Cervical Fusion

[Rapid Tourist]

I was just told by a neurosurgeon that I likely need a cervical fusion due to herniated discs in my neck. The fusion would be c5 through c7.

Has anyone had a cervical fusion and is cycling off the table after this? I realize I'll need a lot of time to heal, but hoping I can still ride after this. Anyone have any experience with this??? This is pretty scary, honestly.

Thanks so much.

[pdmtong]

I was just told by a neurosurgeon that I likely need a cervical fusion due to herniated discs in my neck. The fusion would be c5 through c7.

Has anyone had a cervical fusion and is cycling off the table after this? I realize I'll need a lot of time to heal, but hoping I can still ride after this. Anyone have any experience with this??? This is pretty scary, honestly.

Thanks so much.

my wife had a few inverted mtb crashes (flipped off the trail head first down ravine) necessitating a C5/6 fusion. The arm numbness and neck pain became untenable, especially in view of decades more to live.

her position on mtb (no road) is definitely more upright now but she is still able to ride. but that wasn't a consideration in deciding for the fusion - there simply wasn't any alternative left other than live in constant debilitating pain. don't know what her duration tolerance is beyond a few hours.

Even if you have to sit straight up I would think you can still ride. Perhaps it is an e-bike now, but you will be out there.

sorry of your news but this is a one way street. it's not going to get better, only worse.

fwiw the doctor went in from the front along a neck fold. you can barely see the incision scar. doc said the procedure is like carpentry - they get in there, measure the gaps, look in their box of titanium plates for the right size, and screw the two or three together.

best of luck. it is scary but it is a "common" procedure now.

[AngryScientist]

Hey Rapid, no technical input from me, just wanted to offer my support in what must be a stressful scary time.

Best of luck to you. I hope you will talk about these concerns directly with your surgeon and absolutely seek an independent second/third opinion before you get anything fused.

keep us posted, stay positive!

[ThomasAylesbury]

You may want to look into having artificial disc surgery if you are a candidate. I do believe you will barely notice a two level fusion riding. If anything cycling will maintain neck strength. Being pain free is far more important than cycling in my opinion. Good luck.

[2LeftCleats]

I had fusion of C4-6 8 years ago. Almost no pain from the surgery. Started riding 1-2 weeks later (cautiously and short distances). It’s harder in the drops to see forward and so I seldom get that low, but otherwise it hasn’t much affected my riding.

[ctcyclistbob]

About 2.5 years ago I had a cervical fusion done; C4-C5, C5-C6.

Before surgery I was diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy. The first symptom I had was tingling in my right shoulder and down that arm, while cycling and also while sitting at work. After the surgery I can ride without those issues, but still get some neck pain from time to time. Strengthening and stretching do help with that. I really don't notice any problem with range of motion turning my head side to side, but do feel a bit of limitation when looking up. Like someone else said I can't go too low on the bike, but don't want to.

When people ask me about the outcome of the surgery I answer that it's not perfect but it's better and I'm glad I had it done.

Someone mentioned artificial disks; that may be worth looking into to see how far the technology has come.

You may be able to schedule your procedure at the beginning of winter so you'll be good to go next spring. Good luck with all of this!

[buddybikes]

Worth researching: https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/patients/treatments-therapies/cervical/treatment-options/cervical-disc-replacement.html

[oldfatslow]

I had a bike accident which ultimately required a C6/C7 fusion.

I was able to get back on the bike and have three 300 mile weeks in the last four.

Happy to speak to you about my experience. DM me and we can figure out how to connect.

[thwart]

Had a C5-C6-C7 fusion back in 2015 after suffering a C6 'burst' fracture in a bike crash... C5 was also broken but healed sufficiently after 8 weeks in a back/neck brace (broke a few vertebrae in my lower back as well) that it would hold hardware. Titanium hardware. ;)

Thankfully it went very well, and I'm back riding 3K-4K a year.

I can ride in the drops almost as easily as before. Most of the movement in the cervical spine comes from the vertebral joints above this area.

I was advised to be very careful for 12 weeks after surgery (no on-road riding... so I used a trainer and toward the end of that recovery period I moved to rollers).

Some neurosurgeons put their patients in a hard neck brace for that 12 wk recovery period, so I felt I got off easy...

Many experience some swallowing issues after surgery as the work is done near the upper esophagus and manipulation of it is needed. Mine lasted a few weeks.

Short answer... it shouldn't keep you off the bike long-term.

[glepore]

Ask about laminoplasty as an alternative. Had a bad mc accident at 50 and a sci. Didn’t want a fusion at thst young so surgeons and i discussed options.


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[DeBike]

I had C5-C6 fusion in 2007. The wanted to do a disc replacement, but my bone scan showed the vertebrae would not have supported it long term. I did not ride outside for awhile, cannot remember how long, but started riding a stationary a few weeks after surgery. I had a comfort road bike that I started back on, and gradually got back to riding a classic, level top tube road bike, albeit with a higher setting for the drop bars and a bit shorter stem.

I also had a disc replacement done in 2004, L5-S1.That was a longer recovery period. I am soon to be 68 and have ridden between 4,000 and 6,000 miles the past 6 years. I am on pace to top maybe 7000 this year. I do get a stiff neck sometimes, and some numbness in my hands. They both usually happen if I am in the drops for an extended period. I change hand positions and roll my neck every so often. I also stop and get off the bike occasionally, especially on longer rides. My lower back gets sore and stiff at times, but not usually from biking.

Staying active,but not to the point of hurting, is key for me.

[Jimbo251]

I've had C5, C6 and C7 all fused.
At the time I thought I would have to sell all my bikes and give up the sport, or at least have to sell them because I could never ride my pre surgery drop again.

To be honest, it was rough. It took two solid years for that **** to heal. Nerves are the slowest healing thing in your body and I suffered through pretty constant intense pain and on and off weakness in my right arm.

Today however, I'm feeling great. I've no more pain, and although I can't turn my head around like I used to I still ride my bike as much as I want. I still in fact, ride the same drop I used to pre surgery. You will still be able to ride!

Modern Neurosurgery is really good, it's just a slow healing process.

[Toeclips]

Spinal stenosis here 2 cervical and one lower lumbar surgeries
3 associated surgeries and now I after 5 years I'm back to ten miles, one loop around BWI Airport

Go to pt, before and after operation

Get the Miami neck brace, that is better than the foam neck brace

Afterwards the hardware in your neck will cause your muscles to stretch, traps in particular that was uncomfortable

Laying down was hard because your neck is weak, so i used a towel holding the back of your head as you lay down

Recliner helps too

For pain mgmt, after first night I took only tylenol and after the incision healed topical creams really helped

I couldn't believe that after 40 years of cycling I may have to stop, no way, too many people in worse shape than me

The call of the stable was stronger than the pull of the recliner

Hope you get better

[2LeftCleats]

Jeebus! With all the necks, backs, hips and knees, there's enough metal on this forum to start a band.

[Rapid Tourist]

Thanks so much for responding on this thread. I got more former fusers than I was expecting, and you all have made me feel better about this.

I get the fusion c5-c7 next Thursday. Please wish me luck!

My neurosurgeon strongly prefers the fusion over disc replacement in my case, based on my specific anatomy and problem. HE says there's a lot more data that supports a better long term outcome using a fusion.

I was terrified that I would have to sell off my stable, but I'm thinking I'll be riding again. May be slower and I may be stiffer, but I'll ride. And this sounds like the perfect excuse to buy a new bike, once I"m back in action.:hello:

Be well and always always always be thankful for your good health. You never know when things will take a turn. See you all on the road!!

[ctcyclistbob]

Best of luck with your surgery next week, and the recovery.

You'll be back on the road before you know it !!!

Thanks so much for responding on this thread. I got more former fusers than I was expecting, and you all have made me feel better about this.

I get the fusion c5-c7 next Thursday. Please wish me luck!

My neurosurgeon strongly prefers the fusion over disc replacement in my case, based on my specific anatomy and problem. HE says there's a lot more data that supports a better long term outcome using a fusion.

I was terrified that I would have to sell off my stable, but I'm thinking I'll be riding again. May be slower and I may be stiffer, but I'll ride. And this sounds like the perfect excuse to buy a new bike, once I"m back in action.:hello:

Be well and always always always be thankful for your good health. You never know when things will take a turn. See you all on the road!!

[gasman]

Best of luck for a successful surgery and a quick recovery.
It sounds like you picked a good surgeon because disc replacement isn’t the holy grail .

[ColonelJLloyd]

Jeebus! With all the necks, backs, hips and knees, there's enough metal on this forum to start a band.

Ha. I have enough titanium in my lower back to melt down and make bunch of dropouts. I've now spent more than half of my life with an L3-4-5 fusion with titanium cage and bolts around it. I deal with pain all day everyday, but I am very lucky to be alive and doubly so to be walking and have the quality of life that I do.

My mother had a cervical fusion after years of dealing with terrible pain cause by occupational fatigue/damage. Her surgery was not a success and she lived in a great deal of pain the rest of her life.

I had to have my fusion due to trauma and not use/fatigue and it's in a very different part of the spine, but I will say this: Treat the prep, recovery and physical therapy your doctors prescribe as if the quality of the rest of your years on this rock depend on it because they very much do. Do your own research and be the best advocate for your health and care that you can be. Put in the extra work and care for yourself so that it pays dividends going forward. Best of luck.

[dddd]

It occurred to me that I would want to quit drinking coffee well before any sort of spinal operation were done, so that recovery would have a better chance at success.

A local guy here about 60-yr-old didn't recover well from his broken neck mtb accident, so later had to have things fused.
He turned up on one of our road rides recently in unbelievably good shape, keeping up with us on a mtb no less. So his year out of sight following his treatment was definitely not wasted indoors.

Also, if something like this should happen to me, I might ask the surgeon to fuse things to achieve the flattest back on the bike(?). ;)

[Rapid Tourist]

Mr DDDD, why the coffee restriction? What is the correlation to recovery? Glad to hear about your MTB friend.

[thwart]

Mr DDDD, why the coffee restriction? What is the correlation to recovery? Glad to hear about your MTB friend.

Not aware of any coffee/caffeine restriction (thank g*d! :D) but NSAID's are a definite no-no. Slows bone healing, increases chance of a suboptimal result. Tobacco as well.

[Matthew]

My wife had this exact procedure done. Guess my story will not be as positive as the other fortunate folks here. It was a rough recovery for her, especially mentally. She went from playing competitive beach volleyball 5-6 days a week to zero. Mentally, it crushed her. Started a downward spiral of pain medication and sleep medication, mixed with alcohol for good measure. The absolute worst 3-4 years of my life. She has since gotten sober and with a new DR has changed her meds to something less potent, I.E. no more hallucinations, sleepwalking, amnesia, etc. But she has not played volleyball since. Of course, there is more impact with that sport so that is likely the reason she can't play anymore. She could probably ride a bike but she's not into it. Also, she has degenerative disc disease so her DR told her sports were pretty much done. Anyway, it is likely you will ride again in time. Sounds like others here have had great success, and that's awesome. Just be prepared for a lengthy recovery, and Please, Please pay attention to your meds. Best of luck to you!! Matthew

[froze]

I'm sorry to hear about your neck situation.

I'm not a doctor nor ever played one on TV but I will tell you what a doctor said to me.

I had to have my very last L4 and L5 fused due to a drunk driver, but he got a permanent fuse in his entire body called rigor mortis after that accident, so I can't complain. Anyway the doc was a cyclist so I asked him would I be able to ride a bike, he said yes, in fact being down so low was the best place for such an event, but it's the worst place to lift heavy weights so now I'm limited to 45 pounds, but I've gone over that by 25 pounds lifting 12 bags of concrete mix, all I got out of was a sore back for a day. Anyway, the doc said the further up the spine fusion goes the more problem it becomes to ride a standard bike, but the less problems you have lifting weight. I'm not sure how that applies to the neck.

My worry would be with a neck is if you fall off your bike, hit your head, and twist your neck in the process. You should talk to the doc about all of that stuff. If the doc says riding a bike is too risky you could always ride a recumbent bike, so the bad news, if any, won't ruin your ability to ride ever again, it just changes what you'll ride.

[PeregrineA1]

Check out “getADR.com”. My ex-wife had three artificial discs put in in 2007 in Germany with these folks. Half the cost of US (Blue Cross Global reimbursed 100% plus we picked up a bit as the exchange rate improved) and ten plus times the experience with the procedure. Better device than available in the US as well. She is about 95% of “new”. Worth a look.


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[froze]

Check out “getADR.com”. My ex-wife had three artificial discs put in in 2007 in Germany with these folks. Half the cost of US (Blue Cross Global reimbursed 100% plus we picked up a bit as the exchange rate improved) and ten plus times the experience with the procedure. Better device than available in the US as well. She is about 95% of “new”. Worth a look.


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When they did her artificial discs, which I had done as well, but just one, did the German doctors put in small titanium rods on either side of the spine?

[tuxbailey]

Good luck on your procedure!

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[Elefantino]

Hopefully, you'll be fine. I had C4-5-6 fusion after my accident/broken neck/spinal cord injury. I ride as normal; the only change is that my bars are a lot higher than they used to be!