[jgvesely]

Hi all,

I have been addictively reading this website for the last couple months but this is my first time posting.

First of all, I want to say how grateful I am for this site. I have learned so much and I'm so happy that Harrison created the site and continues to keep it running. After all I've read, I'm excited about the possibility of getting ADR!!

I have been dealing with orthopedic problems since 1992 and below is the history of my back and neck problems that I have sent to some surgeons. I realize it's a bit long, so I understand if you don't make it all the way to the end but perhaps some of you will relate to my experiences and symptoms.

From adolescence to my early 20s, I trained to be a dancer. In 1992, I was in a car accident. I was at the end of a highway off ramp and I was at a stop trying to yield with traffic. I was hit hard from behind. When I was hit, my neck was turned all the way to the left. I also was in a hatchback car so there was no trunk to absorb the impact. The next morning, I was in tremendous pain in my neck and upper back on both sides but it was stronger on the left. The pain persisted for many years although over the years it lessened. (I still have neck, upper back, and arm pain. This happens especially when I use the computer mouse). I got a lot of conservative treatment for this injury.

After about 1 ½ years after the accident, I felt well enough to start dancing again. I got a job teaching and choreographing dance and for the next 5 years, I taught 10 o 15 classes a week, choreographed a lot, and performed dance. Then one day, in dance class, I demonstrated a leap. When I landed, I felt pain in my lower back for the first time. I had a couple more classes to teach that day and by the end of the day, my lower back was in major pain.

Since then, my lower back has been a bigger problem than my neck and upper back. I have gotten a lot of physical therapy, chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, and more for my back. I got an IDET procedure (a heated catheter in my L4 L5 and L5 S1 discs). I also got multiple arthroscopic surgeries in 2001. None of these helped much, so in 2002, I completely quit dancing and became a realtor full-time.

When I stop dancing, it definitely diminished my chronic pain but I was still very limited. In 2010 (during the recession), I started teaching movement to seniors. In 2011, I seriously injured my lower back as a result of doing this. It hurt a lot to put weight on my left leg so for about a year, I couldn’t walk without a lot of Hydrocodone. I got lots of PRP and stem cell injections into the ligaments and soft tissue in my back. This helped, but I’m still very limited in terms of functioning and I have a lot of intermittent pain in my lower back and groin area. The pain is typically on one side but over the years, different sides have predominated at different times. I also sometimes get achiness in my neck, shoulder blades, shoulders, and down my arms. I noticed this happens especially when I use the computer mouse.

Activities and movements that increase my lower back and groin pain: Lifting is the worst! For the last 19 years, even lifting a glass of water can cause me immediate lower back and groin pain. Also, leaning to one side, twisting, arching my back, wearing shoes with any heels, using a car steering wheel unless it has zero resistance, and many exercise activities have been hard for the last 19 years. Since 2011 (when I reinjured my back), pulling (doors, drawers, etc.) has been a big problem. Also, standing on one leg really bothers the side of the lower back that corresponds with the leg I’m standing on. Using stairs, standing on the balls of my feet, and bending forward (it hurts to put on my own boots), have all been problematic since around 2011. For the past few months, I have been having trouble using the accelerator on my car because it bothers my lower back on the right side.

If you've made it this far, thank you! I'm very excited about ADR and have already heard from the Texas Back Institute that I am a candidate.

I look forward to corresponding with all of you on this website and I wish you all a beautiful day.