Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Riding a bicycle/fused to sacrum

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Riding a bicycle/fused to sacrum

    I'm curious if people feel comfortable riding a bike after recovery from long fusion to the sacrum. I'm doing very well around 10 months out from my last broken rod revision. I think it would be fun to do some casual riding around town on a cruiser-type bike where you sit fairly upright. How is your balance on a bike after surgery? Any advice?
    Gayle, age 50
    Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
    Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
    Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


    mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
    2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
    2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

    also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

  • #2
    Originally posted by leahdragonfly View Post
    I'm doing very well around 10 months out from my last broken rod revision.
    This is good news...Gayle, I knew you were going to come through. (smiley face)

    My balance is fine, I have cats balance. The question should be reversed. How is your balance?....And are you ok on a bike?

    I think as long as you don’t have a balance disorder, you should be ok.
    https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/balance-disorders

    I have looked at and would consider an electric bike......something like this...(Just an idea, Smiley face)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvDE1EQP_hk

    Please don’t crash....

    Here I am saying take it easy in our recoveries, walk slow and so forth, and now this! I wonder how many spine surgeons would cringe on this?

    Ed
    49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
    Pre surgery curves T70,L70
    ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
    Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

    Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

    My x-rays
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

    Comment


    • #3
      I asked Dr. Lenke about riding my bike and his answer was "just don't fall off". The second time I went for a ride, a squirrel darted in my path. After that, I just tried to be really aware of my environment. I only ride around in subdivisions, but really enjoy it. I am fused T4 to the sacrum and use a Trek bike where I am sitting up straight.
      Karen

      Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
      Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
      70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
      Rib Hump-GONE!
      Age-60 at the time of surgery
      Now 66
      Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
      Retired Kdgn. Teacher

      See photobucket link for:
      Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
      Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
      tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
      http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

      Comment


      • #4
        Biking

        I thought maybe I’d revive this thread and seeing if anyone has any thoughts on biking. I’m 6 years post op from my original fusion and 10 months post op from my revision. I have been training on my bike for the last few months to prepare for a vacation bike tour through Tuscany. My goal is to be able to go 20 miles, with 1000 feet of hills. But I can’t seem to get past 13 miles with 400 feet of hills. The flat parts are fine but the hills are killing me. And I go so slow! I was thinking that maybe the fact I’m fused to sacrum prevents me from getting enough power to pump my legs to push myself up the hill. It’s very frustrating. When I look around at other bicyclists I see them rounding their spines which I can’t do. I wonder if that’s the secret to bicycling and if that’s why I’m not improving since structurally I don’t have that shape available to me. At any rate. Initially yes my balance on the bike was poor. But like they say, it’s like riding a bike! My balance is now fine, I just can’t really generate any speed or power.

        On another note, has anyone heard Dr Errico is leaving NYU and going to a children’s hospital in Miami? I am devastated. I will miss him. He’s very inspirational to me.
        Surgery June 18 by Dr. Errico at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases at age 41.
        Fused T10-Pelvis.
        "Ask me about my brand new lordosis!"

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi there,
          this may not be helpful at all, because I'm not fused, but I'm doing long distances on a bike after having adjusted it to have a very upright position. It's a mountain/road hybrid bike but the stem has been customized with an extension to make the handle bars extremely high. I don't round off my spine at all and it's been working really well (I have 50+ degree curves). Just did a 35 mile ride today and felt great. If you have to bend to reach the handlebars on your bike, this may be something to look into. Hope you find a solution that works!

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Baroness

            Sounds like you are doing well....

            You know, 1000 vertical feet on a bike isn't easy...... For us, its even harder with scoliosis. Try to go easy on yourself.

            Here is a little trivia...

            Greg LeMond is from Reno.... He would ride from 4500 feet over the Mt Rose pass (8911ft) to Tahoe which is 4400 feet as a teen. This was used to control his anxiety as he didn't want to do meds. He eventually became an anti-doper. Wayne Wong recommended biking as a good summer training activity. Wayne is the "Elvis" of skiing....(all the others bow down and are not worthy. LOL) Wayne invited me on a ESPN skiing competition years ago when I was 42 which is just insane. After that exhibition, I suffered my very first major pain events and my 4 herniated discs were discovered at that time. (2000)

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_LeMond

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Wong_(skier)

            Over exercise is overrated.....I wore out my body.

            I read that Dr Errico is a cruiser and he like's boating and Miami is a good place for this! I would imagine that he would do the kids down there when necessary....Its hard to quit when you have the knowledge he has.

            Have fun in Italy

            Ed
            49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
            Pre surgery curves T70,L70
            ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
            Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

            Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

            My x-rays
            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

            http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by mashkine View Post
              Hi there,
              this may not be helpful at all, because I'm not fused, but I'm doing long distances on a bike after having adjusted it to have a very upright position. It's a mountain/road hybrid bike but the stem has been customized with an extension to make the handle bars extremely high. I don't round off my spine at all and it's been working really well (I have 50+ degree curves). Just did a 35 mile ride today and felt great. If you have to bend to reach the handlebars on your bike, this may be something to look into. Hope you find a solution that works!
              I agree....

              The leaning over is hard with scoliosis. For years I wanted a GSXR 1000 sport bike but just couldn't go there because of the leaning forward that's required to ride this bike. After riding a few miles on one of these, my back would bark loud.
              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_GSX-R1000

              I live a vertical existence. Of course its slightly forced with full fusion, but I sit erect, and stand erect with perfect posture. Its that, or I am sleeping. Any other position exerts forces on muscles and this strain can be tiring.

              Ed
              49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
              Pre surgery curves T70,L70
              ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
              Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

              Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

              My x-rays
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

              Comment


              • #8
                Townie

                Originally posted by the_baroness View Post
                I thought maybe I’d revive this thread and seeing if anyone has any thoughts on biking. I’m 6 years post op from my original fusion and 10 months post op from my revision. I have been training on my bike for the last few months to prepare for a vacation bike tour through Tuscany. My goal is to be able to go 20 miles, with 1000 feet of hills. But I can’t seem to get past 13 miles with 400 feet of hills. The flat parts are fine but the hills are killing me. And I go so slow! I was thinking that maybe the fact I’m fused to sacrum prevents me from getting enough power to pump my legs to push myself up the hill. It’s very frustrating. When I look around at other bicyclists I see them rounding their spines which I can’t do. I wonder if that’s the secret to bicycling and if that’s why I’m not improving since structurally I don’t have that shape available to me. At any rate. Initially yes my balance on the bike was poor. But like they say, it’s like riding a bike! My balance is now fine, I just can’t really generate any speed or power.

                On another note, has anyone heard Dr Errico is leaving NYU and going to a children’s hospital in Miami? I am devastated. I will miss him. He’s very inspirational to me.
                My daughter has moderate scoliosis with three curves and found bike riding painful until we purchased a Townie. The designer of the bike shifted the pedals forward which changes the angle of the rider. You can take a test ride at a store. I found it to be an expensive bike to be used as a casual cruiser, however it allowed her to join us on family bike rides so we bought one for her. After trying her bike, I went back to the store and bought one for myself too. FYI: I do not have AIS, my back was injured in a minor car accident. We LOVE our Townies!

                AMom

                Comment

                Working...
                X