There have been many posting on this, but I'm still trying to understand why being fused to the sacrum (as opposed to just being fused to L3 or 4) limits some people so severely. (I do realize some people have no problems and that it is in individual thing). Probably the only way for me to really understand is to meet in person with someone who is indeed fused all the way down. But until I can meet someone, I would like to ask Linda, the moderator of this forum, and others (and I really hope some new people will chime in here) exactly why certain things are so difficult for them.
Linda has said that she can't lift her foot more than six inches off the ground. Others have said they can't wipe themselves or sit on the floor. Why is this? Does the lower spine need to bend for this? Or is there some other reason? Does the metal poke into your behind when you sit? I also don't understand why those fused to the sacrum cannot do a full bend from the hips to pick things up off the floor since the hips aren't fused? Why do you need to do a golf move/one leg thing to pick things up? Why can't you bend your knees and lower your fused spine forward to pick things up? Does being fused to the sacrum mean you can't lean your torso forwards? If so, why? Its the mechanics of it all that I don't understand. Why can't you sit back on your knees, Asian style? I was also interested in Linda's comments about good knees being important and deep knee bends. I myself have painful, inoperable knee chondromalacia, which I'm thinking does not bode well for me with this surgery. She also mentioned tight hip muscles. Is there any way to loosen yourself up before surgery to the sacrum to avoid some of these severe limitations afterwards?
I'd also like to ask Linda, as she works in a spinal department, if she was warned about these possible limitations before surgery and what the surgeons are saying now about her limitations - can anything be done to improve the flexibility?
Thank you so very much Linda and everyone who answers. Just trying to understand the mechanics of it all.
Linda has said that she can't lift her foot more than six inches off the ground. Others have said they can't wipe themselves or sit on the floor. Why is this? Does the lower spine need to bend for this? Or is there some other reason? Does the metal poke into your behind when you sit? I also don't understand why those fused to the sacrum cannot do a full bend from the hips to pick things up off the floor since the hips aren't fused? Why do you need to do a golf move/one leg thing to pick things up? Why can't you bend your knees and lower your fused spine forward to pick things up? Does being fused to the sacrum mean you can't lean your torso forwards? If so, why? Its the mechanics of it all that I don't understand. Why can't you sit back on your knees, Asian style? I was also interested in Linda's comments about good knees being important and deep knee bends. I myself have painful, inoperable knee chondromalacia, which I'm thinking does not bode well for me with this surgery. She also mentioned tight hip muscles. Is there any way to loosen yourself up before surgery to the sacrum to avoid some of these severe limitations afterwards?
I'd also like to ask Linda, as she works in a spinal department, if she was warned about these possible limitations before surgery and what the surgeons are saying now about her limitations - can anything be done to improve the flexibility?
Thank you so very much Linda and everyone who answers. Just trying to understand the mechanics of it all.
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