Bending After Surgery???

[billz45]

For those of you who've had thoracic fusion, I am VERY curious how you bend. I know that you mostly bend from the lumbar part of your spine, but I am curious:

1. Can you stll normally bend and reach your toes for example?

2. When you bend, if I were to look at you would I notice that you seem "limited". i.e. you bend like a "robot".

3. How does it feel bending with the thoracic section fused?

4. What about twisting?

5. What ARE the general limitations?

I guess my main fear is that I will look/feel like an invalid. sure, you may be able to find a way around it but if I WILL become an invalid (i.e. unable to touch toes like I am now) I won't do this surgery. I am currently at 50 degrees and bracing has brought me down form 70. I am 17 (recently turned) and still wearing the brace.

Thank You all1

[billz45]

PUSHING!

I really think we should have "stickies" in this forum, considering that many people ask the same/similar questions over and over and over again

[LindaRacine]

Billz...

The amount of flexibility you'll lose is purely a function of the number and location of the vertebrae fused. Since we actually do most of our bending at the hips, most people are actually surprised at how little loss they feel. People with really long fusions to the sacrum seem to notice their loss of flexibility more than the rest of us. Twisting is another story. Once a person has had a long spinal fusion, they find they mostly rotate instead of twisting.

I'm fused from T4-L3 (12 vertebrae). The only time you'd actually notice that there's anything different about me would be if you saw me trying to put on pantyhose. I couldn't touch my toes without bending my knees before surgery, so I certainly can't do it now.

Regards,
Linda

[billz45]

Linda,

Thanks for the reply!

In my case, they wouldn't be even going NEAR the lumar region at all!
(only thoracic)

Under these particular circumstances, do you think I will still be able to bend "normally", touch my toes, twist, and not feel as if I am stiff and have a flat back. That is my #1 concern!

[LindaRacine]

Billz...

You probably won't notice any difference once you're recovered from the surgery. Your surgeon will probably request that you refrain from trying to twist or bend for the first 3-6 mos. post-op.

--Linda