Loss of Mobility

[LEELEE85]

Hi Everyone,
This question is for people who have had surgery....

Just wondering on loss of mobility im getting fused from T3 - L3 and just wondering what kind of flexibility will i lose????

I know my surgeon told me i will lose some but just want to know from people what it has stopped them doing like how far they can bend, tying shoe laces etc etc....

I know sacrum is more loss but what about too T3???
Any responses would be much appreciated.

Lee

[LindaRacine]

Hi Lee...

I'm fused T4-L3. I was really concerned, before my surgery, about the potential loss of mobility. And, I was sort of surprised after I got through the initial recovery stage, at how little I actually lost. It was hard to measure, because I got used to the new body relatively quickly. The only time I really notice the loss is when I do things like trying to put on pantyhose (haven't even tried in years), sitting on the floor without back support, etc. I also notice it a bit when I tie my shoes. If I bend down, I have absolutely no problem. But, if I'm sitting in a regular chair and bring my foot up to my knee, it's just a bit of a stretch to tie my right shoe.

Regards,
Linda

[Cakedec]

Hi Lee,

I am fused T5 to L5 and three months post-op. I have noticed that I still can't turn my head more than 60 degrees to each side so that makes it a bit difficult to see when backing up the car or checking your blind spot. If I have a passenger, they help me look behind. I am hoping that with time, it will improve.

You start out very stiff and sore but things seem to gradually get easier. You get used to bending at the hips and knees instead of with your torso or waist.

Deb

[Shari]

Hi Lee,

I have to agree with Deb and Linda about the degree of flexibility. I'm T-1 to L-5 and I can tie my shoes with no problem. You just never know know how it will effect you personally.

Driving is a little more of a concern for me. I still have trouble merging into oncoming traffic from my left view. We all have different experiences. I move my mirrors when I know I coming to that kind of situation.

It's not always easy, but you have to find a way to adapt and adjust to your individual situation.

Shari

[lelc2002@yahoo]

I'm fused at T-11 to L-5. I feel that my flexibility is coming back little by little.. I can turn well while driving although I limit it.. It is interesting to me, with my original 95 thorocolumbar curve that I was not fused up higher but I trust my doctor's decision.. It will be interesting to see if my upper area curve has stayed the same or changed?? I go back in Dec...Ly

surg..aug. 1 2006-3mths post-op

[HGD24]

I am fused T3-L4 and initially felt that I had lost a lot of mobility and flexibility but over the past 18 months, I've noticed a lot of it has come back. For months, I had trouble turning my head to the right while in traffic, but that eventually subsided and I can now turn my as much as I did pre-surgery and never feel any resistance. I have trouble tying my shoes if I am sitting on a chair like Linda, but if I'm on the stairs, I can bend over my knee and tie them just fine or I can put them on the seat of a chair and bend to tie them with no trouble. My happiest moment was when I realized near the end of 2005, that I could once again get on the floor and play with my dog and our friends' babies! I can now perch (sit with my knees bent, feet under my bottom) on the floor and stretch my arms out onto the floor in front of me and almost touch my belly to my legs again... Backing the car up is still difficult so I look for pull-through spots whenever possible. If I do need to back up, I have to sit sideways in the driver's seat to see properly.

[sweetness514]

It depends on what loss of flexibility means to you.

I was a dancer(not professionally anymore, just for my own pleasure) before surgery and never got back to doing many moves after surgery-I'm talking about jazz dancing, with back bends and twists, etc. I was extremely flexible pre op, and it's mostlly that I have to stand straight instead of just slouching post op.

For years post op I did notice I had to be slower when bending and getting on the floor, and bending low did hurt in my thoracic spine. Stretching helped a lot. Twisting hurt as well, you do have better posture and do things more straight than before.

Now since my third op I'm rather stiff but that's also b/c of scar tissue and inflammation that I get in some thoracic screws. Bending with knees is much better for everybody anyway, wether they have fusions or not.

[lisanicole]

flexibility...

Hehe.. I remember after surgery I had pretty limited flexibility. I was a dancer too, and didn't go back into dancing afterwards. I did take up singing however, and then ended up going to University for it, and getting my Degree in Voice. I remember getting down to a normal toilet seat and bending down to tie my shoes was kind of hard. For the first year afterwards I suckered my girlfriends into doing it for me. Something I still haven't been able to do quite normally is clip & paint my toenails, I have to bend my legs up to me instead of bending down to reach my toes. Basically I just can't bend from the hips up, so it gets a little tricky sometimes when I try to do something I can't. I just laugh about it though!

[Suzy]

Hi Lee,

I think it depends on how flexable you are before your surgery. I am fused from T10 to L4 and have noticed just a bit of loss. It makes a difference how far up your fusion is too I would think. I have very flexable legs and I think that helps. I never was one who didn't bend at the knees to pick up things off the floor so it is still the same for me. Pay attention to your normal everyday habits and see what you might need to work on. You will see how you move and you can think about how you would move with your back straight. This might help you I think it did for me, I practiced before my surgery and it turned out I was way off and am able to do more then I thought I would be able to do. Best wishes.

[rainbow2010]

My daughter is fused from T5 - L3 and she dances every day (ballet, jazz, and modern). You lose some mobility, but learn to do things in different ways. I am fused T12- L5 (L5 - S1 on its own) and I can still tie my shoes. I just bend "funny".

[kell]

Some loss but not much

My 15 year old was fused from t3 to L3 about 3 months ago. His mobility has been getting better. He is able to tie his shoes. I can't really think of anything he can't do except for Hockey and any contact sports. He is still very careful when picking things up. His doctor said he can snow board at 6 months post op. Once home from the hospital it has been a fight to keep him down. He has done remarkable. Once we left the hospital he took pain pills for the first few weeks at bedtime only. He has only had Tylenol since then. Good Luck

[sweetness514]

Hehe.. I remember after surgery I had pretty limited flexibility. I was a dancer too, and didn't go back into dancing afterwards. I did take up singing however, and then ended up going to University for it, and getting my Degree in Voice. I remember getting down to a normal toilet seat and bending down to tie my shoes was kind of hard. For the first year afterwards I suckered my girlfriends into doing it for me. Something I still haven't been able to do quite normally is clip & paint my toenails, I have to bend my legs up to me instead of bending down to reach my toes. Basically I just can't bend from the hips up, so it gets a little tricky sometimes when I try to do something I can't. I just laugh about it though!

I know what you mean. I think for everyday things it's really not a deal at all, but with dancing even when I was at my most pain free and flexible post op I didn't dance the same and was very stiff afterwards- again, I'm talking about more intricate moves and pro dancing. I also couldn't sit in my very low sportscar comfortably, b/c it was low but also the seat was round(and my back just stays straight). Had to sell the car. I was very flexible pre op, was a borderline contourtionist, lol.

I didn't know you were a singer