L5-S1 Microdiscectomy

[Brett Wiesley]

Hello Treehouse.


After years of progressing symptoms from a lumbar disc herniation I hit a wall last week and had urgent spine surgery with a Left sided L5-S1 microdiscectomy.  Surgery went well, but golf is out which includes a few banner trips cancelled (Newport CC, Old Sandwich, Boston GC, Kittansett, Salem CC, Essex County Club, Silo Ridge) and a few that may now be down to chipping and putting (Ballyneal), (Scotland/Ireland:  Royal Dornoch, Brora, Castle Stewart, Elie, Kingsbarns, the New, Ballybunion, and Dooks).


My requests from my friends at GCA:


Well Wishes!


Success Stories!!


Personal advice from those who've had the surgery on when they were able to return to golf, and at what level, what clubs?


Cheers,
Brett Wiesley

[Tom Allen]

Well wishes and a speedy recovery!

[Mike_Young]

Do what they say when it comes to therapy and get back...good luck...

[Pete_Pittock]

Good luck on the recovery. I lunched my L1 in 1980 and was in traction, then metal braced corset for most of a year. Didn't seem to bother my game, such as it was, for the next 30 years.
Check out how Tiger progresses

[mike_beene]

C5-6 and c6-7  fusion in February. Off golf three months. No problems or pain now.

[Giles Payne]

I had this op just over 12 years ago and the outcome has been really good. I gave up cricket and field hockey as they had probably been part of the reason for the disc degeneration. The relief from the pain was immediate and wonderful.


With regards to recovery, I had to do a lot of core conditioning to provide support for the spine. I also regularly saw an osteopath to make sure that I was keeping the rest of my spine free so minimising the strain on my lower back. I had slight residual weakness in my left calf so needed to concentrate on that a bit as well.


I can't remember exactly when I stated golf again bu it was not too long - just be sensible and listen to you body - start gently and build gradually to a full swing. Watch out far any signs of further sciatic problem and if they occur ease off.


I have been playing golf (walking and carrying clubs) with no problems. I didn't need to change clubs at the time.


Good luck and do the physio!

[Scott Sander]

...My requests from my friends at GCA:

Well Wishes!

Success Stories!!

Personal advice from those who've had the surgery on when they were able to return to golf, and at what level, what clubs?

Cheers,
Brett Wiesley

I wish you well!

I had the exact same surgery (S1, left side) in early May, so I am still very much a work in progress.
(Edited to add: The degree of immediate relief from the surgery was truly stunning. The constant pain from the ruptured disc had reduced me to an embarrassingly childlike state. In an instant, that was over.)

My surgeon took an extremely aggressive approach toward return to activity.
He had me walking as far as I could the next day.  After three weeks, he released me to do anything I felt like doing.
The only PT prescribed is planks to improve core strength and reverse heel raises to prepare for the return of gastroc muscle activity.
That last part is the only big problem: I have not yet regained ANY ability to fire my calf muscle. That means no ability to push off normally in a walking or running stride... no jumping off the left leg... and a very awkward feeling on follow-through of the golf swing.

Return to golf was left to my discretion.
Although I am a raging golfaholic, I frankly had no desire whatsoever to swing anything for several weeks.  Looking at clubs left me queasy.

I returned with putting first, thinking that would be the least stressful.  Turns out it's not.  Lowering the head in that way that is peculiar to the putting stance really yanked on the nerve.

Chipping felt better - and a week or two of that led to 7i half-swings on the range.
From there, it was only a day or two before I tempted fate with some healthy swipes.
Those felt fine, so the next day I moved quickly through the bag, and found no problems that seemed specific to any club.

I have played two 9 hole rounds and one 18 hole round.
Each went well, but all left me with that with a fairly frightening "did I hurt it again?!" feeling for a few of days.  Hard to explain - it's not soreness from muscle use or anything like that.  More like an echo of the pain that preceded the surgery.  Each time, I have not wanted to play again for several days (and that's NOT the real me.)

The dead calf/foot issue is starting to grind on me.  Several times each round, I have aborted my follow-through with a freakish lurch - I must either be fearing a loss of balance or a return of pain.
Lord knows many people golf with problems FAR worse than this with nary a whimper, but those people are clearly built of stouter stuff than I.
 
I still have hopes for the return of foot control. The surgeon says it "should".
It is the only thing keeping me from issuing a full sunshiny smile about the experience.

To be clear, though, I am ABSOLUTELY pleased I had the procedure done.  The pain is almost completely gone.

Oh, one other thing: My scar has healed DARK red.  I mentioned that to a nurse friend - she said that I should have slathered it with extra sun block whenever I go swimming with the kids.  Oops.

[Brett Wiesley]

Thanks for the encouraging reports.  I certainly understand the feeling of being nervous with regard to returning to full activity.


Scott, my wife especially thought the comment about being reduced to childlike behavoir was great as I was rolling around on my neighbors lawns in the middle of the night leading up to surgery.

[John McCarthy]

One piece of advice:. Never use tobacco with any sort of spinal (or orthopedic) surgery in the recent past.  It will never heal because tobacco use spikes blood pressure, destroying the fragile new capillaries necessary for healing. 

[Ash Towe]

Brett,


I had a L5-S1 fusion 5.5 years ago. Not the same as yours but follow instructions to the letter. Don't try anything early no matter how good you feel. Follow any exercises exactly and don't stop doing them.


Best of luck.

[Matthew Mollica]

I'm trying to avoid this surgery, having gone Sept 16-April 17 with no golf. Struggling to put socks on myself, or walk properly. Couldn't jog ten yards.


Great improvement with an epidural, and loads of conservative therapy. Swimming, physiotherapy, and strengthening via gym work. New mattress, massage, less sitting. All this really counts, either pre or post surgery.

[RJ_Daley]

Some 5 years ago I was miserable with the classic sciatica pain, and had MRI showing classic L-5 S-1 partially herniated disc on one side of the disc between the vertebra.  I would play and then spend the next few days bent over an exercise ball to the point of setting my dinner plate on the floor a couple of times and eating in that position.  The MD recommended a program of stomach muscle strengthening and lose weight.  But speaking with other acquaintances who had similar problems and got past them without surgery, many said they were helped with an inversion table where you lock your ankles in and rotate to upside down, then slowly hang for a while and work your way up to doing upsidedown crunches.  The MD said don't have the surgery until you can't stand it any longer. 

Well I got significantly better but not free of all the sciatica.  But, then I also gave up pushing a speed cart and went to a light carry bag on advise of a friend how is in his 80s and walks and carries.  He said that was my problem.  Well, I did that and he was right.  I went a couple years with no pain at all. I must say that I also lost 35 pounds and that had to be another big part of the equation.  I lost the weight as a happy side effect of acquiring the Neurological disease of Myasthenia Gravis and had to curtail alcohol an gave up sugar as much as possible due to meds I had to take.  I went into remission with the MG for two years and had the most pain free back situation one could wish for.

This summer after a slight relapse of MG which required a hospitalization, I have come back to near remission but, although I am playing golf, I am having a less than sciatica pain, but a noticeable burning down the same sciatica nerve path.  But, it is tolerable.  So, I am renewing my upsidedown hanging, and doing some stomach strengthening again.  I is no where near a surgery requirement. 

I realize much of my situation is unique to that extent, but I would try the inversion hanging, stomach strengthening, and whatever other physical therapy you can do, and don't do things that put strain on your back in a subtle way, like pushing a cart. 

Mattie, I know you don't have any significant weight hanging from your gut!  Good luck mate...

[Mark_F]

and strengthening via gym work. New mattress, massage, less sitting. All this really counts, either pre or post surgery.

What are you doing in the gym, Matthew?

[Tim Fenchel]

Brett,


Sorry to hear of your physical issues.  No fun at all.


At the age of 24, with a tough lie in some gnarly rough, the hossel of my 7 iron dug in and a lightning bolt of pain went down my right leg.  A year and a half later, after having tried everything possible...surgery was all that was left.


That was 18 years ago.  It was a good choice.


Now.  That kind of surgery has changed pretty significantly in those 18 years.  I was on my back for 7 days.  Couldn't drive for 2 weeks.  Missed 3 weeks of work and don't think I swung a club for at least 6 months if not more.  My guess is that recovery time is much quicker now.


Given that I injured my back actually playing golf...I was much more hesitant to get back into the game.  And quite honestly...there isn't a day on the range or a round of golf that I don't think about the ramifications of what I am doing.


My recommendation to you is similar to what you have heard already.
1. Get the surgery.  But do your homework on surgeons.
2. Afterwards...DO NOT RUSH recovery.
3. Once you are back to full speed of life...a) STRETCH EVERY SINGLE DAY...morning and night.  b) Keep the core in shape


Over the years I have figured out a few things that just work for me.
First. My hamstrings are the culprit of a lot of my issues.  So those get a lot of attention.  I have developed a 10-15 minute stretching routine that really helps.


Second.  I just can't go to the range and pound balls anymore.  It's just not possible.  The days of two large buckets are gone. 30-40 range balls is about it.  Any more and I risk injury.  This is fine because I just spend more time around the putting and chipping green.


Good luck with whatever way you go!

[Sam Ramage]

Brett,

I had a L4-S1 fusion at 21 years old, about 15 years ago.  Different surgery and problem from yours but thought I would share a couple of things.

I found that in getting back to golf, as others have said, stretching/flexibility and taking it slow were key.  Some of the older surgeries, particularly the fusions were pretty invasive in comparison to newer techniques like the one you had.  However, even with an older fusion it was still possible to get back to playing regularly for me, so hopefully that would bode well for your return to golf.

In addition, I used a pushcart exclusively at first and eventually worked my way back to carrying (took a while before this didn't result in soreness).  I have definitely cut down on the number of times I carry a full bag.  In addition, when carrying a full bag i found the sunmountain Zero G bags helped decreased the load on my back by using a hip belt.