Moto And Cervical Fusion

Magic Man wrote:

Who's riding after having a cervical fusion and how do you feel riding after having it? I had C4-6 fused the end of January, now just riding it out hoping to be back on the bike mid summer.

Hey man, haven’t heard from you in awhile!

Magic Man wrote:

Who's riding after having a cervical fusion and how do you feel riding after having it? I had C4-6 fused the end of January, now just riding it out hoping to be back on the bike mid summer.

Wade221 wrote:

Hey man, haven’t heard from you in awhile!

Hey buddy. Was going to email you today actually. How are you feeling these days?

Much much improved ??

Wade221 wrote:

Much much improved ??

Right on, good to hear. I guess it's slim pickings for cervical fused Moto guys, or they're out riding lol.

Wade221 wrote:

Much much improved ??

Magic Man wrote:

Right on, good to hear. I guess it's slim pickings for cervical fused Moto guys, or they're out riding lol.

Had a good ride last weekend, but this weekend nothing is really open

Wade221 wrote:

Much much improved ??

Magic Man wrote:

Right on, good to hear. I guess it's slim pickings for cervical fused Moto guys, or they're out riding lol.

Wade221 wrote:

Had a good ride last weekend, but this weekend nothing is really open

I guess you're the only one on vital so far, crazy.

This may, or may not help. A friend of mine had fractured his neck while riding my nephew’s XR50. He had just learned to ride that day, and took a turn off of our flat track and went down a path where our moto track goes. Long story short, he ended up with cervical fusion and was determined to not be beaten by that XR50, so he went and got an old Triumph street bike.

So now he’s a big street bike guy. Also he plays roller hockey and in our annual tackle football game on thanksgiving. His range of motion is “limited”, but he’s out there playing, and rides his street bike all the time.

I myself, am having a posterior cervical discectomy at the end of March, as me and my doctor agreed that a fusion wasn’t the way to go. Trying to solve my pinched nerves in C5-C6. So I’m hoping to be back on my bike mid summer as well. Haven’t ridden since my diagnosis (last summer), in an effort to “take it easy” while doing PT/injections/etc. This is a pic of my buddy and me, playing football post surgery. He’s the guy with red cap on.

He had that surgery a good 8 years ago, and so far as I know, hasn’t had any complications. Hope that helps. Good luck!

I had C 4-6 done about 5 years ago. I was riding again 3-4 months after surgery. Don’t even notice having it done except i can’t tilt my head down as much. I was in bad shape before the surgery and i thank god and the doctor for where i am today!

jcp411 wrote:

I had C 4-6 done about 5 years ago. I was riding again 3-4 months after surgery. Don’t even notice having it done except i can’t tilt my head down as much. I was in bad shape before the surgery and i thank god and the doctor for where i am today!

Right on good to hear. What led you to the surgery?

I had 2 ruptured disks which would pinch a nerve and make my right arm go numb or be in a lot of pain. It was crazy, it was also putting a lot of pressure on my spinal cord.

Yeah, I had lots of pressure on the spinal cord, that's what took me there. Have any residual nerve issues after surgery?

Zero nerve issues after surgery. It’s like nothing ever happened! How many months has it been since your surgery??

jcp411 wrote:

Zero nerve issues after surgery. It’s like nothing ever happened! How many months has it been since your surgery??

It will be 4 weeks tomorrow. I see the surgeon on Tuesday for my first follow up. I'm still experiencing some little things like pins and needles at times and a little tingling, but no pain. Arms, legs, feet, just comes and goes. Definitely getting better each week.

I had to do some work on an aircraft a couple of weeks ago...let me back up...a couple of young guys couldn't reach/get to an in-line check valve. I did it but it was an ugly thing. My neck was a little stiff but by the next morning I was hurting bad. Finally took some ibuprofen which did help the pain but my arms/hands were tingling. Now (about 10 days later) I am numb from my left ear and my back across my shoulders. Getting old sucks.

plowboy wrote:

I had to do some work on an aircraft a couple of weeks ago...let me back up...a couple of young guys couldn't reach/get to an in-line check valve. I did it but it was an ugly thing. My neck was a little stiff but by the next morning I was hurting bad. Finally took some ibuprofen which did help the pain but my arms/hands were tingling. Now (about 10 days later) I am numb from my left ear and my back across my shoulders. Getting old sucks.

Have you had work done in your neck before?

Being tall, I'm overly paranoid about spine issues and my c2-c5 discs are compressed with one slightly shifting but it's getting better.

I dread if the day ever comes where I speak to a doc about fuse. Spine stuff frightens the crap out of me.

Yeti365 wrote:

Being tall, I'm overly paranoid about spine issues and my c2-c5 discs are compressed with one slightly shifting but it's getting better.

I dread if the day ever comes where I speak to a doc about fuse. Spine stuff frightens the crap out of me.

They've got the procedure down that's for sure, over a 150,000 cases a year in the U.S. Thing is to not let it get too bad as some can get artificial disks instead of fusion.

I had both (art. discs and fused), but I also had surgical complications..??‍♂️

I had C 4-6 fused after a tractor accident moved them quite a bit (lucky to have survived). Been riding 9 years since the accident with no issues. Resumed all my previous activity (Mtb biking, snow skiing, stand up jet skis, water skiing etc) with no problems.

jcp411 wrote:

Zero nerve issues after surgery. It’s like nothing ever happened! How many months has it been since your surgery??

Magic Man wrote:

It will be 4 weeks tomorrow. I see the surgeon on Tuesday for my first follow up. I'm still experiencing some little things like pins and needles at times and a little tingling, but no pain. Arms, legs, feet, just comes and goes. Definitely getting better each week.

Did you have a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon do the surgery?

joe stanley wrote:

I had C 4-6 fused after a tractor accident moved them quite a bit (lucky to have survived). Been riding 9 years since the accident with no issues. Resumed all my previous activity (Mtb biking, snow skiing, stand up jet skis, water skiing etc) with no problems.

That's awesome and my plan as well. Great to hear some good shit from you guys.

jcp411 wrote:

Zero nerve issues after surgery. It’s like nothing ever happened! How many months has it been since your surgery??

Magic Man wrote:

It will be 4 weeks tomorrow. I see the surgeon on Tuesday for my first follow up. I'm still experiencing some little things like pins and needles at times and a little tingling, but no pain. Arms, legs, feet, just comes and goes. Definitely getting better each week.

jcp411 wrote:

Did you have a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon do the surgery?

Neurosurgeon at Barrow's Brain and Spine in Phoenix. I drove from Albuquerque,NM to have it done as I was skeptical of the doctors around my area.

Magic Man wrote:

It will be 4 weeks tomorrow. I see the surgeon on Tuesday for my first follow up. I'm still experiencing some little things like pins and needles at times and a little tingling, but no pain. Arms, legs, feet, just comes and goes. Definitely getting better each week.

jcp411 wrote:

Did you have a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon do the surgery?

Magic Man wrote:

Neurosurgeon at Barrow's Brain and Spine in Phoenix. I drove from Albuquerque,NM to have it done as I was skeptical of the doctors around my area.

Good choice with the neurosurgeon i did the same, orthopedics are for broken arms and stuff. Make sure you move around as much as you can, i would walk on a treadmill just to get the blood moving around and have it heal faster. Give it a few months and you will be doing a lot better!! Please be careful with the pain killers too those are horrible little bastards!!

jcp411 wrote:

Did you have a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon do the surgery?

Magic Man wrote:

Neurosurgeon at Barrow's Brain and Spine in Phoenix. I drove from Albuquerque,NM to have it done as I was skeptical of the doctors around my area.

jcp411 wrote:

Good choice with the neurosurgeon i did the same, orthopedics are for broken arms and stuff. Make sure you move around as much as you can, i would walk on a treadmill just to get the blood moving around and have it heal faster. Give it a few months and you will be doing a lot better!! Please be careful with the pain killers too those are horrible little bastards!!

I was off the drugs by day two, hate that shit. I've been walking 2-4 miles a day weather permitting. Think I've walked almost 20 miles this month lol.

Magic Man wrote:

Neurosurgeon at Barrow's Brain and Spine in Phoenix. I drove from Albuquerque,NM to have it done as I was skeptical of the doctors around my area.

jcp411 wrote:

Good choice with the neurosurgeon i did the same, orthopedics are for broken arms and stuff. Make sure you move around as much as you can, i would walk on a treadmill just to get the blood moving around and have it heal faster. Give it a few months and you will be doing a lot better!! Please be careful with the pain killers too those are horrible little bastards!!

Magic Man wrote:

I was off the drugs by day two, hate that shit. I've been walking 2-4 miles a day weather permitting. Think I've walked almost 20 miles this month lol.

Awesome! You are doing great then!! Gonna heal up fast!! I just remember when i was finally able to take my neck brace off how weird that feeling was. Neck was all skinny lol!!

I had dual disk replacement surgery on 10/30/18 (C5/C6 & C6/C7) and planned to moto again as my surgeon told me I should be able to do it again after 6 months of healing and rehab. The surgery went fantastic, and I have not experienced any of the debilitating pain since. When I was getting ready to go in for surgery the surgeon assistant asked me what I was gonna do after getting fixed up. I told him I was going to start riding motocross again. Being well versed in riding and moto he said that I might want to reconsider(I am 55). He stated that the replacement disks were easily rated for 30 years and that should last my lifetime, but put the g-forces of moto and also the 3-6 lb helmet on my head to make those forces even more extreme, and I could take years off the replacements life span. He said if it is your passion go do it, but if you need two wheeled sports I suggest mountain biking(which I already do) where you have a half pound helmet on and less g's(unless you lawn dart all the time). I decided then(before I went in for the surgery) that it was time to give it up. I know this isnt probably what you wanted to hear, as I had a post which asked the same question a couple of years ago, and got some positive input. I just decided to let the moto go, as we all pretty much have to after a certain time and body wear/breakdown(physical freaks dont count). I hope your decision works well for you, and I applaud you if you continue to moto and if you dont!! I continue to follow moto, as it has been my life, I just dont participate any longer and I am at peace with it. Good luck buddy!!

MXBREWSKI wrote:

I had dual disk replacement surgery on 10/30/18 (C5/C6 & C6/C7) and planned to moto again as my surgeon told me I should be able to do it again after 6 months of healing and rehab. The surgery went fantastic, and I have not experienced any of the debilitating pain since. When I was getting ready to go in for surgery the surgeon assistant asked me what I was gonna do after getting fixed up. I told him I was going to start riding motocross again. Being well versed in riding and moto he said that I might want to reconsider(I am 55). He stated that the replacement disks were easily rated for 30 years and that should last my lifetime, but put the g-forces of moto and also the 3-6 lb helmet on my head to make those forces even more extreme, and I could take years off the replacements life span. He said if it is your passion go do it, but if you need two wheeled sports I suggest mountain biking(which I already do) where you have a half pound helmet on and less g's(unless you lawn dart all the time). I decided then(before I went in for the surgery) that it was time to give it up. I know this isnt probably what you wanted to hear, as I had a post which asked the same question a couple of years ago, and got some positive input. I just decided to let the moto go, as we all pretty much have to after a certain time and body wear/breakdown(physical freaks dont count). I hope your decision works well for you, and I applaud you if you continue to moto and if you dont!! I continue to follow moto, as it has been my life, I just dont participate any longer and I am at peace with it. Good luck buddy!!

Thanks buddy. Being an avid mountain biker, I'll at the very least stick to that. Just gonna take it one step at a time.

Do you have the anterior xray of your neck also? Would love to see how those replacements look from the front.

Which disc(s) did they use? There are a LOT of different kinds out there now.