Bruce: Your Answer to Your Back Surgery

Bruce has a problem. It's his back. Here's what he wrote.

Surge,
Help please! I am feeling very nervous. I love to play golf. I'€™m about a 15 handicap and play about once a week, I am scheduled for l-5, S-1 spinal fusion on Dec 17 of this year. It'€™s all the disc about are very healthy, Do you know anyone in the last couple of years that has this type of surgery and still keeps playing once or twice a week. Do any of the low handicaps or pros you know of still play 2-5 a weeks after a anterior lumbar fusion (that'€™s doing in thru the stomach)? I am almost ready to call it off and keep on the meds and deal with some pain, due to fact I don'€™t know anyone playing golf that I can talk to. It would change my whole life in how I am dealing with this if I could hear your thought. Your video instruction has really helped keeping me playing this long w/o surgery. Just would like to know if you have friends or others who have same fusion and are playing well. I want to wait on the surgery for a few years if it is really going to keep me from golfing. I am 59 years old and 5′ 9 '€, 167 lbs and in fairly good shape.

Bruce,
I really am flattered that you wanted my thoughts and opinion on whether you should consider cancelling your back surgery since using the PPGS has helped you to play longer and is giving you thoughts of maybe not needing the surgery and still keep playing golf. I would like to think that since using the PPGS, you have played with less pain to where you are thinking that maybe the surgery is not necessary. This is evidence that your old swing was a definite contributor to your bad back. With that said, I would agree with you that as long as you feel better using the PPGS, I would certainly put the surgery on hold as long as your back cooperates and feels better.

I am the Swing Surgeon and I think that on this subject of cancelling back surgery for me to authoritatively comment would be greatly over-stepping my area of expertise. So, to be sure you get some quality expert advice, I sent your question to my physiology mentor, Dr. Ned Armstrong. Dr. Ned is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist with whom I have been studying and working with since 1985. So, you asked for my opinion and I gave it as stated up above. But I will defer to Dr. Ned. Here is his answer. PS: Breathe easy and relax'€¦I think you'€™ll like it! Here's Ned.

Bruce,

If your medical doctor confirms your leg reflexes, strength and sensitivity are stable, you have bowel and bladder control, and you can perform daily activities of necessity without leg cramps, urgent surgery can be deferred. Be sure, though, any pain can adequately be controlled with appropriate use of NON-narcotic analgesic and NON-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.

A spinal fusion tackles pain and nearby nerve irritation by stopping inappropriate motion of a deteriorating disc and adjacent facet joint. Long term problems can include compensatory stress of discs not included with eventual return of similar preoperative complaints. Combining dynamic bracing with abdominal and back muscle strengthening, and static bracing using a lumbar corset, can mimic a fusion to a certain degree. This is a responsible preoperative test run to see if your symptoms might actually improve before committing to the real deal and its potential operative complications and the added wear and tear on the rest of your spine. Other non-operative options include sophisticated steroid injection techniques around the nerve of the involved areas and the facet joint, depending on the exact source of the problem. Frequently, x-rays and scans can look worse than the voiced complaints and signs, and visa versa.

The lumbar spine bends forward and backward. Some lateral motion occurs, but it is not designed to twist. The thoracic spine above does it all. So you can wear a smallish lumbar corset and execute a golf swing, realizing the torque will be absorbed by the thoracic spine above and the legs below. The corset will also encourage you to bend forward at the hips. Combine this with Don'€™s mechanics and you should be able to continue to play golf without surgery at this time if you have been assured about the criteria in the first paragraph. It is important you sustain therapy for strength and flexibility and, in the meantime , to be honest with yourself about change in signs, symptoms, and your ability to control your pain, not only while playing golf, but also during your daily activities of necessity, leisure and hygiene. Be sure to warm up before playing '€“ religiously. Keep your weight under control. If you smoke, stop, especially if you decide to have surgery. This is not only for your general health, but also as it interferes with fusion success.

Be prudent about how much you play to avoid needless aggravation of your situation. You might use '€œThe Rule of Thirds.'€ If you find you are uncomfortable immediately after playing, or within the next 24 hours, cut your play by 1/3 for a week or so. Then return to your routine. You may find you will need to cut back for up to 3 months or more, or indefinitely. But, hey, it would seem better than venturing into surgery which might require a minimum of 3, but typically up to 6 to 12 months before you could attempt to play the way you want to. And remember, you may never really get back to that level.

Bruce, I hope this helps.

The Surge!