Forums >Health and Nutrition>Neck surgery - future prospects
Hello all. I’m a 58 year old male runner and since age 52 have run many road and trail HMs, 9 road FMs including all 3 US majors, and 1 50-mile UM last year.
Two weeks ago I had neck surgery, a microdiscectomy, on my C7-T1 disc to relieve the pressure of the disc on the C8 nerve. The condition is called cervical radiculopathy. It was not trauma related, just sudden onset two hours after a routine 14-mile training run.
My research suggests that the prospects for running are unknown. If anyone has returned to competitive or recreational running after neck or back disc surgery, I’d like to hear how you’re doing. Just looking for some hope, it’s been difficult to handle going from top fitness to limited mobility. Thanks.
Hi...I am a 50 year old male and had a lumbar microdiscectomy at L4L5 for a herniated disc in May of 2016. Leading up to that, I was consistently running 30 mpw. For most of the next year, I was unsure I would ever return to that level of running and there were times I thought my running days were over entirely. Not because of pain, but limping brought on by the continued lack of sensation in my right leg.
I am now running about 20 mpw, largely without issue, but the limp still sets in sometimes. Lots of patience, some self-pity, but mostly just kept walking out the door. I have had to adjust my outlook and I am really just grateful for every run.
Good luck and don't give up. I almost did. Let us know!
Yeah, well...sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Wow, that puts things in perspective! My surgery effects and nerve damage are limited to my right arm, so my legs should function OK. Thanks very much for that message, and I hope that your nerve can re-generate at that maddeningly slow pace and you can get back to a level you’re satisfied with.