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Aches & pains following exercise

This is a discussion on Aches & pains following exercise within the Spine Patient Support: Body, Mind & Spirit forums, part of the Social and Support Forums category; Hi All, Yes the title of the post is an answer in its self as we usually do get aches ...

  1. #1
    Junior Member Rob at home's Avatar
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    Default Aches & pains following exercise

    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

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    Moderator Cindylou's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aches & pains following exercise

    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.
    • January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
    • June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
    • April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
    • April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
    • July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
    • July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
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    Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
    July 18, 2011

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    Senior Member ajj1001's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aches & pains following exercise

    Quote Originally Posted by Cindylou View Post
    Two steps forward, three back. I will offer that your increased pain is very normal following your exercise routine.
    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.
    Alison 46 year old female
    2011 Aug PLIF L4/L5 - L5/S1 both adr in situ
    2010 May - Discogram on L2/L3 & L3/L4, neither pain generators
    2009 May - Failed revision fusion on L5/S1 with Charite ADR in situ
    2008 Caudal epidural exacerbated nerve symptoms. Prolapse L2/L3
    2007 L5/S1 Facet deterioration
    Brilliant 5 years, no pain only minor motor problems and residual nerve damage
    2002 March - ADR Charite - L4/5, L5/S1
    2000 Disc prolapses L4/5, L5/S1

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    Junior Member Rob at home's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aches & pains following exercise

    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

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    Default Re: Aches & pains following exercise

    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

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    Junior Member Rob at home's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aches & pains following exercise

    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

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    Senior Member ajj1001's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aches & pains following exercise

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob at home View Post
    I have still have the little niggling pain down my right leg that makes me think that the surgery hasn't worked.
    ... even when surgery has worked it can leave our bodies very annoyed at being messed with. My left leg nerve is still upset with me from surgery last May . It can be a real long haul.
    Alison 46 year old female
    2011 Aug PLIF L4/L5 - L5/S1 both adr in situ
    2010 May - Discogram on L2/L3 & L3/L4, neither pain generators
    2009 May - Failed revision fusion on L5/S1 with Charite ADR in situ
    2008 Caudal epidural exacerbated nerve symptoms. Prolapse L2/L3
    2007 L5/S1 Facet deterioration
    Brilliant 5 years, no pain only minor motor problems and residual nerve damage
    2002 March - ADR Charite - L4/5, L5/S1
    2000 Disc prolapses L4/5, L5/S1

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    Senior Member Jack-of-all-trades's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aches & pains following exercise

    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. Five months pain free, then my neck turned against me. MRI on 12/1/10-- disease at C2 to C7. Only surgical alternative is to fuse entire C-spine. Diagnosed now with Aggressive Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis with cord & brainstem active lesions

  9. #9
    Founder / Administrator Justin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aches & pains following exercise

    Quote Originally Posted by Jack-of-all-trades View Post
    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?
    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 Averna
    Founder & President, Spine Patient Society™
    www.SpinePatientSociety.org
    A 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Nonprofit & Charitable Organization

    • 1994: Football Injury, Severe Hyperextension
    • 1997: Snow Skiing Injury
    • 3/7/1997, 17 years old: Laminotomy L4/L5
    • 1999 & 2003: Motor Vehicle Accidents (not at fault both times) --> Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
    • 11/15/2003, 23 years old: 2-Level ProDisc® L4/L5 & L5/L6*, *lumbosacral transitional vertebra --> Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    • 4/2008: 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain
    • 5/14/2009, 29 years old: Dynamic Stabilization System L4/L5, Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    I'm here to help.
    Questions? Suggestions? Need help with registering, creating a signature, 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.

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