Hi All,
Yes the title of the post is an answer in its self as we usually do get aches and pains following exercise! It'll be 7 weeks since I had my L3 - L5 laminectomy and on Monday I was feeling the start of the same old achy pain down my right leg. Having spoken to the physio and working to my new physio regime, I endeavoured to go to the local swimming pool for some water exercising. I even managed 50m front crawl (no kicking). My back felt really good by the end of today and a bit more mobile.
I came down with a bump this morning as my back is really aching and I've had to take extra pain killers (I have been weening myself off these in consultation with the consultant)
Rob
Rob, this is that roller coaster ride of recovery we talk about often on the boards, unfortunately. Two steps forward, three back. I will offer that your increased pain is very normal following your exercise routine. Perhaps you should consider cutting back just a wee bit if your pain is too much. We all know that increased pain makes it more difficult to heal. Beginning exercise after surgery should bring some aches, but try not to cross that line into such high peaks of pain afterwards. Slow and steady my friend.
Bicycle Accident 6/01: 2 Compression Fractures @ T12-L1; Vertebroplasty; 4/06: Right Hip Labral Tear & Arthroscopic Repair; 4/07: Lumbar ProDiscs @ 3 Levels, L3-6 by Dr. Bertagnoli; 7/02/08: ALIF L6-S1; 7/30/08: Reopened to Remove Bone Cement, Leaked onto S1 Nerve Root; 8/08: Pulmonary Embolism, Double Pneumonia, Collapsed Left Lung, Pleurisy, Pleural Effusion; ALIF Fusion Complete; 3/10/09: right SI Joint Fusion by Dr. Stark; 4/27/2010: 2nd hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions; did get considerable pain relief from psoas release for several months. Now doing lumbar facet blocks for diagnostic purposes. Hoping insurance will then approve lumbar facet rhizotomy.
Or one inch forwards, two feet back! Seriously I started physio in October 09 and I am making teeny tiny steps forwards and it always hurts but its worth it though to get more mobile. Any progression we do is really small and then build on that if it doesn't aggravate things too much.
Alison44 year old female currently -
2010 July - Listed for PLIF L4/L5 - L5/S1
May - Discogram on L2/L3 & L3/L4. Both OK
2009 May - Revision Fusion Op on L5/S1 with Charite ADR left in situ
2008 Caudal epidural injection failed to work. Small prolapse L2/L3.
2007 L5/S1 Facet deterioration
2002 March - ADR Charite - L4/5, L5/S1
2000 Disc prolapses L4/5, L5/S1
Hi All,
Just back from swimming during the 'retired' session wheb its nice and quiet. I limited the session to only 30 minutes today and will cut back on my exercising for the rest of the day.
Regards
Rob
Dear Rob,
Hang in there and keep tweaking until you find the perfect mix of rest and exercise. This is SO HARD is it not?God gave us that inherent desire to move....then back surgery changes all the rules. Your biggest challenge is to find that mix that will give you a baby step of improvement....without going over. I am going to be working on that, too! I am only three weeks post op and just biting at the bit to get going. I thing you are on the right track by going to the pool. You'll get there! Do you find you get tired easily?
Are you able to do any stretching? I got a resistance band to try to do a little bit of upper body work while in bed. I feel about 87.
CD
44 year old female
LBP for more than three years
DDD at L4/L5
annular tears and bulge
PT, ESI, chiropractic, massage -unsuccessful
MRI & discography July 2009-positive @ L4/L5
3 denials from UHC
Enrolled in Axiomed Freedom Lumbar Trial
Freedom disc @ L4/L5 by Dr. Zigler on 2/18/10
Hi CD and All,
Swim yesterday, achy and pains today! Out of 30mg/500 co-codamol to make matter worse but I'm weening myself off these. My upper body is the worst (not used to the exercise) but I have still have the little niggling pain down my right leg that makes me think that the surgery hasn't worked.
No swimming this weekend as I'm taking a break.
Is everyone okay and keeping well (within limits)
Rob
Alison44 year old female currently -
2010 July - Listed for PLIF L4/L5 - L5/S1
May - Discogram on L2/L3 & L3/L4. Both OK
2009 May - Revision Fusion Op on L5/S1 with Charite ADR left in situ
2008 Caudal epidural injection failed to work. Small prolapse L2/L3.
2007 L5/S1 Facet deterioration
2002 March - ADR Charite - L4/5, L5/S1
2000 Disc prolapses L4/5, L5/S1
I'm really glad you posted about this issue. I was thinking I was special in a bad sort of way and getting really depressed about it. I had L5-S1 fusion 10 weeks ago and thought I could do more at this stage. I worked about 5 hours today do fix-it stuff on a house I had sold a year ago on a lease-purchase agreement that didn't work out. Really hurts bad now. I picked up a 40 lb bucket of cat little two days ago and took a day to get over that.
Another problem, no energy. Is this normal? When does it come back?
Low back pain became somewhat dehabilitating in 2005
Have had 11 steroid injections, IDET, Trial for nerve stimulator, PT, chiropractic trial, practically every med known to mankind. Discogram indicated three diseased levels with L5-S1 being the most likely pain generator. Post minimally invasive PLIF with internal fixation (titanium) on 12-28-09 of L5-S1. Doing better than expected. Last opioid 7/9/10.![]()
After three spine surgeries myself, I do notice myself getting "achy." I think this is partially do to the inherent recovery after my last surgery and also that I am just getting older.
JOAT: it is definitely normal. One of the limiting factors is how invasive your surgery was--energy levels really start to pick up for most people ~3-6 months. Of course, this varies but this is what I have personally observed.
I hope you are doing well. :)
-Justin, Spine Patient Society™ Founder
- 1994 Football Injury, Severe Hyperextension
- 1997 Snow Skiing Injury
- Laminotomy L4/L5 (3.7.97, 17 years old)
- 1999 & 2003 MVA (not at fault both times)
- Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
- 2-Level ProDisc® L4/L5 & L5/L6* *lumbosacral transitional vertebra (11.15.03, 23 years old)
- Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli -- www.dr-bertagnoli.com
- 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain (4.08)
- Dynamic Stabilization System (5.14.09, 29 years old, Dr. Bertagnoli)
- Update 12/09/09: Off all medications and pain-free again!
I'm here to help.
Questions? Suggestions? Need help with registering, etc?
justin (at) spinepatientsociety.org
Disclosure: I have no financial relationships with any surgeons, spine clinics, device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, etc. -- the SPS Board of Directors serve without compensation.
Bookmarks