Herniated disc

[Vl782]

Just curious if anyone else has suffered a herniated disc in their lower back that caused a severe side shift and how and if you were able to get back to skiing. Thanks!

[Wish]

severe side shift??? What's that?? You've come to the right place for advice on back issues. This site is littered with sufferers and good advice. I've gone from almost not being able to walk to running short line. Few things that have help me over a couple decades; know and respect your limits on and off the water, properly using an inversion table..did I mention properly used, get a good physical therapist that understands what skiing entails and works to that goal as well as to teach you proper positioning for various daily life tasks, time time and more time to heal, ergonomics and understanding where and how you do simple things like sit and sleep, and a good back brace for support while healing but certainly when you get back into skiing or strenuous activities. See "New style back brace" thread (BaxMax) but any back brace is better then none. Just don't go with some cheap flimsy thing you see Walmart employees use.

[bojans]

@Vl782

Going back ~15 years I have had to have surgery for a herniated disc 3 times. All 3 were "fixed" via microdiscectomies with the last of the surgeries being a redo of the first one. Surgery and recovery were very easy and relatively painless with immediate relief of my pain .

 

My symptoms were severe pain going down my hip and leg with 2 of the times actually resulting in loss of muscle control and foot drop. I am not sure what you mean by side shift, but if you mean your torso looking like it was severely curved, I had that as well.

 

I was told early on to only let a neurosurgeon touch my back and it has served me well. After all 3 of these surgeries I can still run the course but do use a drop ski to protect my back. I could probably get away without using the drop ski but it is an easy way to ensure I don't end up in pain after skiing. I continued to jump after the first surgery but was told my jumping career was done after the second surgery.

 

Shoot me a message if you have any questions, happy to e-mail or discuss on the phone.

 

Best of luck to you on a speedy recovery.

[sgregg]

2nd on using a drop ski - I put mine on a line with a fishing weight at the end to keep it in one spot so we don’t have to chase it around between passes. It isn’t perfect, but using the drop ski has kept me on the water instead of losing weeks of the season recovering from tweaking it when getting out of the water.

[75Tique]

Not sure what I side shift is, but I'd rely on your Dr for this call. Having had a badly ruptured/herniated disc that I had surgury on, I was going to say if it truly is ruptured, surgery is required. I just did a quick google search and found that is not correct and that some ruptured discs can heal. As soon as my doc saw my xray (or MRI, I dont recall) he was ready to schedule surgery. He said in a lot of cases, rest, medicine, PT....can take care of it, so you got that side of it. But apparently mine was severe enough, he didnt pause with the surgery recommendation. Surgery in october. Skiing in May. Not sure if recovery is really that long but I was in MA at the time, so that was when the season resumed.

 

[34mph]

Yes and go buy a Goode power vest to get threw it for a couple years

[Ed_Johnson]

Agree with the Goode Powervest. I had to use one for a while 10 years a go. You will never need the dropped ski again. Just remember to Heat Mold the plate to conform to YOUR back. Keeps it from Flexing.

 

 

[kurt]

+1 on the neorsurgeon only , do your homework there are good docs and not so good find the best .

Just like boat driving most can get from one end of the lake to the other , but when your the one on the end of the rope it matters more.

DON'T just go with who your primary doc has on their little chart.

I was skiing again in 5-6 months but full strength didnt come back till the next year.

My back feels great now , you just learn to listen to it more and keep it stretched and loose.

 

[DaveD]

I found the book below a huge help. Explains the mechanics of the back and how different exercises will help get the muscles firing correctly to support your spine.

 

Spinal Stabilization: The New Science of Back Pain, 2nd Edition (8596-2)

[Chef23]

I think there are a lot of people on here that have skied after a herniated disc. I had back surgery in October of 2011 and skied that next year. I know many people that have skied post disc issues.

 

I agree see a neuro surgeon for it.

[Vl782]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate all the insight and advice.