Anyone who's has had vertebrae fused. A quick Q

ArcticFox

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Hi all

Has anyone on here has their vertebrae fused? I have had t13, L1 and L2 fused due to ligament damaged and compression fracture to L1 (car accident).

Physio has said I can aim to start riding again, building up to sitting in the saddle in the living room, working on upper body strength to help with dismount as well as preparing myself for being able to dismount. Then when I'm ready I can start to ride a sensible horse again :)

This is cool for me! I'm 6 weeks post surgery and was told it would be 8-9 months before I could ride again.

Anyway the reason for this post. Anyone on here any experience of spinal fusion? What in reality was the recovery time? When did you ride again? What difficulties did you come across? Also what about falling off? Hubby has insisted I wear an air jacket if I ride again and I won't even think about sitting on a horse until my fracture has fully healed but I just wanted opinions of what others had experienced.

Thanks in advance :)

Cx
 

athenrye

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Hi! I have had S1, L5 fused. They went through my stomach and put in a coil filled with bone marrow from my hip which was a bone graft.

I rode after 8 weeks but it was more my tummy to heal than my back. My back pain was 5% compared to what it was pre op. I ride in my air jacket 90% of time but mainly due to husband's wishes than mine now. I'm 18 months on and never felt better! Odd twinge but nothing like before. I hope this helps x

Edited to add 8 weeks was not my surgeons choice and was only walk, he agreed 6 months I could ride again!
 

Gorseyhorsey

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Hi, sorry to hear about your accident. A bit different but my brother had some vertebrae in his lower back fused in March of last year and he has just ridden 4500miles off road across America on a motorcross bike with no problems!
 

nclem

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Hello, pleased to hear all going well with your recovery so far. I had vertebrae fused and also had kyphoplasty (I think that's how to spell) to try and grow some bone back. I waited two years before riding as consultant said it would be that long before fully healed, I also took up Pilates to build back muscles up which I really recommend if you can get to it. I really noticed how painful my back muscles were to start with after a few mins riding and even now is sore but much much better now as developing more muscles again. I have been using an air jacket too and they're great even in the heat we've had it's not too bad.
Hope all goes well with your continued recovery and plans to get back riding :) best, Nicole

ETa - re falling off, not done this yet and have to say worried about when it happens, but that may be more because injury in first place was due to falling off. Will see about that one (hopefully not too soon!!) :)
 
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AnShanDan

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No experience of fused vertebrae, but good friend of mine has had serious back problems and surgery. She now does pilates and really swears by it, she wishes she'd started it before the surgery and it might have meant it wasn't needed. Pilates class near you?
 

old hand

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My back is fused from coccyx to top of L4, it fused itself though not operated on. Been MRI'd and x rayed at 50 ( 17 years later) and bones are in better condition than most of that age and fusion is solid, no arthritis. I never stopped riding because our local hospital do not follow up horse related accidents and did not x ray my back when a horse back flipped on me. I went to a chiropractor 10 years later at 33 and , because he didn't know my back had been broken ( neither did I at the time) he moved the bit that was fusing itself and paralysed me from the waist down on my left side. three months of rehab and , pigheadedly, still riding daily - I just mounted on the other side from a fence so I could drop on the horse from above my feeling returned and I could take up showjumping again. Have jumped BS up to lady's opens and still ride at least two horses every day. In short no it should not stop you as long as they do the job properly. They told me I would be I a wheelchair in five years and to do nothing and then at 50 told me it had repaired as I had used it so much. When the surgeon told me not to ride at 33 I asked him why. he said because I might break it again. was it likely to break more easily than anyone else's back - I asked. No he said it will be stronger, so I just followed my gut. never rode a bad rearer again though and do wear an air jacket all the time. I did sell one Grade B show jumper because it hurt my back ( thoroughbred type) and ride large big moving horses as they are less jarring for me. Broke the last one myself at 51. Do keep fit and I find planking really helps mine plus the back exercises that the good part of our local hospital gave me. Still going strong age 58. not bad for 42 breaks in one vertebra!
 

PorkChop

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ArticFox - what great news that you are doing so well - go girl :)

Old hand - wow, you are one tough cookie, with a refreshingly optimistic view :)
 

Meganrose

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I had spinal fusion L4,5,6 in Feb 2014. Sat on my old made who I trusted 100% 4 months later but unfortunately my fusion and three decompressions failed so I'm on very strong painkillers waiting for further help from Pain Clinic.
Saying that I've just decided to ride again!
 

mega spoilt ponies

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I had a riding accident resulting in an unstable T7 fracture.
Hospital for 3 weeks, operation to fuse T7 and put stabilising metal work T5-T9. I wore a plaster cast jacket for 3 months.

I was told to never go near a horse again as my ability to walk would not survive another fall. However ill-advised,i got straight back on! I have been riding ever since and it has given me no problems, and i have come off a couple of times since (sssshh!) i had another operation 18mths after the accident to remove the metal work as the surgeon said as i was insisting on riding again he did not want me coming off with the metal work inside me (you never know where the bits will end up!)
 

northernnewfiediva

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I had L4/L5 fusion in Oct 2013. Back is stiff but I still do just about everything I did before - my pony has never been a reliable show jumper so I don't do that now but I do a lot of hacking, including galloping, ditches, small logs etc. I was six months before I rode. I am slow walking (but have other foot/joint problems) but I get there. It is much much better than before the operation! Take co-drydamol infrequently when its a sore but I know I've been lucky. Sorry to hear your status meganrose, you must be very frustrated....
 

Katie94

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I have severe (50+ degrees) scoliosis with rotation & a lack of fluid in the vertebrae and am in a fair amount of pain daily so have been considering spinal fusion. My consultant (Mr Hutchinson at Spire Bristol) said if I had the surgery there would be 60-70% chance of me riding again. As I was aiming for young riders / FEI competition to hear that was a bit disheartening and I decided to leave the surgery at least for a few years.

However Mr Hutchinson was fantastic and put me in contact with a girl of similar age to me who was competing at 1m30/40 level and had fusion. She was 3 months post op when I met her and was v positive she would be jumping (at home) within the year. Have lost contact with her but you may be able to find her..? To put your mind at ease I also have a friend with whole spine fusion who skis, does fairly mad things etc and has never had any problems.

I think you have to be v careful about it and would prob wear one of those dainese back protectors as fused spines can be unstable & fracture! But would love to hear how you get along and sure you will be fine as yours isn't too many vertebrae! Good luck!
 

ArcticFox

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Gosh just seen this thread resurrected!

To update you, in January I was given the all clear to ride. I didn't tell my consultant but I had been riding from 10 weeks following surgery, the weekend after the all clear I showjumped at a BS show! It took my a long time to gain strength as I lost so much of my body weight and muscle tone however I'm now 9 months post surgery and have been riding regularly. I suffer low grade achy back discomfort but nothing that holds me back, mostly it's a bit achy after a days work. And I'm mostly stiff when I get off the sofa.
I can put my ramp up, tack up (at one point I couldn't put the saddle on the horse) and I'm mucking two out daily so I'd say I'm much better off than some folks I know.

I have been out hunter trialling, show jumping, dressage and have entered BE events coming up. :) the only main change is that I always ride in a point two soft shell air jacket. :)

I've also been going to Metafit classes ;)

The only thing I hate is the feeling the implants give me when I lie flat on a Pilates mat or lean against a wall.
 
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