If so, how long did it take to get back to racing and how has it been going? Have you been able to return to form or are you no longer the triathlete you once were?
This question gets asked and there will be lots of folks saying that it worked out fine for them. But keep in mind, those folks who can no longer compete in triathlon sue to back problems aren’t coming to slowtwitch.
I had it done in July 2013, I had degenerative disc disease, not a sudden onset thing.
I was awesome in March - US Masters top ten in the 1650, fastest I have ever been. Pain started returning in late march.
By July 2014 I was unable to do anything at all and am now trying to recover from a 2 level back fusion in august; but I had no choice due to pain, it isn’t as if I chose the surgery to compete better. It doesn’t seem that I’ll ever do another triathlon or be able to compete at my former levels of swimming.
I honestly hope it works out for you.
Yeah, I’m curious, too. I’m meeting with a surgeon to discuss my L2-L3 hernia, causing all sorts of right leg pain, numbness, tingling and some instability in my right leg, in (the earliest I could get in) mid-November. My Primary Care, PT and Pain Management docs all agree I will need surgery as nothing else has worked. I have an 8mm protrusion. I’m hoping to at least continue to swim, and best case, return to triathlon. Just had a cortisone epidural to hold me over. It’s helped just a little. Motrin is my best friend at the moment.
Thanks for the reply. I should clarify, it is not me. A friend of mine had it about a year ago and seems like he is worse off as a result. His was a sudden onset shortly after leaving triathlon to do every slowtwitchers favorite sport - Crossfit. He has gained a lot of weight and seems to be in pretty regular pain, but since I don’t have a similar experience I can’t really tell how much is really pain and how much of it is his general desire to make sure he establishes that he is more injured than anyone else has ever been in the history of the world. An exemplar conversation recently was as follows:
Me: Casually as I was stretching out my neck - “Man my neck is stiff”
Friend: “Imagine someone ran 5000 hot knives through your spine then set you on fire 1,000 times then come talk to me about your stiff neck”
He is competitive even when it comes to being hurt! I have no doubt he is in a lot of pain, but again, I don’t really know. At times he seems to be using his back issues as an excuse to continue to gain weight and also believe a bit of depression is setting in. The weight gain and total lack of activity (he never does any of his at home core work) can’t be helping the back.
Anyway, I was just generally curious and thought perhaps even a few inspirational stories might come out of it to share with him.
Kevin - Hope your back heals up and you are able to return to competition in some form soon.
I got into triathlons a year after having surgery to repair herniated L3/L4/L5 discs in my back. It’s a pain in the ass racing with a bum back but, I don’t know any different. I am a top age grouper in Louisiana, so it hasn’t affected me too much. However, there was no way I could have raced this way without having the surgery. I do have to take pain medication for longer events.
my entire tri “career” happened post L4-5 discectomy at age 29. That was after years of suffering through ineffective non-surgical alternatives that resulted in me being not at all in shape.
n=1 but I was better off in terms of lower back health as a decently fast age grouper (10:20:48 IMLP) than I was as an unfit person not seriously into triathlon.
I herniated the L3/L4 disc (about 8 mm) about 2 years ago. I also have degenerative disc disease and stenosis. I was 61 when I herniated the disc, but have been bothered with back pain off and on since my late 20s. I decided not to go the surgery route. I took about 6 weeks off any exercise immediately after the initial herniation, then slowly added swimming, biking, and running back into my routine (in that order). After 4 months I was back to training regularly. Was not pain free most days, but it was tolerable. I also started doing core exercises known as Foundation Training, which focuses on the posterior muscle chain to stabilize the back. I still occasionally have sciatic-like symptoms, but they are manageable. I have a pretty conservative orthopedic physician that only does surgery as a last resort. In my case, at least, he guided me in the right direction. I think the key is to keep the core, especially the posterior core, strong and spine limber.
If so, how long did it take to get back to racing and how has it been going? Have you been able to return to form or are you no longer the triathlete you once were?
L4/L5 L5/S1. Percutaneous discectomy x 2. Permanent sciatic nerve damage and foot drop. Was never the same and gave it all up for swimming and pain free! I actually NEED swimming to keep myself from issues. The more I swim the better my back does, but once dumping running it was golden. Cycling was ok, but still any kind of jarring doesn’t do my body favors.
L4/L5 blowout and stenosis when I was 21 (docs thought it may have been a weakened vertebral membrane as I didn’t have any other disc issues) led to major neuromuscular deficits from the knee down on both sides but worse on the left side. Never thought I would be active again but luckily due to young age my body was able to bounce back. Started biking/elliptical probably 8 months to a year later. After sporadically running/biking/lifting I decided 6 years post surgery that I wanted to try triathlon. I have not had many issues since (fingers crossed it stays that way) and am relatively competitive.
Rehab/stretching/strengthening is king. Most back issues come from poor body mechanics. You have to work very hard to change the way you move and be cognizant of how your movements affect your back.
Hey Half-Speed–sounds like you and I get dealt the same cards. I was just coming off a great year–I climbed Vinson and Aconcagua (2 of the 7 summits) and did Kona for my third time when all of a sudden my right quad went nuts—the worse pain ever–unbearable really. After five days of agony, I got an epidural and thankfully a lot of relief. My nerosuergon says no more running or climbing for me (I’m 57 and have done 147 triathlons and 13 IMs) and I’m trying to figure out what to do about it…
How are you thinking about this?
rc
I feel your pain, Randy. I got an L2-L3 fusion in November. Just three days before that, I had to call 911 as the pain was unbearable. I was rolling on my bed screaming, crying… never felt pain like that before. They shot me full of hydromorphone to get me through it.
So, I had a procedure called Interlaminar Lumbar Instrumented Fusion or ILIF for short. In six weeks, I was swimming again and another 4, I was back on my bike. I do just a little running - but more on that in a bit. At L2-L3, my scoliosis was its worst. I had a 20° rotation along with what can best be described as a kink of some 16°. The surgeon derotated and straightened it out before clamping it together. That problem is solved! I stand straighter now and am a half inch taller. And, my swimming is better than ever. I can’t wait to prove it in competition, this season. (Plus, I swim straighter in OW - as I nearly hit my head on the buoy I was aiming for)
However, my other spinal problem at L4-L5 perhaps worsened as the new alignment put additional or new stresses down there. I have a PARS defect along with nothing left between the facets on my left side. This sends pain deep into my hip when I am vertical for any length of time. And, my left leg will go numb when standing for a few minutes. I’ve been told not to run, but I have a few times and it doesn’t make the problem any worse (I’m running in Hokas, too, which I think helps). Anyway, my PT has come to the conclusion I will need another surgery. He suggests, if the facets are strong enough, they can clamp some flexible rods to them on both sides that will hold the vertebrae open, yet allow some flexing and twisting. I do think this will solve my issues and allow me to run well enough again. I’m about to go see my Primary Care doc to begin this discussion. If anything, I’m migrating more towards just being a competitive pool and OW swimmer. I do wish there were more Aquabike races, though!
I know how it is. I’ve been a competitor most of my life and to otherwise feel great… well, it simply sucks big time. I’m adjusting by being able to still swim well, but I really do like triathlons.
Hey Half-Speed–sounds like you and I get dealt the same cards. I was just coming off a great year–I climbed Vinson and Aconcagua (2 of the 7 summits) and did Kona for my third time when all of a sudden my right quad went nuts—the worse pain ever–unbearable really. After five days of agony, I got an epidural and thankfully a lot of relief. My nerosuergon says no more running or climbing for me (I’m 57 and have done 147 triathlons and 13 IMs) and I’m trying to figure out what to do about it…
How are you thinking about this?
rc
I am a neurosurgeon… and I can’t think of situation where I would tell any of my patients they couldn’t run or climb or EVER again.
If you want to discuss… shoot me a PM.
After a backward fall a little over a year ago that caused a sequestered disc (think of it like a burst) that also fragmented part of the disc which is now pressing up against nerves that control my left leg. This resulted in muscle loss, loss of some control (even going up a curb became an adventure), nerve tingling, foot pain, just a mess of things. Tylenol and Advil became my best friends.
First doctor (GP) said stop everything. No swimming, riding or running. Had MRI (plural) and got a specialist appointment for six months ahead, (this is Canada after all). The specialist would have seen me earlier if I had for example lost control of any functions (what a nice way to say, pissed your pants). During that time I did a little research as well as costing out paying for surgery in the US (patience is not one of my virtues). Wow! that ain’t cheap.
Turns out from a lot of what I read that the 5 year results from having surgery and not having surgery (assuming you do a little rehab work) are about the same with respect to mobility and pain. Except the bonus of not having someone go at your spine with a drill. Finally saw the specialist and he said the same thing. He also said get on with whatever you want and try not to fall on your arse again. Rehab can be a little rudimentary here if it’s not hockey.
Went back to SBR. Can swim fine as long as I don’t kick (yeah I’m one of those) bike, who knows , this is Canada, have you seen the winter we’re having and running. Running is pathetic, but improving I am now up to sad. What has helped is strength training. I would never dare show the site I use (on ST), but the system is negative weight training. Small weights, simple exercises, big gains, less pain. My first race is indoors this weekend, we’ll see.
Good luck with whatever way you go.