cane. Ideally, he wants 6 months additional to allow the bone graft to fuse/heal...because of my lifstyle and type of job....which means 8 months total out of work. Long time.

What I would like to ask, when discharged, how did you manage at home, or did you discharge to in-patient rehab ?

And Sex...my apologies, not looking for details....please no...just asking when can I resume this activity.

And oh....he said first 3 months..no Physical Therapy......just walk.
 
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