[I Believe]

Hello y'all!

I am new to the forum. I just wanted to see what others had to say. So, I've been diagnosed with isthmic spindylolisthesis grade III of the L5-S1 level. I also have compression fractures on the L5 and S1. I guess the thing that worries me is the loss of lower back mobility after the spinal fusion. Nobody has really explained to me how much of my back I will be able to move (flexation/extension) after the surgery.

I dance hip hop (not on a team or anything but for fun) and my doctor says I will still be able to dance after the fusion, but being that he is not too familiar with hip hop dancing, I am still left just unsure. Even up until now he said that I can dance as long as I don't do anything too wild which was a tough one for me cause I like to do some neat moves, but I resisted doing back related moves and just stuck to safe dancing

I know it varies person by person depending on which vertebral levels are fused, but can anyone who has had the surgery please let me know how much of your back are you able to move now? I don't know, it just kind of scares me to even think about fused vertebra and not being able to bend all the way.

Also maybe are there any dancers or gymnasts out there who have undergone spinal fusion?

Thanks everyone!


P.J

Also, just to mention, I am a 23 yr old male, pretty active (runner, hip hop dance), but I haven't done much lately due to my sciatica nerve pain going down my leg. I dont have much back pain, usually just discomfort/instability, but I wear a back brace which helps that problem a whole lot. With my brace I feel much more stable. I usually get sciatica (nerve pain) in my rt leg in the morning.

[tmdanseur]

Originally Posted by I Believe

Hello y'all!

I am new to the forum. I just wanted to see what others had to say. So, I've been diagnosed with isthmic spindylolisthesis grade III of the L5-S1 level. I also have compression fractures on the L5 and S1. I guess the thing that worries me is the loss of lower back mobility after the spinal fusion. Nobody has really explained to me how much of my back I will be able to move (flexation/extension) after the surgery.

I dance hip hop (not on a team or anything but for fun) and my doctor says I will still be able to dance after the fusion, but being that he is not too familiar with hip hop dancing, I am still left just unsure. Even up until now he said that I can dance as long as I don't do anything too wild which was a tough one for me cause I like to do some neat moves, but I resisted doing back related moves and just stuck to safe dancing

I know it varies person by person depending on which vertebral levels are fused, but can anyone who has had the surgery please let me know how much of your back are you able to move now? I don't know, it just kind of scares me to even think about fused vertebra and not being able to bend all the way.

Also maybe are there any dancers or gymnasts out there who have undergone spinal fusion?

Thanks everyone!


P.J

Also, just to mention, I am a 23 yr old male, pretty active (runner, hip hop dance), but I haven't done much lately due to my sciatica nerve pain going down my leg. I dont have much back pain, usually just discomfort/instability, but I wear a back brace which helps that problem a whole lot. With my brace I feel much more stable. I usually get sciatica (nerve pain) in my rt leg in the morning.

Hi. so i cant tall you how much i can relate to what you are going through, like so much in common, i also love to dance (like you, hip hop)its my life and i really enjoyed running, and all of a sudden seems like i cant do the things i felt more happy and complete doing.
I was also diagnosed with spondylolisthesis, supposedly the lowest level. and it has changed my life and i hate it. The first dr. told me that since i was so active and i wanted to continue dancing i needed the surgery and that i could be doing what usedt to be my normal life in about 4 months, it scared me sure, but i wanted to do it right away because i cant do without dancing.
But then, i went with another dr. and he told me that surgery wasnt necessary and risky,and that even if i had it, most likely, i would not be dancing after. He also said, that in most cases you never really end up well after those types of surgery, and that sooner or later i would need another surgery because another vertebra would slip.
I felt devastaded. After i had physiotherapy, and the dr. who gave it to me, told me that i did'nt have anything like spondylolisthesis, that it was just an injury for over-excercising, and that if i took good care of myself in some months i would be dancing and running again.
I feel so confused, of course i want to believe what the last dr. told me, but it seems kind of unrealistic. But i decided to stay positive (even if its hard), and wait and if im not dancing in months, i would do anything to convince my mom to get the surgery, because i want to do anything possible to know i tried all there was to dance again.
If you get the surgery i hope you end up well, and that you can be able to do everything you used to, and it would mean a lot if you please let me know. The best of luck to you, and remember to keep your mind positive, even when it seems impossible (it helps).

[csinghurst1]

I just had L4-S1 spinal fusion with 4 titanium pins put in as well on January 6th. The first week is not easy at all and even after a month I have alot of back spasms as I have alot of muscle in my back. I wrestled for 12 years and apparently fractured my vertebrate and never knew it. I am a very active person and have always been happy and upbeat. However, about a year ago I started having minor back pain and a loss of energy. It got worse and worse to the point of losing my girlfriend because I wasn't happy and couldn't make her happy.

I started getting shin splints and the final straw was going to Voodoofest in New Orleans and I was in so much pain by the second day I could not stand in the crowd. I got an MRI and Xrays and all the doctors agreed it was the worst lower spinal injury they had seen in someone my age. I got multiple opinions and searched for the best neurosurgeon. They all told me that surgery was my only option. After a month the leg pain is gone I still have muscle spasms and pain but that is to be expected still.

I start rehab soon and hopefully in a year I will be able to play basball and softball and be my happy self again. My dr. is great and I would recommend him and his staff to anyone. This has been hell to go thru but the biggest lesson I learned is that you have to take care of your health if you don't you can literally hit rock bottom. I was very depressed for awhile but friends and family help a great deal and listen to your doctors. The surgery is worth it if you find the right doctor.

C

[tmdanseur]

Thanks for this. I still dont know what to do, i dont want to wait too if still i would end up getting surgery, but i gotta convince my mom first!! i wish you the best and i hope you can be able to do all of your activites like you used to, because believe me i understand you! every day i feel the urge to dance, and is horrible not to be able!! so my best wishes to you(= and thanks for sharing

[EWSW]

I am 16 months post S1-L4 fusion. Like you I had isthmic spondylolisthesis due to an old football injury 18 years ago. I wrestled with back pain starting at 22 that progressivily got worse every year until at age 39 I couldn't move because I was in so much pain. I elected to have the surgery and even though the first 3 to 6 months were difficult I would do it again and would have done it at a younger age. I started playing golf at 7 months and have not stop since. Lateral movement doesn't seem to be effected too much but bending up and down is somewhat effected. I spent many extra hours rehabbing to gain back as much flexibility as possible. I can touch the tops of my shoes when I bend over and don't try much more after that. Went bowling last night and noticed that I couldn't bend quite like I could before, but I was playing without pain. As a matter of fact I can say that I am virtually painfree. My Dr. removed all physical restrictions on me during my 1 year checkup. I'm not flexible like I was when I was 18 but I'd say I'm at about 88%. My understanding from my Dr. is that for every disk that is fused you lose 6 degrees of flexibility. I had two disks fused and it has not effected my activities since about 9 months post op. Hope this helps.

[I Believe]

Originally Posted by tmdanseur

Hi. so i cant tall you how much i can relate to what you are going through, like so much in common, i also love to dance (like you, hip hop)its my life and i really enjoyed running, and all of a sudden seems like i cant do the things i felt more happy and complete doing.
I was also diagnosed with spondylolisthesis, supposedly the lowest level. and it has changed my life and i hate it. The first dr. told me that since i was so active and i wanted to continue dancing i needed the surgery and that i could be doing what usedt to be my normal life in about 4 months, it scared me sure, but i wanted to do it right away because i cant do without dancing.
But then, i went with another dr. and he told me that surgery wasnt necessary and risky,and that even if i had it, most likely, i would not be dancing after. He also said, that in most cases you never really end up well after those types of surgery, and that sooner or later i would need another surgery because another vertebra would slip.
I felt devastaded. After i had physiotherapy, and the dr. who gave it to me, told me that i did'nt have anything like spondylolisthesis, that it was just an injury for over-excercising, and that if i took good care of myself in some months i would be dancing and running again.
I feel so confused, of course i want to believe what the last dr. told me, but it seems kind of unrealistic. But i decided to stay positive (even if its hard), and wait and if im not dancing in months, i would do anything to convince my mom to get the surgery, because i want to do anything possible to know i tried all there was to dance again.
If you get the surgery i hope you end up well, and that you can be able to do everything you used to, and it would mean a lot if you please let me know. The best of luck to you, and remember to keep your mind positive, even when it seems impossible (it helps).

Hey tmdanseur,

I just read your response! I got a spinal fusion surgery (L5-S1, with screws in L4 also) at the end of July in 2009! Praise God, I am doing very well now, thank you! It has been almost eight full months since my surgery and I feel great! No more pain!

I completely understand where you are coming from though, with not being able to do without dancing. In september, it was so hard for me to have to watch a dance-off at an event at school without being able to jump in there and participate! It had been almost exactly two months after my surgery so I was not allowed to dance yet and I was still wearing my back brace. In November, my doctor allowed me to remove my brace and finally cleared me to dance again but just told me not to do anything too wild like lifting people up over my head (luckily you don't have to do much of that in hip hop)! I also started physical therapy in late November to regain back my flexibility and my strength in my left foot (which thank God has come back so much).

Tmdanseur, even though people tell you things like three months and four months, just remember that the time will pass by regardless. Do not focus on the time because it will come. Your body needs to heal. Now at eight months, I have already coreographed a new stroll or dance which I started creating in November (4 months post surgery), and I dance at social events and dances but I also remember to take care of myself, take it step by step, and to take rest breaks in between. I am back to walking very fast, but I have not yet started running. I'm actually thinking of taking up swimming this month! Its full body cardio without too much stress on the body!

What really helped me to recover quickly was first of all the prayers of family and friends. Also walking more and more is important. After surgery, they told me to get up and walk around every 45 minutes. I would get up and walk back and forth for about four or five minutes at a time or so. The more you get up and walk around, the more your body gets used to it and begins to heal.

As for my decision to have the surgery, I had seen an orthopaedic doctor who then referred me to a neurosurgeon who had me take xrays, a CAT scan, and an MRI which showed that I had needed surgery (I had grade III spondylosisthesis), not to mention I could barely walk ten feet without nerve pain in my legs or stand bending over a sink to brush my teeth without a suspender brace my dad had bought me. This neurosurgeon also performed my spinal fusion surgery. Now after my spinal fusion, I feel so much better (no pain and more stability!), but we need to do whatever it is that works for us. I don't know whether you pray or not, but if you do, please ask God for guidance on what to do, and then go to a doctor who can discuss with you about whether you would be a good candidate for the surgery or whether you could benefit through another means. Take your mom with you if you can. My dad went with me to many of my appointments which was good because we could talk about it afterwards and I didn't feel like no one knew what was going on.

Best of luck danseur, and also I agree with you about staying positive because you're right, it does help. God Bless you and keep believing! Keep us posted if you can!

P.J.

[Friend2U]

Several months ago I had fusion for spondilotisthesis. I am doing really well from the surgery. I was afraid i would feel stiff, but it's not too bad. It was a long recovery, but followed the dr instruciton and did just fine.

[I Believe]

Hey Friend2U, I am glad that you are doing well! I believe that following instructions is very important! I was instructed to get up and walk every 45 minutes when I got home to recover from my surgery and though it was difficult at first, I knew it would help me in the long run so I just did it. I thank God for my recovery!

About the stiffness, I felt it for the first couple of months when I'd get out of bed, but physical therapy helped it to decrease stiffness a whole lot. Now occasional stiffness is just a reminder to me that I need to stretch a little bit!

Thanks also for the replies csinghurst1 and EWSW!

God Bless you all,

P.J