Back Problems....Any success stories?

[OldReliable]

Interested if anyone else has had the same or similar issues, what your outcomes have been and any lessons learned

Appreciate any input

I went through this EXACT same injury in January, 2015. Multiple injections, MRI's, 2 microdiscectomies, followed by L4-L5 fusion in August '15. Shot a "meat buck" on the last day of the season with my son in law. He did most of the work (OK, all of it) but I HUNTED. You will be able to also. BTW, filled my 380 cow tag this fall with his wife, my daughter. Don't let yourself think that your hunting days are over, they are not.

 

[esracerx]

I went through this EXACT same injury in January, 2015. Multiple injections, MRI's, 2 microdiscectomies, followed by L4-L5 fusion in August '15. Shot a "meat buck" on the last day of the season with my son in law. He did most of the work (OK, all of it) but I HUNTED. You will be able to also. BTW, filled my 380 cow tag this fall with his wife, my daughter. Don't let yourself think that your hunting days are over, they are not.

Curious, in hindsight do you wish you had just moved forward with the surgery sooner?

 

[Tufrthnails]

Struggled with low back pain for many years after separating from the Army. After many trips to the VA. Nothing major wrong. No slipped disks. Tried Chiroprator. It helped minimally. Took up Yoga and it has been a lifesaver for me. I feel like a boob for 25 min twice a week and a stud the rest of the time. You sound like you got actual skeletal issues but it might just work. FYI the first yoga session i did the next day I felt like I had been kicked in gonads and a corn cob shoved up my ass. Buddy warned me to stick with it and it got much easier every time after. Now I do it to warm up for a heavy lifting day. I'm not lifting like I did back in my army days, but it should feels good to be able to hit the weights I just keep the reps up in the 8-10 range and concentrate on form for last couple burners. Cutting the carbs and sugars helped a lot and smoked the weight off me. Went from 205 Jan 2016 to 170 jun 2016. Right now I'm floating in that 175-180 range and feeling stronger then I have in many years.

 

[rideold]

Go see a good physical therapist. One with manual therapy certification and possibly dry needling certification. Do the exercises they tell you to and get strong in your core. Every injury I've ever had related to my back was because I let my core get weak. At our age we just got to keep moving and getting stronger.

 

[sn.outdoors]

I've had multiple back injuries do to falling out of airplanes and hitting the ground at higher than acceptable speeds. Multiple bulging discs in my lumbar, hairline fractures in my t-spine, excessive mis-alignment of my c-spine... I have several previous x-rays that look like someone with severe scoliosis. After significant amounts of physical therapy and many hours of painful treatment and exercises, I do not in any way consider myself hindered by the injuries. I do have flare-ups if I get sloppy with my form or slouch too much, but I can quickly relieve the pain by doing what I was taught.

Not all back injuries are not all doom and gloom. The key (and my biggest struggle) is to not accept pain as normal. A good physical therapist will be well worth whatever you pay them.

 

[ERSS]

I appreciate you all sharing your stories, lessons learned and encouragement.

Had the second surgery yesterday about noon, again 100% relief when I woke up from anesthesia. Feel like a million bucks today, and went back to work this am ( I sit behind a desk ). No lingering nerve pain, no problem walking - have needed no pain meds since surgery. Gonna take it a lot easier these next few months, then a PT consult and a lot of walking, hiking for rehab......No changes to my hunting plans this year....but might be convinced to hire mules in if I dump a big bull in a bad spot .

Anyone looking for a back/spine specialist in Eastern Oregon - Dr Mark Weight and his staff are excellent and came very highly recommended.

Again, really appreciate the responses and knowledge sharing

 

[utahminer]

I appreciate you all sharing your stories, lessons learned and encouragement.

Had the second surgery yesterday about noon, again 100% relief when I woke up from anesthesia. Feel like a million bucks today, and went back to work this am ( I sit behind a desk ). No lingering nerve pain, no problem walking - have needed no pain meds since surgery. Gonna take it a lot easier these next few months, then a PT consult and a lot of walking, hiking for rehab......No changes to my hunting plans this year....but might be convinced to hire mules in if I dump a big bull in a bad spot .

Anyone looking for a back/spine specialist in Eastern Oregon - Dr Mark Weight and his staff are excellent and came very highly recommended.

Again, really appreciate the responses and knowledge sharing

Great to hear. Those things can be scary.

 

[idnative1948]

Good to hear you are one the mend.

 

[MJE2083]

Take it easy this time would ya?

 

[BigGameDIY]

Great to bear that you are feeling good after the surgery.

 

[brymoore]

Take a few days off!

 

[F250]

L5 S1 surgery after blowing out the disc arresting and cuffing a very large, and athletic bad guy. 6 months of PT after the surgery, then a bear of a two day fitness test before the Surgeon and the State would let me get back to work. My advice is to follow the advice of the surgeon and the PT folks !!

 

[tim629]

take care of yourself and don't abuse it: father-in-law is a self-abuser (dairy farmer) double knee replacement & a back surgery but he won't even get back to where he should because he figures once therapy is over farm work is harder than therapy it's good enough

another farmer/client had some back issues with leg numbness, he took dr's orders and still does his exercises and is much better. he will never get feeling back to his one foot but he can move more than 4 steps without sitting down.

moral of the story: keep taking care of yourself so you don't end up like those guys that worked themselves to daily discomfort

 

[ChrisS]

My neck not my lower back .. I have a titanium plate and six screws in my neck from an older wrestling accident. It took seven years to manifest itself completely, but when it did I was in tears. Five years post-surgery I can do pretty much anything I want to now, within reason. If I do too much (lifting mostly), I'll feel it. Rest, ice and tylenol usually takes care of it within a day or two. I'm just a little more careful these days - that's all. A lot of core strength workouts.

 

[HowaMini]

From what I have seen, those that took their physical therapy serious and followed it and there Doctors orders religiously usually had good experience. Those that didn't, it was a disaster and sometimes they ended up worse than when they started.

 

[brymoore]

From what I have seen, those that took their physical therapy serious and followed it and there Doctors orders religiously usually had good experience. Those that didn't, it was a disaster and sometimes they ended up worse than when they started.

Physical therapy was a waste of time for me. I'm athletic, work out 5+ days a week and can follow simple instructions. Nothing for my efforts.

 

[fwagner]

.......Below is just to show im not a arm chair quarterback
Bachelors in Athletic Trainer (15 years experience)
Masters in Exercise Science
Functional Movement Certified Level I & II
Selective Functional Movement Certified Level I
National Academy of Sports Medicine Performance Enhancement Specialist

Here is something EVERYONE needs to know about low back pain, herniated discs, and surgery. First off, unless you fall from a considerable distance on your butt or head, suffer a car accident, or some other severe trauma your herniate disc did not "just happen". Acute herniations of vertebral discs are a chronic injury that takes years to develop. Low back pain and injuries are almost always the result of improper movement. How much you move or lift pales in comparison to the importance of how you move and lift. How you sit, how you stand, walk, drive a car, sleep, lift objects, body weight, fitness level, core strength, core activation, core coordination, posture, are just a few of the factors influencing your low back and spine. Never get surgery unless it is a last resort, the outcomes are horrible. Look at this way. Let's for argument sake say that the reason you have low back pain is due to how you move, maybe its the way you squat down, or lift objects, posture or whatever. Let say that it is the problem and you have surgery. You not only didn't fix the disc but you didn't address the cause and the underlying problem in the first place. The best bang for your buck is to get in front of a Physical Therapist who evaluates how you move throughout your day and most importantly you LISTEN to them! Also some great advice is to check out a book by Stuart McGill he has both medical level text books and books for the general population. The best outcomes are started with a rehab program that aims to improve movement, core ability/stability. This website/forum is littered with terrible advice on exercise to prepare people for hunting, "do squats, do lunges, walk with a heavy pack, etc, etc,". Everyone forgets that it's not about what you do for exercise but HOW you move and do exercise. Also, yoga is probably one of the best forms of exercise out there...DO IT!!

 

[archer wapiti]

.......Below is just to show im not a arm chair quarterback
Bachelors in Athletic Trainer (15 years experience)
Masters in Exercise Science
Functional Movement Certified Level I & II
Selective Functional Movement Certified Level I
National Academy of Sports Medicine Performance Enhancement Specialist

Here is something EVERYONE needs to know about low back pain, herniated discs, and surgery. First off, unless you fall from a considerable distance on your butt or head, suffer a car accident, or some other severe trauma your herniate disc did not "just happen". Acute herniations of vertebral discs are a chronic injury that takes years to develop. Low back pain and injuries are almost always the result of improper movement. How much you move or lift pales in comparison to the importance of how you move and lift. How you sit, how you stand, walk, drive a car, sleep, lift objects, body weight, fitness level, core strength, core activation, core coordination, posture, are just a few of the factors influencing your low back and spine. Never get surgery unless it is a last resort, the outcomes are horrible. Look at this way. Let's for argument sake say that the reason you have low back pain is due to how you move, maybe its the way you squat down, or lift objects, posture or whatever. Let say that it is the problem and you have surgery. You not only didn't fix the disc but you didn't address the cause and the underlying problem in the first place. The best bang for your buck is to get in front of a Physical Therapist who evaluates how you move throughout your day and most importantly you LISTEN to them! Also some great advice is to check out a book by Stuart McGill he has both medical level text books and books for the general population. The best outcomes are started with a rehab program that aims to improve movement, core ability/stability. This website/forum is littered with terrible advice on exercise to prepare people for hunting, "do squats, do lunges, walk with a heavy pack, etc, etc,". Everyone forgets that it's not about what you do for exercise but HOW you move and do exercise. Also, yoga is probably one of the best forms of exercise out there...DO IT!!

Thanks, this affirms all I'm finding out with my own carcass as I work on getting my movement issues worked out.

 

[ERSS]

Thanks for the informed opinion. Just for my own clarification.....once the disc is herniated, and you can't feel your leg - surgery is the best and only option ( following verification of herniation via MRI )?

 

[fwagner]

Thanks for the informed opinion. Just for my own clarification.....once the disc is herniated, and you can't feel your leg - surgery is the best and only option ( following verification of herniation via MRI )?

Preferenced with the statement that you need to be seen by a medical provider, the short answer is no. With therapy symptoms of numbness can be treated with physical therapy while avoiding surgery. Surgery is a absolute must when muscle weakness is present and with bowel and bladder problems. Surgery should only be considered after all options have been exhausted. There are case studies where people with herniated discs were treated with physical therapy and the disc healed without any surgical intervention. In fact if we took all the guys and gals on this forum and did MRIs on all their backs we probably would find disc herniations in people who have ZERO signs or symptoms.