Hi everyone
After 7 months of therapy injectionsand everythingelse. It looks like im going to go the surgery route. The disk at l5 l4 is pressing on the spinal cord and the nerves are getting clamped down giving leg pain and back pain… there going to shave the disk ad widen where the nerves exit. Has anyone outthere returned from this. I bought a softride to help with theback pain. I dont want leave the sport and im hoping to come back in a limeted way
Thanks
I herniated the disc between l5 and l6 and had a discectomy when I was 18. I’m 36 now and still going. I have to be more careful then most, I avoid speed work and forefoot run on Hookas. I’ve found that bad sitting posture at work and home hurts my back worse then running.
Take it slow for a while after the surgery and do all of the recommended exercises. Trying to get back into things too early can cause scare tissue to build and keep you from ever getting back to doing what you love.
Hi everyone
After 7 months of therapy injectionsand everythingelse. It looks like im going to go the surgery route. The disk at l5 l4 is pressing on the spinal cord and the nerves are getting clamped down giving leg pain and back pain… there going to shave the disk ad widen where the nerves exit. Has anyone outthere returned from this. I bought a softride to help with theback pain. I dont want leave the sport and im hoping to come back in a limeted way
Thanks
Hi Tryguy I have been through something that sounds very similar. Through 2008/09 I began getting what I thought were sciatic pains now and then in my left leg. Thinking it was just age (I’m 60 now) I just ignored it. Into 2010 and its getting more frequent with some tingling in my feet. Sometimes felt they were going a bit numb. Wife nags me till I contact my insurance company who set up a telephone call with their Dr. He diagnoses spinal stenosis but said I had to have 3 physio sessions before I could see a neurosurgeon. Between 2nd and 3rd physiso I collapsed whilst out walking with no feeling in my legs which returned when I leaned forward (typical response to this issue). Next day I have MRI and meet neurosurgeon who tells me I have worst case of spinal stenosis he has ever seen in someone walking and without loss of bladder function etc. MRI showed my nerves being crushed and within .5mm of being severed! I’m blown away by this but he keeps me in and operates the next morning using key hole surgery to open up the spinal column, cut the disk etc. By the afternoon I’m up walking, no pain killers and discharged later that day. Rehab is 5 minute walk x 3 a day but adding another minute to each every day. By week 6 and my return check up I’m walking 10k a day! He then advises me to get back to training so I used rest of 2010 to rebuild fitness and back into competing early 2011. Since that time no back pain 
The key is to accept the surgery and rehab properly avoiding any lifting in the first few months. My surgeon was happy to let me continue a vacation to Japan 3 months after the surgery until he heard I wanted to take my bike and drag heavy suit cases around for 3 weeks!!!
I hear lots of guys complaining of lower back pain which like I did gets ignored because its blamed on long hours on the bike, running etc. Most times its nothing serious but you really don’t know whats going on until its checked out.
Good luck
I suffered a disc “sequestration” at L2/L3 on the 4th of July, 2011. After 3 months of no running (too painful), multiple steroid injections, PT and other body work, I finally gave in to surgery. I had a micro-discetomy 10/14/11. The first 10 days post-op were filled with a lot of horizontal time, pain killers and anti-inflamms, and 3x/day walks of 15 minutes. No upright sitting. I am a firm believer that if you follow your surgeons post-ops directions, you should come out the other side okay. Honestly, I think most people think that they might be “above” or “better than” the surgeons instructions. I watched a lot of football while laying flat on my back, but it was worth it! I was back in the saddle (on my trainer) 3 weeks post op. I also was able hit the Stepmill at 3 weeks. First run was 1/1/12 and it was awesome to run pain free.
I am now 2 years post op and stronger, faster than ever. I turned 50 this year and set a PR in both HIM and 1/2 marathon. Never say never.
So be a good patient, do EXACTLY what the surgeon says post-op and hopefully you will be good to go.
I’m 46. I injured my back when I was 20. Bought a Softride when I was 30. I have had pain in my lower almost daily for over 25 years. Had an MRI done this summer. Bulging disc at L3/ L4. I have not raced in two years. I had one epidural steroid injection last week. I am getting a second next week. I am hoping I do not have to do surgery. Glad to hear some success stories. They give me some hope if I have to go to surgery. I have always heard, “You never have just one back surgery.”
L4/5 and L5/S1 here. (there is no L6…)
Kona qualifier 10 years after the first one, still getting (slightly) faster.
Just take it slowly, and rehab properly before getting back to serious training, and you’ll be fine long term.
Had a micro-discectomy with Dr. Alan Villavicencio at Boulder Neurosurgery Associates at the end of 2009; it gave me my life back, and I can’t say enough good things about him, his clinic or the procedure. Best money I’ve ever spent, bar none - feel free to PM me at gordon dot henderson at post dot harvard dot edu if you’d like more colour.
L4/5 and L5/S1 here. (there is no L6…)
I think on very rare occasions there is actually an L6, read a report about a patient with one somewhere.
My own case, had bilateral discectomies and partial laminectomy at l4/l5 and l5/s1.
I am much better off than than I was before the surgery but I am not sure I will ever get back to where I was in say 2011.
In my own case I was told that since I have been having recurrent issues with degenerative disc disease for over 10 years, I am due for a fusion at some point.
I think if you just had a kind of traumatic thing that happened all at once, your prognosis is much better.
Good luck.
In the 1990’s sometime, I ruptured L4, which really didn’t matter…no pain, no problem. Until the loose fragment lodged itself against a nerve which shut me down completely. Same symptoms as the rest of the crew…unbearable pain, hard to walk, decreased (gone) flexibility, put through the wringer of PT, Painkillers, Acupuncture, Muscle Relaxants before a surgery consult was allowed. I was an obvious surgery candidate.
Fast forward: Hemilaminectomy in 2001 (at age 35), ran my first tri 4 months later to prove to myself I wasn’t an invalid, haven’t looked back other than making sure I keep a strong core - back and front - as I’m waltzing around on 40% of L4. 20+marathons and tris later, all’s peachy, no limits, no issues.
As far as recovery / rehab, most surgery (if you get a cage, it’s another story) involves re-strengthening the back muscles - they atrophe as the surgeon moves them aside to get to/in the spinal column, so you end up having issues lifting things, like even your arms right out of surgery. That’s the bad news. The good news: It’s a pain management issue - post surgery, at least in my case, he said that no matter what I did, it was unlikely I’d reinjure anything - the spine was strong, it was just a question of impact to the rehab and pain. Like the choice to run on a pulled calf or groin.
Last, tiny bit of advice: Look for, interview, and research your surgeon. Get the best one you can find. I was lucky to have Dr. Paul Maurer in upstate NY - the best.
And don’t assume you’ll come back in a limited way. I didn’t. You can come back full-tilt.
Does anybody know of a spine surgeon in the tampa area that they recommend. A little background info. I had back surgery about 7 years ago laminectomy l 4 5 to relieve a drop foot. Great results no problems afterwards. I was able to get back to training and competing. Today I’m recovering from a severe car accident I was in early 2011. when I try to run my right leg feels like I’m dragging it, calf pain. my quad and hamstring feels bizarre. I went to pain management, they gave me a series of cortisone shots and lyrica meds to know avail. I’m sorry if this sounds incoherent, I also suffered a brain injury during the accident, coma and 3 months in hospital followed by year of out patient therapy. I will try anything to be whole again. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks, Mike
I’ll check with my doc. The good ones are a fairly small community. Stay tuned.
There are a hundred threads on this in which many people have posted their stories… I suggest you search the forum or my posts for more information than you can possibly need.
My problem sounds very similar. Any suggestions for surgeons in the Seattle, WA area?
I was looking for a spine doctor in tampa area
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Thanks, any help will be appreciated
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My good friend and training partner had a similar injury. I’m not sure if it was the same disc but very close. By the time he had opted for surgery he could barely walk, was bed ridden most of the time, in huge amounts of pain and popping 100mg of morphine a day just to manage. He was back on his bike very quickly, and while he is still hesitant to try things like skiing or sports with higher risk of tweaking something in his back, he is leading a very healthy, normal life now. Best of luck to you.
If you want to stay away from the knife, look up Proloaustin Dr. Bradley Fullerton.
I was willing to try it befor I took the knife, glad I did.
I was looking for a spine doctor in tampa area
That’s good because I was speaking to the OP. Good luck with your search though.
Thanks everyone,
This has given me a lot of hope. Its been 7 months of pain down my leg and an ache in my lower back. No working out the whole time ,30 therapy sessions, spinal injections and no permanent improvement (injections helped for a couple days). I hope this works.
I had L5/S1 fused in 1998 and then L4/L5 fused in 2009, each time I had 6 months of rehab but back to 100% by month 9. I’m 50 now so not something that shod slow you down in the long run. Just do NOT try to speed up the rehab process. Best of luck!