# Spine surgery-microdiscectomy



## doog (17 Feb 2012)

Ive just undergone this procedure for a L5/S1 disc herniation. Im 5 days post op and can manage a 200 yard walk. Im still on Oramorph and Naproxen and have been instructed not to sit down for 2 weeks.Its fair to say I am struggling.

Does anyone have any experience of recovery from this sort of operation and how long I can reasonably expect to be off the bike or even off the Turbo trainer.

It would be nice to read some comments from fellow cyclists who have undergone similar surgery and how long recovery to full fitness took.


----------



## markg0vbr (17 Feb 2012)

i have not had the disc op but had a hip screwed together, i now have some impressive x-rays and a short leg.
i am still not walking much after a year, i now use a wheelchair for any thing over 25 or so yards. but was back on the recumbent trike after six weeks and have built up to 200miles a week. when it is not two cold and i seize up
don't worry there is always a way to ride, i even commute using a hand-bike, they are fantastic for a cardio workout.


----------



## doog (17 Feb 2012)

cheers Mark, nice looking bike....comfortable looking as well. My brother had hip surgery and now has one leg shorter than the other but has made a full recovery. Good to see you are still getting out there,most wouldnt bother.


----------



## BigGee (19 Feb 2012)

I had the same operation a few years ago, following a year of back pain and sciatica, mine was for the disc above yours but am sure it will be quite similar.

I was not given any specific advice regarding cycling, but the surgeon assured me that there was not reason why I would not be able to get back to my previous level. He did advise against any running as a sport though, due to the high impact nature.

The area will remain very inflamed for a good few weeks after the surgery and only after that and the associated localised swelling goes down will you start to get the benefits. I stayed off the bike for a month and then started very slowly again. If like me this had gone on for a long time prior to the op, you might find that a lot of other muscles where completely trashed as a side effect, particularly your core muscles. I did pilates quite religiously for the best part of a year after to build then back up again and then over the course of the year just gradually started to build up my mileage again. I almost had to pretend that I was starting cycling all over again.

I had the op in late december, started riding again in feb and in september did a solo, unsupported JOGLE in 11 days, which I actually set myself as a goal quite early on in the rehab. I was probably fitter at that point than I had been for the previous twenty years.

My back still aches from time to time, generally more so when I am not riding all that much, but touch wood no further sciatica. There are lots of opinions about the benefits or otherwise of having this operation, but for me, I am very glad that I did.

Best of luck with your recovery


----------



## compo (19 Feb 2012)

I had two lumber discs decompressed about 12 years ago. I went into hospital on crutches and walked out virtually pain free a week later. I took things a bit gently for about three weeks and was back on the bike after approx 6 weeks. it was three months before I dared to go back to work though as my work involved a lot of heavy lifting plus long distance driving, neither activity the best for dodgy backs! I have had no associated problems since.


----------



## vickster (19 Feb 2012)

I had a discectomy about 20 years ago, L3/4...I have a 6-8" scar which looks like the stitching on an old rugby ball  The pain after the operation was astonishing - I was in hospital for about a week after the op (3 weeks in all, the awful lumbar traction failed)

I dropped out of uni, spent 3 months lying on the sofa watching daytime TV and annoying my mother  I had a corset to wear too - how things have moved on!

My back has been pretty much ok since


----------



## BigGee (20 Feb 2012)

Fortunately things have moved along a bit as with many medical procedures. As well as having had the operation I am a nurse and can remember when I worked in orthopaedics 20 years ago seeing people on flat bed rest for two weeks or more following such oprations.

Now the prevailing wisdom is to get people up and moving ASAP and people recover better because of this, largely by avoiding a lot of the side effects caused by immobility. The procedure is just about a day stay now, or one night in hospital, a lot depends on what time of day you have the op. It is uncomfortable afterwards, there is no doubt about it, but most people who have had back pain will already be used to that and can probably deal with it with a bit of analgesia. I managed it with just paracetamol and ibuprofen, though in hindsight I would probably have asked for something stronger to take home. I just wanted to get out of the hospital and home and did not fancy waiting around for any other drugs to come up from the pharmacy.

As I said before, I am very glad that I had it done, I am not sure that I would still be working as a nurse today, or still cycling if I had not.


----------



## doog (22 Feb 2012)

vickster said:


> I had a discectomy about 20 years ago, L3/4...I have a 6-8" scar which looks like the stitching on an old rugby ball  The pain after the operation was astonishing - I was in hospital for about a week after the op (3 weeks in all, the awful lumbar traction failed)
> 
> I dropped out of uni, spent 3 months lying on the sofa watching daytime TV and annoying my mother * I had a corset to wear too* - how things have moved on!
> 
> My back has been pretty much ok since


 
I have to wear a corset for the first two weeks  . Was in for 1 night (two days) before a batch of us were booted out -no hanging around. Scar is about 2 inches, 8 days post op and still in a fair bit of pain- hopefully worth it further down the line when things settle down.


----------



## vickster (22 Feb 2012)

2 inches - lucky you...well scar wise


----------



## AlanW (22 Jul 2022)

Just having a search around having just had the decompression surgery done on L4, L5 and S2 and found this old thread. I was up and walking around about three hours of coming round from the surgery, and they don't even have to stich the entry point into the back now, just a plaster.

The good news, instant relief from the pain in my right buttock and right leg and a numb foot. The surgeon said they normally aim to send people home the same day, but as I have previously had DVT I had to stay in a night.

The bad news is that the wait for a NHS appointment is at least a two years, so I had little choice but to go private and I don't have medical insurance either. So that had to come from my retirement pot I'm afraid  

But hey presto, all done and dusted in less than two weeks, same surgeon and in the same hospital as the NHS would use, tell me that's not right???

Its still pretty tender and I have been signed of from work for six weeks, I'm bored already and its only been two days ffs.


----------

