I was about to get an inversion table, but...

[Back-out]

Suddenly I thought I ought to check it out with you all.

Is this laughable considering the need for bone fusion after the surgery?

Right now the ones I've tried give me great relief.

They kind of decompress my lumbar vertebra which are all helter skelter from lithethis. Also, due to the arthritis, I figure they have scarcely any cartilage let,

That's what the Xrays look like too.

I also get enormous relief from a special pull up bar which is attached over one of my interior doors. No, I can't do pull ups, but I like to hang from it, as much as possible letting my vertebrae sort of separate and chill out.

I was in serious pain in my week away when I had to do without it,

Are these going to be forever forbidden to me? Should I forget the inversion table (unless I want to shell out a coupla hundred bucks for a relatively short time)?

I realize these are medical questions but something tells me they are so basic to how the surgery changes ones structure, that anyone who's been through it, will know the answers.

Thank you all again!

Amanda

[gmw]

Amanda -- I haven't had my fusion surgery yet, but I have found that hanging in the deep end of a pool with a noodle under my arms (front), is very soothing and seems to give me a good, gentle stretch. I'm anticipating that after surgery as soon as I can get back in the pool, that will be what I'll be doing for awhile.

Glenda

[doodie]

Amanda -
I had an inversion table and used it for a couple of years about 15 years ago. I used it for 45 minutes a day - I came home from a day of teaching and then watched my favorite soap, upside down. (I didn't miss much! ) It relieved that compression so much -

I saw a chiropractor who used traction on me and that was the most relief I ever felt so I thought an inversion table was something I could do myself, everyday if I needed to. I never had anyone tell me to do it or not to do it, it just felt good to me so I got my own.

Then I moved and didn't have quite the ceiling clearance that I had so I sold it! boo!

After fusion surgery I can not imagine having a need for an inversion table. I have no pain in that lumbar area that was so bad prior to the surgery.

[LynetteG]

I have an inversion table that was great prior to my surgery - however now I have no use for it. I asked my doctor should I use it after surgery - he said no. So if you're planning on having surgery soon - there's no point in buying one.

[Back-out]

Thank you, Lynnette. But just to clarify, did he mean you wouldn't NEED it, or that you wouldn't be ALLOWED to use it?

I'm afraid I can understand the latter all too well (how can the bones grow to fill the spaces if you're pulling apart the joints all the time?)

[Doodles]

I used one for a few years before surgery and felt it definitely helped. I also loved to go to the gym and hang on the bars they had for weight lifing stuff--had my own method. Since surgery I don't think it would be a good idea. Haven't touched it since! Janet

[LynetteG]

He meant I wouldn't need it. He said I could use it if it helped for my neck - but quite honestly I'd be afraid to get on it after being fused . I don't have neck pain now anyway, so I'll probably try and sell it.

[Back-out]

quite honestly I'd be afraid to get on it after being fused .

Mmm. Yes, there IS that...

I thought it might be scary now (especially as I have cervical spinal stenosis, somewhat relieved but still dangerous) but the thought of falling with a complete fusion is pretty horrific,

(In my mind, hearing crashing and snapping sounds like after knocking over a trashbin full of tin cans and bottles).

[titaniumed]

I bought the inversion boots back in 1982.... When you hang, your soft tissues counter the gravity.... This doesn't happen with water immersion or traction. There is nothing like ocean therapy, it really does work wonders. I cured my sciatica years ago by swimming in the ocean long hours. The sciatica got me back into scuba diving again, so I guess that’s the only benefit to having sciatica! That and the massages! That was truly a painful experience... and a really tough situation. I had 4 herniated lumbar discs, verified by an iohexol ct scan. My non-scoli ortho shook his head for 4 minutes... He had a look of panic on his face...Years ago, I used to see that look of panic on Doctors faces. Poor guys didnt know what to do.

I also have an arch table, which is great. That was about $300. You can accomplish the same or more with a large ball.

I had my Chiro get me a stretching chair. Its great for stretching the back, legs, etc. I use it only for my legs now.

If you have nothing, and want something, buy an inflatable exercise ball. About 30" dia. Also, a cervical traction unit. Both are cheap items. Cervical traction with just a few pounds of pull.
Ed

[foofer]

Our Torture Chambers

Make sure it is an anti-burst inflatable ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ed, sounds like you had a room in your home that was medieval in quality. LOL I sometimes laugh at myself when I walk into my home. Yoga bolsters, (anti-burst) therapy balls, straps and long rubber cords wrapped around bannisters, theracanes.....

Yeah, I don't have much back pain...Hah!!

[titaniumed]

Actually it is at my former business. I owned a precision manufacturing facility for years and sold it before my surgeries. I knew I would have a long recovery. The boys hung without me, I trained them well. That makes me very happy.

We have plenty of neat things down at work...
Ed

[foofer]

Actually it is at my former business. I owned a precision manufacturing facility for years and sold it before my surgeries. I knew I would have a long recovery. The boys hung without me, I trained them well. That makes me very happy.

We have plenty of neat things down at work...
Ed

What kind of neat things?
And what did you manufacture?

You don't have to answer. It's just that enquiring minds want to know...

[titaniumed]

We make precision parts and assembly's for various industries. Valve, semicon, aerospace, defense, robotics etc. No spinal hardware.

I have the "Pangea system" by Synthes. Its all titanium, Ti-6Al-7Nb. They substituted the Vanadium (V) with Niobium (Nb), due to toxicity issues with vanadium, and it also aids with osseointegration. Years ago, implants were made of Ti-6Al-4V.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osseointegration

Its nice to have the screws "anchored"......

The screws also have a non-linear thread lead, and pitch, which aids in locking the screw into the bone. They torque to 15Nm. (Newtonmeters)

We do not have the machinery to make these screws. If you are interested, you would need a Tornos Deco. 32mm. You will also have to have the milling attachment for the threads. Without the tooling, figure about $400,000. Throw another 100K for setup charges, and you might just have something. Of course, this will not give you a complete screw. You will then have to have it gundrilled, because the screws are cannulated(hollow)lets not talk about those costs and learning curve.
http://www.tornos.com/prd-ds13a-e.html

Metalworking has many different areas, we all specialize in our own branches.
I just wanted to throw this out there just in case anyone was wondering about spinal screws costing $1000ea.
It takes major investment, and major engineering to accomplish what needs to be done. Its stimulating.
Ed

[foofer]

Metalworking has many different areas, we all specialize in our own branches.
I just wanted to throw this out there just in case anyone was wondering about spinal screws costing $1000ea.
It takes major investment, and major engineering to accomplish what needs to be done. Its stimulating.
Ed

Good Morning, Ed,

You may have stimulated an unused part of my brain! I did understand the last paragraph, and I believe you. The prior portion, well- I might need a little dumbing down.

But it did also stimulate a memory...

When I was about 19, I worked for a few summers on Colorado road construction as a laborer- just one of those flukey jobs you fall into. I was mostly a "flag-person" (also did some shovelling, dynamite loading, tamping, and stake-hopping- my first experience with developing arm muscles and running at high altitude) and stood long long hours on Wolf Creek Pass near Pagosa Springs watching the world drive by. I just thought of this- ironic- the job was taking out a couple bad curves! Toward the end of the summer, the "rock crusher" was hauled in piece by piece. I watched the heavy equipment guys put it together, and I was so struck with this thought, "Who makes all the thousands of pieces that make up those giant pieces that get put together by these heavy pieces of equipment, all to turn boulders into gravel?" It was a cool moment.

Anyway, I think I now know the answer to that question. Thanks, Ed.

[titaniumed]

Amy

There is nothing wrong with working outdoors! I've always dreamed of things like that. I guess that is why I'm so outdoorsy now. Any chance I get, I do something outdoors in a beautiful setting.

I've been exposed to quite a few things through the years. When they make steel or titanium, they add ingredients, just like cooking in a kitchen. Specific recipes will result in what is called an alloy. Titanium alloys like Ti-6AL-4V will contain Vanadium. Leaded Steels 12L14 will have lead. Etc.

When these metals are machined, these elements are released in different forms... My vascular surgeon knew this, and well, he is the one who knows the most about me. LOL He dug many holes on multiple surgeries and also did explore looking for cancer. I'm good and don’t have any cancer, but I'm very aware of these things.

So, working outside as a flagger, at Wolf Creek, Co. is perfectly fine with me....and shoveling rock? Its is something I have no problems doing even after my successful scoliosis surgeries. In fact, I enjoy it, and its great exercise. I don’t dig holes to China, but you know what I mean. LOL
Ed