Can you bike after surgery? (I know, I know - practive BEFORE!)

[diane2628]

I had my surgery about 10 years ago (t3-t12), and have ridden many miles since then. I don't do off-road riding, just basic riding for transportation and leisure/bike paths. Like anything else, I would wait until you are fully recovered after your surgery (4-6 months), and take it slow. For me, I get a sore back afterward, but stretching takes care of it.

My experience has been that pretty much everything I want to do, I can. I was 30 when I had my surgery, and am 40 now. I have backpacked, kayaked, canoed, done yoga, biked, ridden a motorcycle, gone rock climbing, taken long camping trips, etc. I do sometimes have muscle pain, but nothing some stretching and advil can't take care of. If it's something you did before, as long as you ease into it and listen to your body, you'll probably be fine (with a few exceptions, and depending on your fusion).

[Back-out]

It's been very encouraging to hear from all you active, fit, bike-riding post surgical folks!

I'm starting to wonder if you aren't perhaps a subset of especially brave "spinies", though. If everyone (per comments) seems universally afraid of climbing even on step-stools for fear of falling, surely falling off a moving bike is at least as bad!

I'm thinking that the answer here is unfortunately "yes, bike riding is fine...as long as you don't fall!"

Or are there those of you out there who have fallen and lived to tell the tale? I'm wondering too what the fusion length is of those who DO bike - so far only Dolores (WAY TO GO DOLORES!) has indicated she's fused all the way to the pelvis!

I love biking but I'm holding back from total enthusiasm at your responses until I hear that you a) have fallen and survived (after fusion is solid, of course) and b) that you have a fusion as long as I'm supposed to expect (pelvis or at least, sacrum). Wonder how much it matters about the length of the thoracic fusion too!

Any respondents want to clarify these two points? (Crossing my fingers).

[Snoopy]

Jamie has been lucky and hasn't fallen. It simply amazes me that she can do everything she does and it is with her doctor's blessing. The reason it amazes me so much is that she is fused from T3-L2 and doesn't have any screws in her back. She has two rods, wires and hooks--that's it. Her pedicles were too small for the surgeon to use pedicle screws.

Mary Lou

[diane2628]

I haven't fallen while biking - but I've certainly fallen in the last 10 years. I live in Minnesota, after all, and it gets awfully icy here in the winter. Luckily, most falls have been forward or sideways and not back - I have fallen while cross-country skiing, while skating, while just walking. I did fall backwards while backpacking once - though the pack cushioned my fall.

I wouldn't say that I do anything differently than I did before to avoid falling. I don't think I do particularly risky things, but I also don't worry excessively about it - I just live my life. The fusion itself shouldn't be at risk, though certainly the rods would be....but I haven't let myself worry particularly about it. They can break even without a fall.

I don't think riding a bike for a leisurely ride would be particularly risky. I probably wouldn't do off-road, or racing, but risks of falling while riding along a bike path aren't that high.

[fierceliketiger]

I bike fairly often. Though less in the last few weeks. I was planning a cross-Iowa bike ride in July, but I ended up being in a car accident that kind of impeded my progress. That being said, I have had an area of non-fusion and both rods broke last summer. I didn't start biking until 3 days after the first break though.
My surgeon said that I have to use a cruiser style bike, so mine is an Electra Townie.
As for falls, I have had a "near fall". I was jumped on by a large dog when I was coasting, and did not fall completely to the ground, but I did land on a knee and a foot. It hurt, but being as I had a rod already broken, it didn't do much...and the other rod didn't break until several months later.

I can let you know if my revision took after June 9th. That is my 6-7 month checkup.
I have taken several other falls NOT on a bike though. In fact, in one of them someone ran into me when I was squatting to pick up something, i ended up being flipped over a chase lounger and landed on my back on linoleum, no breaks from that (I was 6 weeks out from the revision at the time).

Hope that helps.