I'm 56, w/m, 6-0, 200#. Have played rec hockey and riding bikes most of adult life. I had lumbar decompression for stenosis of the ligamentum flavum in L3-L4 back on 7/8/2014. This was probably the most minor of spine surgeries. I've had low back pain for ~6 years of varying degrees and issues and I finally went to a surgeon who confirmed using MRI & CT myelography that I have stenosis and it had become a surgical condition. So I sailed thru surgery and did my initial recovery without a hitch. I'm now ~8 weeks post op and I've been bending (mildly, no loading) and riding my MTB around the 'hood for the past 3 weeks or so for ~3-4 miles (staying away from bumps, etc.) The pain I had before surgery is almost gone but I'm still a little stiff and lacking strength, which I haven't really tested since I'm still on restrictions. Probably shouldn't be riding outdoors, but I feel really good on the bike.
Cycling was the only thing I could do without pain for the year leading up to surgery so I'm hoping I'll be able to resume hard road and MTB'ing when Dr. gives the release. My only concern is will the vibration and bumps transmit thru the spine and irritate the surgery site thereby causing scar build-up and possibly eventual return of stenotic junk? That's probably one for my Dr. to answer!
One bit of advice I can give is to get diagnosed early and then if the condition gets to the point where you think you might need surgery, don't wait until you have bad pain and nerve damage to finally go under the knife. My BIL told me he shouldn't have waited and now he as a drop foot caused by nerve damage cuz he waited too long to get it fixed.

L4 - L5 fusion. Back on the mtn bike in 18 days.

I had disc replacement at C5 - C6 this time last year. I'm happy to report that I'm 100% recovered. For those of you that are considering replacement I would hope your experience is as good as mine was. Good luck!

At the age of 25 I was considered a fair cyclist but fell into drugs, alcohol, motorcycles, a nomadic lifestyle and all the unhealthy activities that go along with that. Won't bore you with the details - fast forward to 2014, now 58 years old, clean and sober for 25 years, but had still become so fat and unhealthy I could barely get around to work for a living. In early May diagnosed with L5-S1 bilateral spondylolysis (broken back), grade 2 spondylolisthesis (slipped vertebrae), http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=403700 Partial lower right leg paralysis (drop foot), and various and sundry other maladies. Immediately pronounced disabled and scheduled for surgery. Neurosurgeon says I am very dangerously close to a wheelchair and diapers for life. Mid June: five hours of surgery and sent home with a walker, a back brace, some heavy duty narcotics, a good amount of titanium in my spine, and some very strict orders about bending and twisting. After getting off the narcotics and learning to walk again (physical therapy three days a week) I decide to get the old Chicago steel out of mothballs and start riding again however Neurosurgeon says absolutely not don't even think about it. I couldn't get one living soul to agree with me so I decided to try anyway. Then I discovered that I couldn't even throw my leg over the bike without extreme pain and almost falling down. OK, so then keeping that incident secret I negotiated with Neurosurgeon on a recumbent indoor elliptical cross trainer. I guess since I can't even walk without a cane and have severe balance issues I would probably be a menace to society cycling in public any way. Now fast forward to today I am up to riding 4 hours every day in 60 minute periods running at 60 second random intervals at 40%, 60%, and 75% of resistance with an average of 45 RPM, or 13.4 MPH as per Sheldon Brown's formula converting all that to my bike's gearing, on flat ground and no headwind. I have decided to put the bike back up until next spring and concentrate on therapy, diet, and conditioning on this very pricey club machine. The Wife even rides it now when she can get me off of it. Neurosurgeon used two words to describe the rest of my life if I don't lose the weight and get in good condition asap: MISERABLE and SHORT!. I think I will listen to him and my Wife and physical therapist are great enforcers. I could keep on going but I am going to ride another 60 minutes before bed.

Hello Jackmen and all other spinal patients. After three months and no posts I feel like I killed this thread so I will post an update. Just got cleared to go back to work next week. No back pain during exercise, therapy and recumbent. About a month ago I tried riding the diamond frame again and actually made it about three miles but very painful. Hung it back up. I will try again next spring after a winter of indoor recumbent biking, exercise, and work. But right now I'm liking the recumbent style as I can ride for hours with no pain and thinking of getting one next spring. How 'bout you?

Had three spinal surgeries, two laminectomies that both failed quickly, and finally a two level PLIF at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels, in 2004. The surgery released the nerves for the right leg and its paralysis ended. Back at work from the PLIF surgery in 4 weeks, wore a fitted and formed brace for 6 weeks. Returned to racing motocross in 6 months. No problems with cycling at all, from the spinal injury and subsequent surgeries. Not related to all the abdominal surgeries, or the Kidney Disease and Parkinson's Disease, I have.

Bill

I also have a carbon fiber leg brace that I will be wearing for a while, Doc says nerves may or may not return to normal in my foot. I like to say I have a titanium and carbon fiber reinforced engine but still ride an old steel bike.

My right leg's nerves, thankfully, completely returned, after the PLIF surgery. the neurosurgeon had told me before he scheduled the procedure that he could not guarantee that anything would happen with the paralysis. When I came out from the anesthesia the lack of pain and the ability to moce my right leg told me that the surgery was a good choice in my case. Hope that your recovery is complete, and that you are able to ride, whatever type of cycle it is you use.

Bill

Thanks much!

Lumbar 1 burst after bike crash
 

Glad to hear every one else's experieince. I had a "bad crash on May 9th. My L1 burst. The orthopod said it looked like a Mercedes star after the break and I was in hospital for 6 days and the decision was made not to stabilize the spine with rods and screws but to let it fuse naturally. The attached image was taken after 4 weeks. The image I had taken yesterday (7 weeks) was almost identical and the doc's comment was it will take almost a year for it to fill in naturally. The milky stuff in the break area is actually bone regrowing. The protocol is 8 weeks in a brace which stops me from flexing but the brace is not load bearing. Its called a Jewitt Brace. After 8 weeks I can spend an hour or two a day out of the brace to start to get muscles working again and then after 10 to 12 weeks I am supposed to be brace free. Obviously riding on the drops will be an issue initially but since I am in Canada the season will be shot by the time I am cycle worthy. I will be able to train at our new velodrome but I think its safe to assume that if you want to get healthy you really need to back it off and let your body heal.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=460855

I and several friend have back problems, mine is spondyloarthropy, ten dollar word for arthritis of the spine. Doctors say I will be in a wheel chair before long, I say I am not complying with her prediction. I use a TENS Unit for pain control. Several of my friends use TENS Units. Before useing a TENS Unit find out if it is contraindicated for you because of pregency, pacemaker, metal implants, etc.

As I age and develop new "issues" it's always going to require new exercise routines to prevent pain. Drugs and surgery are a slippery slope I hopefully will stay off of.

I've a bunch of titanium in and around my spine. I hear some have had the hardware removed and some not.

Question for those of you who have had hardware implanted in your spines.

Have you had the hardware removed all, or in part? Why did you? Recovery time after the surgery?

If you have not have not had the rods, pins, screws and other hardware hardware removed why?

OP here, just wanted to report the progress I have made since I originally started this post, several years ago.

As you remember had a micro discetomy om My L-5 -S-1 to remove bulging disc material about 12-23-13. Slowly stared riding in about march of 2014 and got in about 2700 miles last year. Various amount of pain that got less severe as I rode more. I also have tingling feeling in left foot that that gets noticeable if I stand for more than a minute or so. It doesn't bother me when I ride or walk though. Back felt better all of 2014 riding season. When i started riding less due to cold weather in November pain in back started increasing.

In the 2015 riding season pain has gotten more bearable since I have been riding more, and I have ridden pretty hard this year training to do some senior Olympic racing. Have gotten quite a bit faster and have dropped about 15 lbs of winter weight, and can now do 40+ mile rides with my group of riders and average 18.5+ MPH (I'm 56). The more and harder I have ridden the better the back feels. I have ridden about 1400 miles so far this year and have definitely increase my average speed quite a bit.

Does my back ever hurt, yes. If i lift very much I can feel it,but I am pretty careful to limit those instances. I have read several books on Back issues and have really come to the conclusion that the whole surgery pain meds thing is over done, and the procedures done on backs are somewhat over done as its a money making business for the Medical people. The best Book I read was from an MD , Doctor Nortin M Hadler, called "Stabbed In the Back". It brings a unique perspective to the whole back pain and them medical Professions tendency to over treat back issues because of Insurance companies and Workman's comp ability to fund the procedures.

I have switched to a thought process of: I have a 56 year old back that has lots of wear and tear on it, and I need to strengthen My core around my back and be very careful what I do in life and avoid the things that will aggravate it. Over a year ago I was seriously considering a fusion of my my L-5-S-1. I have deciding after doing a lot more research, that the chances for success of fusions are very limited and most true studies that have been done on the procedures have shown that working with core strengthening, and therapy andf just giving your back time, has just a great if not more chance of success as the surgical routes.

I know there are people that have the surgical procedures that have claimed real relief, and I am sure it happens but everything I read say the chances for success are not real great and definitely any better than the more conservative approaches. In the US we all want quick fixes for every ache and pain, and I have come to the conclusion that natural aging causes us to experience more aches and pains, and they do become a larger part of our life as we grow older.

Had a anterior cervical discectomy with fusion at 49. Yes, I had a man slit my throat and break my neck! :thumb: I'd done a lot of research and I found out that after fifty, your vertibral discs are so dehydrated that pinch herniations (squishing the front so it pops out the back) are much less likely. So, that's good. I could not wear a helmet for awhile, but I have built my neck strength up so that I wear it always now.

L4 - L5 fusion and discectomy October 2010 at 71yo.

Cleared for bicycling (and bicycling) and swimming in 13 days. Been bicycling ever since.