vickster
Legendary Member
I've got a 6 inch scar on my lower back from my 1993 back surgery...doesn't bother me at all as I can't see it other than in a mirror
Once healed, use lots of bio oil on the scar to keep it supple
More real steel...
- Thread starter DCBassman
- Start date
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Once healed, use lots of bio oil on the scar to keep it supple
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Approaching 4 weeks post op, and all reasonable, except for one thing. Losing lots of muscle mass from my right leg.
It's about a third smaller than the left now. Any heard of such an asymmetric thing before?
It's about a third smaller than the left now. Any heard of such an asymmetric thing before?
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
What post op exercises are you doing? After a mountaineering accident my legs became as thin as my arms but recovered mass and strength through the 5 month physiotherapy.
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Nothing specific except walking. Only one leg is getting thinner...
Another 4 to 5 weeks, but think I might call the secretary to pass it on.
There was pain and numbness in that leg after surgery, which was assessed as stemming from L1/L2, which was not operated on. That's not to say it didn't take some damage, as they were working above and below it. Pain is long gone. Numbness remains.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
My calves were noticeably different in size even before I had my DVT. I think it is because the legs are different lengths so I don't stand quite upright and probably do slightly more with one leg than the other when walking or cycling.
Now there is permanent post-DVT swelling so there is an even bigger difference in size.
I had the same experience after over a month in bed. It made me feel sick to look down and see the puny arm-like limbs where once strong legs had been!
I didn't feel up to cycling again for 8 months so I rebuilt my muscles by walking up the local hills. Slow, short walks at first but gradually increasing the speed and distance until I was charging up steep hills at > 6 km/hr. At that point I felt ready to get the bike out of storage!
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Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
The time immobile in hospital bed is illuminating as to how quickly the muscle mass it lost. It is frighteningly quick. Hence why I try and keep active most days, even if some days are recovery days at low intensity. It’s also why many elderly patients deteriorate in hospital after a fall. The time in bed means they lose so muscle mass they never regain the strength to walk again. If you ever have an elderly parent in hospital try and get them back on their feet as soon as possible.
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Agreed. I'm no spring chicken at 67, and it will take some effort to get fit. Just having one leg lose mass is distinctly odd, though...
vickster
Legendary Member
My left calf has been numb since my op in 1993.
Calf half size of other since accident in 2014.
You can lose 25% of muscle with no loss in strength so wouldn’t worry about it.
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
I too have had a numb patch since the original fusion, not an issue. The new numbness definitely goes along with significant bits of muscle simply not working at all. I'll get a message to the surgeon tomorrow, otherwise I'll keep walking!
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Dragged the real steel out of storage, the Trek 800. I'm riding tomorrow, no matter how little!
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Just to wrap up this thread, the muscle mass has not in any way returned, and the surgeon (telephone consultation) made it clear it would not. Rats.
However, it doesn't seem to be a problem getting it fit again, I don't feel any imbalance when riding. What is do feel is the numbness causing a sensation not unlike wearing a support around my knee.
Sure looks odd, though - right leg is only two-thirds the size of the left...
However, it doesn't seem to be a problem getting it fit again, I don't feel any imbalance when riding. What is do feel is the numbness causing a sensation not unlike wearing a support around my knee.
Sure looks odd, though - right leg is only two-thirds the size of the left...
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
An un-wrap-up post...
The ongoing problems: Intense lower-back pain, parasthesia in the leg as before and right across my back, along with the pain, left leg now slowly going to sleep, as it were. Makes it difficult to walk, as it feels rather collapsible, if that makes sense.
Whole spine MRI in Bristol on 7th November. just to see how far the cheese-rot has spread.
BUT BUT BUT cycling causes me no issues. Hooray!
The ongoing problems: Intense lower-back pain, parasthesia in the leg as before and right across my back, along with the pain, left leg now slowly going to sleep, as it were. Makes it difficult to walk, as it feels rather collapsible, if that makes sense.
Whole spine MRI in Bristol on 7th November. just to see how far the cheese-rot has spread.
BUT BUT BUT cycling causes me no issues. Hooray!
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Another update: a further MRI was taken in February this year specifically to compare with the one from Nov 2020. Deterioration. Along with ongoing problems, it looks like more surgery, and much more complex surgery, at that. Bummer. What it means, if that is the case, is that I will have to attempt to get really seriously fit in order to get through it. Not an easy prospect, but it won't be any time soon...
