Spinal Health,healing post surgery?advice?

[Doc_Evil]

Having trained (at times overtrained) since a young teen and now over 20 years,enjoyed high contact /impact sports,been a workaholic as a tradesmen in my past careers seems i've done a hell of a job on my spine.Without going into great detail it's taken 3 fusions(cervical) to repair one docs disaster years past.Apparently I have a predisposition for arthritis for certain.I will train again no matter what!Eat well,don't smoke or drink.Am considering for a time using gh as it seems certain we know it effects bone growth(therefore hasten healing) as well as a Calcium and D supplement.Rarely cycle,though if so using only test and mybe deca.Competetive days are over yet i'll be damned i'm done training any similar experiences or advice?

 

[rbella]

Hi,
I used to work in spine surgery and although I don't personally know what you are going through (never had surgery myself) I do have some advice.

First, hopefully you are seeking advice about your spine (especially your cervical spine) from a neurosurgeon. They are trained an extra year in the spine, cord, nerves and tend to use much more delicate instruments, techniques, etc in surgery vs. an ortho.

If you are not, I would now. Also, after the first spine surgery it can take anywhere from 6 mos to a year to fully recover. If you have had 3 then you could be looking at a longer recovery. I assume your fusions were anterior cervical. If they are posterior cervical, you could be looking at even longer.

If you begin lifting too soon, you could cause major damage to not only the surgical site, but new damage to the adjacent discs and vertabrae. Since you have had a fusion, your area of that spinal column cannot flex/entend the way it used to. You need to ease your way into activity so that it is not such a shock to the surrounding members of your spine. If you suddenly start lifting too much too soon, the joints of the vertebrae surrounding your surgical site will not articulate (move) properly and can in turn cause more arthritis or even possible disc herniations.

Not that you can't ever train again, just keep in mind that physical therapy, healing and significant stretching are all so important. Also, it would be important to be on an anti-inflammatory for the arthritis...maybe just even using some advil or aleve once or twice a day will help...

 

[6FULLMETALTRUCKIE9]

AS I'M SURE YOU already know all those anti-inflammatory drugs along with advil and aleve play hell on your liver get a emyzime test done . They say that the back is a mulit million dollar industry itself. I had one doc from JHU tell me that the best way to combat back pain is by working out the spine and redirecting the body core to support more of the bodies weight and as always make sure that anytype of workout use correct posture and form