Help?

[Pooka1]

I am absolutely boggled by your surgeon saying you'll be able to ride at 6 weeks. That is preposterous in my mind in terms of pain. I didn't even drive until after 8 weeks. I doubt if its a good idea to get way up there on a (large) horse at 6 weeks under the influence of heavy narcotics! The risk to your spine from a potential fall is also very significant. I would be looking for other opinions from SRS surgeons.

Dora, Gayle makes a good point. As you know, riding requires a lot of core and riding 17.2+ warmblood(?) requires a ton. Riding for me is like doing 500 sit ups each ride because I do almost everything from my lower abdomen. My husband touched me there a while back and commented at how hard the muscles were. I do NOTHING exercise-wise off the horse.

The other issue is you will be protecting any pain when you try to ride in your recovery. I am not fused but I am protecting the still-injured disc. The injury has imposed a slight spiral left seat all the time if I don't remember to compensate. I don't actually think too much about it any more because my body senses the difficulty turning right and finds spiral right. It was pretty obvious (and comical) that I couldn't turn right from my seat after my injury! If you ride, you can just try to walk a straight line with no stirrups or reins to see where you need to compensate to find center. You are used to this from riding with the scoliosis I am sure.

I am concerned about all the issues with returning to ride and also trying to do it too soon. My kids had fusions from T4 to L1 (i.e., very little lumbar involvement) and although they don't ride any more, they were restricted from it and all manner of activity for 8 months. From reading the testimonials from adults, I will be absolutely shocked if an experienced adult deformity guy releases you to ride until at least a year and probably longer. But I don't know that obviously. This is why I am very concerned you don't get blind-sided about returning to ride and that you have some plan for your mare while you recover. She is young so you can drop her out and back into training if you like. My horse is older and I don't allow him to drop out of training because I think it is easier on him overall to stay working than come out and get back in. I send him to one of my instructor's farms when I am gone or injured and he is trained 6 days a week while there. He has been there many times. I know she treats him well because he loves her. I like to tell people my horse has two mommies, neither of whom is gay not that there is anything wrong with that. :-)

Again, good luck.

[Pooka1]

Okay I contacted a dressage pro that I am friendly with. Last year when I was in Wellington to watch the shows I was rather compromised with sitting/moving and one of her students (or at their level.... pros getting coached by pros?) mentioned that she had a number of clients who had returned to the saddle after back surgery. I asked if perhaps they could put me in contact with that student or any of her clients she was away of so I could understand the adjustments etc.

Sorry I read this as back "injury" but you did write "surgery."

This is good. Make sure the people you talk to have the same fusion you will have. I don't know about fusion but I know about back function in dressage and my guess is thoracic fusion if hyper-corrected might be a big (maybe unfair) advantage in dressage. But I am not sure about lumbar fusions. If they fuse you without enough flatness in your lumbar I think it will compromise your ability to collect. Some of the radiographs I have seen on adult lumbar fusions have a pretty large lordosis and people complain about their stomach sticking out. Of course the surgeons are trying to avoid "flatback syndrome" and I am not suggesting they give you a flat back just to ride and really I shouldn't be talking about surgery at all because I am not a surgeon. But I am just mentioning it so that you ask people with full lumbar fusions like you will have and not get the wrong idea by inadvertently asking someone who had a thoracic fusion or only one or two levels fused for a disc injury or something.

So I would ask them SPECIFICALLY about their ability to collect the gaits if they have a full lumbar fusion. Also because you said you were having a curve above the lumbar fused, I would ask them about their ability to do shouilder-in, renvers, travers, and half pass because those require separating the upper body from the hips and being able to move them in opposite directions. At least that how I ride them... my hips control my horse's hips and my shoulders control my horse's shoulders. My horse is sensitive can can be ridden in this way but I think everyone rides in that way.

Last, I also know of people who have had back surgery who ride. There is a prominent GP trainer in the NW and I think Robert Dover may have had one or more surgeries. I know he has a bad back but is still a six time Olympian. But I don't know the nature of their operations or if they involved fusion. I am doubting they involved fusing the entire lumber. I could contact the GP trainer in the NW to ask.

[aileens]

I second the vote for Dr Rand - I'm very pleased with my experience with him. He strikes me as very conservative - he told me he's never gotten more than an inch in height in surgery, so I was thrilled when I came out 3 inches taller! I expect Dr Rand would give you a more realistic expectation as to when you could ride again.

I'm in the pharma industry as well - even tho we're much-maligned, at least they have generous medical and STD coverage. I could take 6 months leave w/out worrying about my job, though I'm keeping in touch with work since we're going through a major reorg. Unfortunate reality these days...

[Irina]

I second the vote for Dr Rand - I'm very pleased with my experience with him. He strikes me as very conservative - he told me he's never gotten more than an inch in height in surgery, so I was thrilled when I came out 3 inches taller! I expect Dr Rand would give you a more realistic expectation as to when you could ride again.

I'm in the pharma industry as well - even tho we're much-maligned, at least they have generous medical and STD coverage. I could take 6 months leave w/out worrying about my job, though I'm keeping in touch with work since we're going through a major reorg. Unfortunate reality these days...

Aileens, your company is so nice. 6 months of medical leave plus medical and STD - very generous. Under FMLA, employers with over 50 employees are required to provide 3 month of medical leave and your company gives way more than that. I want to work for a company like that :-)

[susancook]

"Last night I kept trying to imagine how long it will be before I can have my daughter (almost 8) cuddling back with me on the couch. Ugh."

Your comment brought tears to my eyes. If you have an anterior incision, Just do it slowly and have her cuddle on your front lying on your side and her on her side on your front. You could actually do that in the hospital bed a few days after surgery. That way, you can stroke her hair and give her a cuddle and talk quietly in her ear. Early on, just be slow about it as you sometimes need to adjust how you are lying.

Susan

[JuliaAnn]

Welcome!

Dora, welcome to the forum! I'm so glad you found this board. The people here are all so wonderful and full of information on every question you may have. Don't hesitate to ask.

It's really hard to predict how you will feel after surgery and what your limitations might be. Everyone has their own unique recovery. Some bounce back really fast, others take their time. Age also has something to do with how fast you recover. If you are active now, you already have an advantage as to how fast you recover. Everyone on this board has given you such great advice!

I'm 54 and at 8 months post op, I still have some pain but it is manageable with Tylenol a couple times a week. I can sit comfortably at the computer all day long with little discomfort, starting from around the fourth month. It took longer to walk though because I needed a heel lift in my left shoe and didn't know it. For sitting, I use an ergonomic office chair. It can rock back and I've found that a leaning back position is very restful. A lot of people use recliners for that same reason.

I was fused from T1 to Sacrum. I was told I could "run lightly" but I forgot to ask when. I don't feel like running yet, or even walking fast. Our bodies let us know when we're ready for activity. Extra pain means we're doing too much, too soon.

I'm not sure how much jarring there is in horseback riding but I really think it would very risky to do anything before six months. We have a van so I have to hoist myself up into the seat. I'm at 8 months and that is still tricky because there is no twisting at the waist allowed. Is there a way you can pretend you're fused and test out how it would be to go through your whole riding routine? Perhaps you can imagine that your complete back is rigid and you can't bend or twist at all as you get on and off the horse and ride. Do you wear any type of back brace while riding? If you test out being very rigid, without any twisting or bending, maybe that would give you a better idea of how the first months riding will be. That's really good that you've been given a six month leave from work.

[aileens]

Aileens, your company is so nice. 6 months of medical leave plus medical and STD - very generous. Under FMLA, employers with over 50 employees are required to provide 3 month of medical leave and your company gives way more than that. I want to work for a company like that :-)

Hi Irina - yes, I know I'm very lucky. Pharma companies are all about taking care of patients, so it's nice to see they take of their employees too. It's really sad to hear that hospitals don't take the same view towards their own employees.

[Dora]

Okay so the past few days I've been working some details through. Still need to at least have a phone consult with the surgeon so I can better understand the surgical plan. I had the conversations with work and adjusted my teams so that is now off my mind. Our CMO will run my programs so honestly it takes the pressure off trying to pick someone. It sounds like I will be working from home at first and then working part days in and out of the office. I'm planning on allowing for a 12 week process but I'll let my body dictate the part time return and will organize what I can through December. I'm not going to lie, this amount of time off makes me nervous but I've at least arranged for it. My company btw is good to us. This is NOT on them. It's all on me.

I think I am going to stick with my surgeon because of the complex nature of time off/having help around/career. If I could have managed a faster consult I would but getting booked for the OR for a day seemed to be an event onto itself.

On the horse front - Sat down with my coach and discussed my mare's potential for driving and he thought it would be good so along with the three rides a week we'll add in driving. (I keep her in part training since my back progressed to the point where riding 2x week is my limit so moving to full training is how I planned to have her covered) I have to buy a cart with traces long enough for her because the competitive driving horses at the facility are all ponies (so not unexpected but I'll admit I hoped he'd have something hanging around).

Sharon I hear all your thoughts on riding limitations which was why I had asked on here. My concern with what they were going to do to my back made it illogical in my head that I'd continue to easily ride at the level I do. And on a horse in training vs. a schoolmaster there are always extra bits of effort to correct quirks. In addition to thinking the sit work will lose its fluidity I paid attention last night even during the half pass work to the exact position of everything and I think I'm in for a hard reality after. I honestly don't remember not riding so that which comes intuitively I think will be restricted. That will be my shock. I don't have to think about the majority of the small parts right now. It simply is. I played with pretending I was locked up just in a three track SI on my right side (the more compromised side right now, so easier to imagine) and without the ability to open and articulate the right hip I couldn't get the three track. It was sobering. After that I thought about putting it off another year but then I wake up after riding rather frozen along my shoulders back and right leg and manage to mentally recommit.

What were the BIGGEST shocks to everyone as far as your day to day limitations. How did you prepare for them???

[Pooka1]

On the horse front - Sat down with my coach and discussed my mare's potential for driving and he thought it would be good so along with the three rides a week we'll add in driving. (I keep her in part training since my back progressed to the point where riding 2x week is my limit so moving to full training is how I planned to have her covered) I have to buy a cart with traces long enough for her because the competitive driving horses at the facility are all ponies (so not unexpected but I'll admit I hoped he'd have something hanging around).

Good plan. :-) I didn't realize they had pony divisions in driven dressage but why not! The FEI ponies are so cute doing third-fourth level. If I was a microwoman (five foot nothing and 90 pounds) and not a regular-sized woman I would only ride ponies. :-)

When you are released to return to ridden work, your mare will be more advanced at least another level having been in full time training for over a year so that will help you get back into it. Fourth is what the schoolmaster was that I lessoned on for about 9 months and that was a hoot!

Sharon I hear all your thoughts on riding limitations which was why I had asked on here. My concern with what they were going to do to my back made it illogical in my head that I'd continue to easily ride at the level I do. And on a horse in training vs. a schoolmaster there are always extra bits of effort to correct quirks. In addition to thinking the sit work will lose its fluidity I paid attention last night even during the half pass work to the exact position of everything and I think I'm in for a hard reality after. I honestly don't remember not riding so that which comes intuitively I think will be restricted. That will be my shock. I don't have to think about the majority of the small parts right now. It simply is. I played with pretending I was locked up just in a three track SI on my right side (the more compromised side right now, so easier to imagine) and without the ability to open and articulate the right hip I couldn't get the three track. It was sobering. After that I thought about putting it off another year but then I wake up after riding rather frozen along my shoulders back and right leg and manage to mentally recommit.

That sounds like a good experiment to give you some idea of how it will be after fusion. As I mentioned I couldn't even turn right shortly after my disc injury because I was in spiral left seat protecting it. Once the pain was more manageable, I had to push into it on most days to get straight and then I had top push into it more for right bend. Perfect balance in dressage is a game of millimeters because horses can be that sensitive.

Take it one step at a time. Allow yourself to recover. Don't go back too early like I did from my disc injury. Here I am giving you advise that I didn't take myself! If you don't take it I will completely understand but I think fusion is in a different category than a herniated disc in terms of potentially bad consequences from going back too soon.

Good luck, Dora.

[titaniumed]

I think fusion is in a different category than a herniated disc in terms of potentially bad consequences from going back too soon.

Done both. Doing it now.....again......Man-o-man! All I can do now is laugh about this. I was upset (pissed) last month, but I’m over it now. Dora, I now have 2 cervical herniations.....

The difference is if you disrupt a herniation it results in sharp pains..... If you disrupt an fusion, it could mean more surgery.

I walked on eggshells after my scoli surgeries for 10 months because of this....the dreaded non-union and resulting rod breakage. When we read about this happening, we slow down.

Ed

[Pooka1]

Dora, Here is a thread started by Titanium Ed on life after long fusion. I just wanted to make sure you saw it.

http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...170#post151170

[Wish2bstraight]

Scoliosis doctors in Boston

They were very uncomfortable at Tufts but they did refer me to Dr. Wood. Dr. Wood I believe specializes in scoliosis and I'll admit it was a relief when he looked at all the films and MRI and was confident that I'd have an 80% chance for pain relief. I'll fully admit to loving the sound of that.

And the age question. I didn't even realize I hadn't addressed it. Age at the time of surgery will be 37.

Dora,

There are only three adult scoliosis doctors in Boston. Dr. Rand, Dr. Woods and Dr. Glazer. Dr. Glazer, from Beth Israel did my surgery at the beginning of January 2013. I didn't start driving until the beginning of April and will be going back to work Monday full time (with some reservations). Neither Dr. Rand or Woods actually studied with Dr. glazer. I don't remember which one it was. You may have some luck trying to see Dr. glazer for a second opinion. Good luck.

[susancook]

"What were the BIGGEST shocks to everyone as far as your day to day limitations. How did you prepare for them??? "

I am 2.5 months postop. I am impatient to get well. I am doing phenomenal, I think, and take very little pain meds. I guess my shock, or surprise is how long it takes to heal. I was surprised that I needed and still do, need to take a nap during some days [OK, I'm 66 and I am sure that you will heal faster than me!].

Prepare? do deep knee bends holding on to a chair to increase the strength in your quads. Hire a weekly or every other week housekeeper.

Good luck and I feel that you will do well since it sounds like you are in good physical shape.

Susan

[Confusedmom]

Susan,

I think Ed will back me up on this. There is a phase I went through later, when you really aren't in much pain anymore, but you have tons of fatigue. This was maybe 7-10 months with me. Anyway, I found I wanted to (and usually did) take naps every afternoon. My body was just exhausted, from healing I guess. Finally around 11 months or so I started to be able to be up and about for the whole day. So don't be surprised if the naps last longer than you think.

:-),
Evelyn

[jackieg412]

I think my biggest shock was how long it takes to feel better. Also not being able to keep working --and I am not happy about that!