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-   -   Getting two level mobi-c, surfing life over? (https://www.adrsupport.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13900)

karmicmonk 04-17-2018 11:12 AM

Getting two level mobi-c, surfing life over?
 
Hi All,

First post here, I've been checking out many posts on here and found some great info to use and will be getting the surgery several weeks from now. Haven't found any experiences or accounts from any surfers on here which is what I’m most curious about, wondering if its something I’ll have to give up for life. I used to be an everyday surfer and its partly why I’m in this mess as 4 years back I took a fall headfirst into the ocean floor which I believe initiated the disc herniation. Currently can’t surf at all or do any activities for that matter, for the last months I can only sit on a recliner or in my office chair with head supported…FUN!

I’ve tried every pain management trick, did the epidural a couple times and even paid a chunk to get stem cells injected near the area. Nothing has worked and pain is getting worse so I’ve found a good doctor here in San Diego who has much experience with the Mobi-C device. I’m getting my final MRI and shortly after getting C5-C6 and C6-C7 implants. My Doctor Mark Nelson said that he will be cutting some cartilage in front of spine in order to get the discs in. Due to this permanent ligament subtraction my neck will feel too ‘weak’ to hold my head up surfing. Also if I replicate my previous injury of ramming head into ocean floor I risk disk cutting off either breathing or spinal cord if dis-lodged. Not all that comforting to hear. I believe the latter scenario is possible and will really be scaling back on the risks I take now navigating waves, that happening again is one in a million. The neck being too weak tho? With extensive PT and training can’t I get muscles in front and back of neck beefed up to supplement ligaments that taken out of the mix with this surgery?

My question for two level ADR recipients is: Does your neck feel “weak”? if you had to lay chest down on a board and swim could you not hold your head up slightly for bursts of 5-10minutes.

karmicmonk 05-07-2018 12:51 PM

Seems nobody has experience with surfing or wants to chime in or hasn't found this post. Going under the knife tomorrow so i'll be the guinea pig on that and document my journey back into athletic life later in the year when doc gives me the green light.

annapurna 05-07-2018 03:17 PM

I don't have experience with surfing so I can't answer your questions directly. All I can offer is that there are approaches for building strength and recovering from ligament laxity. Whether they're sufficient to enable you to be comfortable surfing, I can't say. Feel free to PM me if you want more information but it sounds like you've tried a lot of what I'd recommend already; it's just that stem cells and PT will work a whole lot better when you no longer have a collapsed disk.

GKTM300 05-14-2018 04:08 PM

i would assume youll be fine if surgery is a sucess. im racing motocross better than ever!

karmicmonk 05-25-2018 12:55 PM

Thanks for the feedback, at 16 day point right now and already i can see the light at the end. Feeling more confident every day that i'll get back to Surfing.

GKTM300 - I ride moto as well thats great to know. coming up on the hot desert season so i'll be getting the bike ready for October!

nickanderson 05-26-2018 12:28 AM

Good luck with your recovery. I know a few guys do motocross. Hopefully you'll make a full recovery and maybe someday be able to hit the surf gently again. Take it easy, just keep going forward.

GKTM300 05-30-2018 04:02 PM

dude six minths out i cased a double and broke my collar bone seperated oposite shoulder n broke my tib fib and to my amazement my back was 100 percent. i took my one year xray and all is good. i got my full release one year to work. I have pro dsics i feel they r most durable according to the u biased studies

scoop302 05-30-2018 10:40 PM

Just saw this post, sorry for the late reply. I waited 1 year to get back in the water to surf, no swim or bodysurf, although I kept the body surfing under head high. I also have 3 or 4 lumbar discs that are bad. I spent a lot of time stretching and building strength and muscle, most of which I lost in the years after my accident, probably same for you. Not surfing and just sitting takes a real toll on the body. As you know, last winter was really good, and I surfed double overhead no problem. Yes, things are different, my neck is not as flexible as before, my left shoulder moves a little different than the right. Once you get back out there and paddle around as a workout, you can tell things will fall back into place. you just have to work at it. First time I went out, it was head high, little bigger, backside and while it was harder at first, I fell back into the groove. For some reason, left side of my neck is stiff and gets cramps, but, it is surfing, so I don't care. Once you catch a few waves, it will start to come back, you will be good.

karmicmonk 06-06-2018 05:33 PM

@Scoop, thanks for sharing man, that's really good to hear that those injuries didn't keep you out of the water even with further injuries than mine and hope you can maintain it. They didn't assign me any PT but all those muscles do seem atrophied so i'll be looking to do all the stretches and lifts i learned to do before surgery. Never been on a sponge but i'll trade out one of my sticks for one in a couple months and get out there, it does look like it would be less taxing on the neck. Then ease back onto the board. At least there are no waves here in san diego during the summer. Last two winters were brutal watching the swells roll through.

@Nick, thanks for the support. Definitely taking er easy through the summer.

@GKTM, thats insane! the broken leg is bad enough i would have been freaking out over upper body damage. Glad to hear it didn't effect the prodisc.


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