How did everyone injure themselves in the first place?
 

I was always very active. Active Duty Navy. I was a marathon runner for over a decade. which I am very proud of. I have also been in 3 car wrecks that gave me severe whiplash. Now its adding up. I cant move my head from side to side without assistance from my hands.

I just wanted to get a feel for everyones injuries. I can see most of the surgical work done in the signature portion of everyones profile. I have not had surgery yet, it has been offered, not sure how I feel about getting my neck worked on. Some of the complications that some of you guys have experienced have me pretty scared, I also have noticed lots of failed surgeries. Has anyone else? What do you all think the cause of that is?

I will be reading these posts here, unless the true Spiney's think I should be somewhwere else. Not really sure what makes a spiney----have a suspicion it means you have had surgery, pls correct me if I am wrong.

I hope everyone has a pleasant evening. Thanks in advance for responding.

Falling from tree...20 ft.
diving shallow water...twice
motorcycle wreck..direct blow to pavement with head @ 40 mph..no helmet
car wreck..side hit then into a large tree
fall from roof

I could go on but as all the docs say..."You are a walking miracle."

I cannot pin down one particular thing for my cervical herniations, and other problems, except maybe two bicycle crashes, one rather severe at 20mph over the handlebars and another mild one into a car, which whip-lashed my neck back when I hit the hood with my jaw. :o

My lumbar problems are most likely from a ladder fall in 2005.

My Thoracic, which is undiagnosed, would also be from the ladder fall.

No surgery but have had the RF procedure done on C3/4 and part of C2!

Jyes

Hi Longdogs, first off you are very welcome here. It doesn't matter if you have had surgery or not. You have spinal problems so this is the place. Even if you didn't would it matter? I would like to hope this is a place where all are welcome.

I was injured in a MVA 4 years ago this month. I have had an ACDF C5-C6, rotator cuff repair and wrist...well after 3 surgeries on my wrist it has a mind of its own on whether it will work or not (usually not ;) ) I also have syringomyelia from the trauma to my neck. Now on top of that I have lumbar issues with a ruptured disk and a couple of herniations which I believe are from falling on my big butt too many times. Yes I have vertigo problems also.

So that is me in a nutshell but that is not who I am entirely. I am a wife, mom, friend, sister, aunt...well you get the picture. I am a person with a disease not a diseased person. :) ...Sue

Welcome to spineyland! You are so welcome here, and will find lots of advice, info, and true friends. I am sorry for what brings you here, and hope you find what all of us (at least me) keep coming back for--talking to others who understand, have been through the procedures and tests you may face, with advice, and a lot of care, concern, and good wishes!
I had a car accident in Feb, 2005. I injured my back and right shoulder. Since then, I have had over 40 visits with physical therapists, 19 cortisone injections (15 in the lumbar spine, 3 in the rotator cuff, and 1 in the hip) MRI's, CT scans, myelgram, lots of x-rays, and surgery (fusion L5 S1).
As of today, I am glad I had my surgery (2 months ago). So far, so good! My sister had a cervical fusion a few years back, and she is very happy with the results.
A lot of the success stories move on, and come and visit, but not as often as the unsuccessful stories. So, hopefully, you will hear both sides.
Keep us posted, and keep in touch!
Carolyn

Interesting question, only I didn't injure myself. Nature or Life handed me my spinal problems. I thought a tumble down the stairs was the onset but my doctor said it would have happened, eventually, no matter what. But, man-o-man, how I so much wanted to fault the company that procrastinated in repairing my heater - the Winter I went without heat due to flubs on that new motor being installed. I thought, "If only..." this and that. It wasn't anyone's fault, however. Nature was waiting in the wings ready to strike when it felt ready, and, it sure hurt a lot!

If I could take back one moment in time: It would be the night I went upstairs to get my toothpaste and toothbrush, knowing full-well that my limbs were numb.

I choke on my own breathing at times, and, y'know, still there is the hope against hope it's just not spinal, but my doc told me today: It's my neck. I wanna cry, but... I don't really think I have time (or, I don't want to make time; I don't like thinking or focusing on internal "stuff.").

I do think back, and my mind floods itself with wishful thoughts. The reality is, however, this is my reality whether I like it or not.

I try to bury my thoughts on things I can do rather than the things I can no longer engage in. I'm okay with that. I'm not totally "at peace" with everything, but... given more time, more adjustment will take place.

It's a hard, long, tear-filled road - from there to now, I assure.

P.S.: I truly loved the place my Life was prior to my spinal injury; I felt at home. I'm sorta reaching that place once again. If I may offer? Never give up and find enjoyment in the new horizons you can reach. We don't have to change on the inside... nothing has to alter that. It's just re-discovery, maybe :).

My own sheer stupidity.
I refused to believe what my body was desperately trying to tell me, but instead I chose to believe my father, my division CPO, my bosses, and finally my own ego.
Now, I pay.

Much love and

Lumbar back injury lifting weights way back when I was young and stupid. Now I'm old and still stupid with a bad back. One lumbar surgery at L4/L5 left side. It was a success. But, because I felt renewed and free of pain, I didn't pay much attention to body mechanics when lifting things, such as groceries from the car, 50# of cracked corn for my bird feeders, pushing power mower up a steep hill, etc., I reinjured my back and now live a life of severe pain - muscle spasms, sciatica, and all that fun stuff. I'm more careful when I lift a can of peas or reach for a cup of coffee. Isn't life great?

crity

I kinda think it was when I was about 8 or 9. I fell out of a second story window and landed on my hands and knees on ice over concrete. A dumb accident.... Yes, I have had both shoulders operated on as well. Plus, my mom and several of my siblings have problems with their backs, but I'm the only one with surgeries for it.

My problems are not from an injury, just some awful genes, I guess. My regular docs often ask, but the surgeons tell me that because of the extent; cervical, thoracic, and lumbar, and severity of the degeneration, it is genetic.

My father suffered with spinal problems and it was why he died at such a young age, 66. People always thought he "looked" physically fit, but he actually died from a massive heart attack. I think it was living with chronic daily pain that really killed him. He did not have adequate pain management as most of us do not and I think that is what took years off his life in the end.

I often wonder though if it was the time I did somersaults down the stairs as child, or the time the horse took off and just about knocked my head off as I ducked under a tree, or the old drunk that rear-ended me when I was a teenager, or the time I flew into the air and landed on my butt while skateboarding, the fall down the steps when I tore the ligaments in my leg, I was also an amusement park enthusiast and made many trips to Disney World and lived at Hershey Park in the summer...I ice skated as child so maybe it was the falls on the hard ice...or the falls I took skiing..My list of things I did that could have caused it are extensive and I keep adding to it...but I have resigned myself to believing that it is just genetics...Maybe some of us are just too fragile to do these things...but you have to enjoy life too...

I worry about my kids...My youngest is 14 and playing football against my better judgement..I just do not like football...It is a sport for gladiators....My son is not built like a gladiator...I am trying to encourage him to be the one that kicks the ball for extra points...He is practicing...but he kicked it and for some reason got pains up into his lower back and neck....He was so scared he hurt his spine..I had to explain to him that he is from time to time going to do things in life to cause pain in his body, but that does not mean he will have my spinal problems...at least I hope not....It is in the back of my mind, but we have to encourage them to go out and live...but I wish it was golf or track or something....not a contact sport like football...

I personally think someone has a voodoo doll somewhere and they are just sitting there sticking it with pins saying today ....she will have pain in the....let's see.....yes...sciatica...and maybe a little hip pain...too....HAH!