I broke my back more than 40 years ago and just found out about it!

[sailchef]

After having lower back pain since I was a teen I finally decided to go to a doctor and get it checked out thoroughly. I now have the time to look into it and it’s getting worse. I always thought it was because of stressed mussels and tendons from the heavy lifting I do at work and the extreme sports I have always enjoyed. I have lived with it my entire adult life and just accepted it as my just dues for living an aggressive lifestyle. The last few years it has been getting worse and stretching and exercise haven’t been relieving the pain like it had in the past. So I decided to start the process with my family doctor and had some x-rays taken then an MRI, and then more x-rays.

Last week I finally got to see an orthopedic spine specialist. We talked a bit and he asked a few questions wanting to know how long I’ve had this pain. He questioned the type of sports I played when I was younger. He questioned my tolerance for pain. I told him I could ski the moguls all day and then be laid out flat on my back the next day, and that it was just a normal thing for me. Windsurfing the same way, I would sail, jump, flip, crash and burn all day, until my back was so numb that I had to quit. It has just been a part of my life.

The Doc had my x-rays hanging on the wall while we were talking.

He looked at me and said,

“I know exactly what you did”………“When you were younger you broke your back”

What???????????????

“You broke your back.”


I stood there speechless. I have been walking and talking for the last 50 some years. How could I have broken my back with out knowing it?

According to the Doctor, it happens more than people realize. In boys it’s usually seen in football players, and in girls it happens in gymnastics. I was floored. He showed me a hairline break in my lower spine and said that he has seen quite a few of these. Also, two of the discs had slid forward. He told me he couldn’t believe I wasn’t experiencing more pain shooting down my legs and questioned how I have been so active for the last 40 years. At this point I turned stone cold, got a little light headed, and had to sit down.

I think I know when it happened. It was freshman HS football. I was playing defensive safety and was literally bulldozed over backwards when I went to make a tackle. I went in too low and he caught me with a knee. I heard a crack and experienced a sharp pain. Long story short, I was taken off the field on a stretcher and run to the hospital in the ambulance. The doctors back then (1970) said it was torn ligaments. After a few weeks I was back on the field. I never looked into it any farther. My father, who was also my coach, wasn’t fond of weakness and to complain only got me into trouble. So I never said anything about it.

So now, 40 years later, I am looking at having surgery. I’m 57 and If the stiffness and pain progress the way it has over the past few years I think I could be in a lot of trouble when I hit 60. Figuring that I will probably still be working until I am 70 I am considering having the surgery.

I really feel I need to do this now to get healthy. I’m single, have no family, and don’t have any debt. Financially, as long as my insurance covers the medical bills I think I could take care of everything else and worry about work later.

I would really like to hear opinions from the PP brain trust.

What do the Doc’s out there have to say?

I go back to see the specialist again next week.

[stomachmonkey]

Sounds like you'd be going out on short term disability. Can you legally be fired while on disability?

If you were to start the process while employed you would still be eligible to continue your coverage under COBRA. While your premium would be 100% out of pocket I don't believe they could boot you from the plan.

Hope it all works out for you.

[madmmac]

Man this is all too familiar.

Got fired from a desk job in my early 20's from what they said was due to a birth defect in my back. Union fought it but since I could not pass the entrance physical, there was not much they could do about it.

20 years a United Steelworker and the last 12 years as a software developer my lower back has always hurt. Some days a lot worse than others. A couple of months ago it was hurting a lot more than normal and it was just not getting better like it usually did after taking it easy for a while.

Took my yearly physical and told the Doc, he ordered some x rays and sure enough a couple of fractures. He called it Spondylolisthesis. 2 vertebrae are rotated forward and down. 1, way worse than the other. Still doing the physical therapy 2x a week and my back has settled back to where the pain level is normally at. That is a good thing, normal pain.

I really think I did it in Junior High when I went up to block a shot on a fast break and my hand got stuck in the net for a second and my feet flew out from under me and I landed on my a$$ and head at same time. They were more concerned with my head because I was knocked out for a little bit. But my back started to hurt after that.

I'll be watching this and see if you go the surgery route. I have not made that decision yet but may start leaning that way if I hear some positive results.....Best of Luck.

[911Freak]

BTDT 2x

Back in the day I went through a similar situation. Went out on disability while recovering from surgery L4/L5/S1 (3 m/o), employer kept me on as long as he could, eventually he had to replace me as his company was small.. Blessing in disguise as it led me to an entirely new career path.

If I could have done anything different it would have been to get 2nd opinions from more then one surgeon. They operate, that's what they do.

Take your film, or dvd of your MRI and get a 2nd opinion, please.

What procedure is he suggesting? ie fused or discotomy etc, Once you have that info do as much research as possible on what the surgery entails, removing bone, disc material etc? How invasive is it etc.. recover time? Physical limitations immediate post-op, how long will you stay in hospital 3 days or more?

Contact your insurance and make sure everything is pre-authorized! Make sure you understand your share of cost/co pay/deductibles etc.

What's the success rate your surgeon stated? If it's 80%+ I'd be running to a 2nd opinion.

Why surgery now, to alleviate pressure on spinal cord nerves or remove damaged tissue/bone?

Ask tons of questions about the rehabilitation process, go visit the PT people that you will be sent to, talk to them about preparation and immediate recovery, how to prepare your home for recovery etc. It's only your body...

I could go on and on, but I'll let the others comment...

[syncroid]

No answers for you but I have a simular story. Apparently I broke my neck in my youth and didn't know about it until I had an xray of my neck when I was in my 40s. The guy that took the xray asked me, "when did you break your neck?" Me, "What!" Then I remembered exactly when it happend. I was about 15 or 16 and was diving through an inner tube off of a diving board. Fun and games....until you miss! My dad was the tough love type too. (He was a doctor too) He slapped me in a soft neck brace and says you're fine. (no xrays) I was playing football at the time too. I experienced some pretty spactacular pain twinges for about a year after that. Thank God I never had any secondary impacts while playing football.

[sailchef]

madmmac,

Did the physical therapy introduce you to any new or unique types of exercises that really helped. If i could take care of this without surgery and without taking off from work I would give it a try. The pictures of my spine looked exactly like what you described, two Vert. out of whack and pointing down with a hairline fracture.



911freak

The Doc is talking about a "cage" inserted between the discs, a couple of screws, and a plate to hold the entire thing together and therapy afterwards. I have put together a checklist of questions compiled from your reply. i am going to ask my family dctor about a second opinion. I will get more info and want to be armed with questions when I go back to see him next week. I was a bit overwhelmed when he had me in to read the x-rays.

[JavaBrewer]

Recently discovered that my f'ed up shoulder was broken 10 years ago when I crashed on a trail run. Have had 50% motion since then and 24/7 pain. Getting worse with each rotation around the sun. Sometimes we neglect the obvious.

[Aurel]

I would try a chiropractor first. I would also take joint health supplements such as chondroitin+msm to loosen things up and see if that helps. Surgery would be the very last recourse. I live with a few damaged discs...

[sailchef]

Aurel

I have been using a chiropractor off and on since 1986. Back then I had a lot of sharp pain in my legs and couldn't sit still for more than a few seconds. The first chiro I went to was a doctor in Hawaii that I felt was one of the best, he educated his patients and made you sit thru a class before he would work on you. The Chiro made it easier to deal with the pain. That and a lot of stretching, and working out to strengthen my stomach muscles. there was a 10 year period when I was addicted to Chiropractors, I feel that now they don't provide the same results as when I was younger.

I've been drinking Aloe Vera juice for several years now. It helps most of my other joints but does nothing for my back.

I really don't want the surgery but will do it if there are no alternatives. I will ask about the chondroitin.

[madmmac]

I do a lot of stretching, torso twists, modified leg lifts, heat, ice, massage and am going to give acupuncture a try. At therapy they are doing ultrasound, infared, and some small traction moves.

I have a EMPI tens machine and it does help a lot with the spasms and give quite a bit of relief. I wear it most of the time, most of the day. It fits under your clothes and you can get it down to your low back. I would highly recommend you try one. Empi Products

My Doctor said absolutely do not go to a chiropractor for my back issue. On a level to 5, with 5 the worst, mine is rated at 3 to 4.

No amount of therapy is going to move the vertebra back into place.

Dr. Carlo Bellabarba is the Doctor that has came highly recommended from more than a few people. Here is explaining different procedures for surgery....less invasive. It is pretty informative. Optimal Surgical Treatment of Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis - UWTV.org

I feel your pain. Hang in there.

[Jim Bremner]

4 years ago I CRUSHED T-10 to 1/2 of it's height. I was 6'2" and now I'm 6'

Stretching is the best thing that has worked for me. Hot shower, stretch.

I'm about to turn 45. I miss the extra 2" that I had. I miss days with out pain.

sitting too ;ong is a bad thing. I also broke the calcanius of my right foot off and blew a bone out on the side of the ankle at the same time.

I will never live in snow country.

F' pain.

[porsche4life]

You guys that are wondering about exercises, or a chiropractor? Get yourself in to see a GOOD PT. I'm fixing to start my second round of treatment for back issues. Last year it was lower back, this year it is upper. Discovering with all my activity, that I got screwed by genetics, and my back keeps getting bent out of shape....

[Joeaksa]

If you are really worried about your employer and their reaction, you might delete this thread. Am guessing that there are not that many people with a 1980 911 in Lewes DE who works at a hotel... search engines are very good these days.

I used celebrex for many years to take care of back/next issues. Have not stopped it except possibly one capsule a month. Now taking over the counter meds that are doing just as well.

[sailchef]

Joeaksa,

Thanks, I made a few changes in the content of my post. I will ask my family doctor about celebrex. Right now the Doc has me on Tramadol, It takes care of the pain but isn't a permanent fix.


madmmac,

I was using magnets for a while and they seemed to help the pain quite a bit. I think my biggest problem is getting a routine together and sticking to it. I feel great for a couple days or a week and will slack off on the excercise.

How about these inversion tables? has anyone ever used one?

There's been a lot of advice here. I am making a checklist of recomendations. I will be looking into all of them.

[MJHanna]

Prescriptions anti-inflammatories are your friend. Ask about doing a Facet Rhizotomy. They are good for 18-24 months . It can reduce the pain without major surgery. When you get to the point of no return due get a second opinion. Look for a neurosurgeon. Not sure what kind of surgery they are proposing right now. If it’s fusing make sure you understand how they want to do it. On mine they told me they would go in the front, move everything over cut, screw, then flip you over and place the hardware in on the back side. Ask about the “team” it’s more than just the surgeon. I just had it done in November 2010. I’m off all meds, pain pill, muscle relaxers etc. You have to work on it and do as they say after the surgery or you will screw it up royally. I was back to work in seven weeks. Right before I had mine I was so bad small stuff would set me off. I even picked on poor Sidney which I still feel bad about. PM me if you want more info. The more you understand BEFORE the better off you will be.