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I'm happy to report that I don't sink when swimming!

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  • I'm happy to report that I don't sink when swimming!

    I'm 9 months post op, and even though we have a pool, I have been too chicken until now to get in the water becaue it's not a heated pool and NJ weather has not been very warm this summer. The water temp got to 82 degrees today, so I went in VERY SLOWLY with the kids and YES I can swim and don't sink! I just did the regular crawl, but with no breathing. I'm afraid to twist and turn to take a breath, so I just stayed in the shallow end doing laps back and forth across. I was even able to swim on my back, which at first I afraid to try, but it was no big deal.

    I bet I'll be sore tomorrow from doing a new movement....but then what else is new.
    __________________________________________
    Debbe - 50 yrs old

    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

  • #2
    Well that's good news!!! Is it any harder to swim with your rods?
    I'm really happy for you!!!
    I have a pool too, it used to be really cold like 73 degrees then we got a solar heater and it works great! The temp is like 10-18 degrees warmer, it varies depending on how sunny it is but it's really nice.

    Comment


    • #3
      Another step back to normality.

      Congrats. Debbe!
      Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
      Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
      T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
      Osteotomies and Laminectomies
      Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by S4Sarah View Post
        Well that's good news!!! Is it any harder to swim with your rods?
        I'm really happy for you!!!
        I have a pool too, it used to be really cold like 73 degrees then we got a solar heater and it works great! The temp is like 10-18 degrees warmer, it varies depending on how sunny it is but it's really nice.
        Sarah,

        It's not harder to swim without turning to breath; I'm just afraid to try that because it seems like it would be a twist to the spine. I'll have to experiment a little more this summer.
        __________________________________________
        Debbe - 50 yrs old

        Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
        Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

        Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
        Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
        Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

        Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
        Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

        Comment


        • #5
          Try swiiming using breaststroke. You do not twist your spine and your back muscles get a good workout. I got to a senior therapy pool that is kept at 90 degrees. Along with a little swimming, I do leg lifts to the front, side, and back. Water walking in chest high water is also a great workout. My pool has a treadmill, elliptical, and exercise bike right in the water. My water workout is the only way my doctor will let me exercise!
          T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
          2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
          3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
          Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by rainbow2010 View Post
            Try swiiming using breaststroke. You do not twist your spine and your back muscles get a good workout. I got to a senior therapy pool that is kept at 90 degrees. Along with a little swimming, I do leg lifts to the front, side, and back. Water walking in chest high water is also a great workout. My pool has a treadmill, elliptical, and exercise bike right in the water. My water workout is the only way my doctor will let me exercise!
            Hi, Wow, that sounds wonderful. I hope your Doctor wrote a script for it so that maybe you can take it off of you income taxes. Sally
            Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
            Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
            Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
            Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
            New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
            Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

            "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

            Comment


            • #7
              No my doctor didn't write a script. I can't even get a discount from my health insurance because it is run through the local parks department. It only costs me $90 for 6 months and I can use my pass 6 days a week if I want. My husband and I think that the ability to exercise in water is worth the money! It is cheaper than if we had a pool of our own.
              T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
              2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
              3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
              Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by rainbow2010 View Post
                No my doctor didn't write a script. I can't even get a discount from my health insurance because it is run through the local parks department. It only costs me $90 for 6 months and I can use my pass 6 days a week if I want. My husband and I think that the ability to exercise in water is worth the money! It is cheaper than if we had a pool of our own.
                That's a great deal. It's way cheaper and a whole lot less work. I keep meaning to ask you when and how long did you live in the Rochester,NY area? We lived there from l963 until l976. I worked at Strong Memorial Hospital for a few years before we had our family. Take care, Sally
                Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
                Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
                Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
                Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
                New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
                Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

                "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I sink! lol =)

                  I do all kinds of stuff!!! I can do a handstand...but I don't like to. I can do summersaults under that water (slowly). I can do freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke... kind of been experimenting. Although I am a year and half post op.
                  Diagnosed in '06'
                  Wore TLSO brace for 18 mo.
                  Upper curve 40 degrees; lower 35 degrees
                  Surgery in March '08' (T6 - T11)
                  Rods for 7 vertabraes; 3 fused
                  Still have lumbar curve (T12 - L4) of now, 33 degrees
                  I have osteoarthritis, 3 bulging discs, stenosis, fast progressing lordosis, vertebrea twisting (vertebreas almost on side) all in lumbar spine. Will most likely have another surgery to extend rods and fusion. :'(

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I am not a good swimmer to begin with so attempting to swim with the fusion is even more difficult than before. I used to do a version of a side stroke but that's out for now. I tried it but there is too much twisting involved. I bought a pair of training fins (zoomers), and with them on can do a version of a breast stroke. I quit smoking over 20 years ago but I have no breath when attempting to swim. I can't do a full lap swimming so I walk and swim. It's one of those things that I have always wanted to learn how to do properly. I feel like my bottom half sinks when I swim and that was even before my fusion. Now it's a joke. Next week we are going to St. John to go snorkeling so I am hoping my normal fins will keep me moving in the water.
                    avis
                    1987 Lumbar Laminectomy (forget which levels)
                    2005 A/P fusion, L2 - L5, 2/2005
                    2009 2 Posterior fusions, T6 - Pelvis, 2/10 & 2/18,
                    Dr. Frank Rand, NEBH

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Well you're lucky you don't sink!

                      I sink. But that may have something to do with me not being able to swim, rather than the rods.
                      Surgeries July 26th & August 3rd 1983 (12 years old)
                      Still have 57 degree curve
                      2 Harrington rods
                      Luque method used
                      Dr David Bradford
                      Twin Cities Scoliosis Center
                      Preop xray (with brace on)
                      Postop xray

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Debbie,

                        I feel like I am going to sink if i try to swim. It feels so strange. My body doesn't even feel like my own even in the water. I have a friend who is a swimmer and swim instructor and recommended a swim belt that keeps you up right. You see many people use them for water aerobics and other water exercises. She sent me one and it came in the mail today. I know they are not that expensive. The one she sent for me was made by spedo. I am going to try it out tomorrow if my back is feeling better. I had a little opps over the weekend. I posted it so I won't go into all the details now lol! She said it would keep me upright though. My plan is to try jogging in the water. since I can't run on land! I will let you know how it well it works out. Maybe you could get one for yourself!
                        Susan

                        Diagnosed at 10, Boston brace from 11-13 yrs old.
                        50* Lumbar w/ 5 centimeter shift to the left and slight rib hump...
                        Surgery Date: April 15 and April 22, 2009
                        X-LIF approach for disc repair L5,L4,L3,L2
                        Posterior Approach for fusions L5-T5
                        Dr. Fox @ Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
                        Nice and straight now!!!!!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I posted some facts about titanium vs. stainless steel and thermal properties, and one other fact is that titanium is 40% lighter than steel. I don't know how much the hardware weighs when you add the 2 rods and a dozen screws, but I can scuba dive in saltwater (before surgery) with as little as 5 lbs and stay under. (BTW saltwater is more buoyant than fresh. Maybe you'd be better swimming in the ocean.)
                          Last edited by johnsonbunch; 08-06-2009, 03:43 PM.
                          Sandy

                          Thoracic curve was 55 degrees, now 30
                          Lumbar curve was 68 degrees, now 26
                          Rib rotation was 17 degrees, now 0
                          Degenerated discs and sacral arthritic spurs, plus significant spondylosis
                          Fused 8/13/09 at age 43 from T-9 to pelvis with iliac screws anchoring hardware to the pelvis, plus osteomies by Drs. Anthony Moreno and Geoff Cronen, Tampa, FL

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