May miss 2011 thru hike

[RETCW4]

In November I fell hiking down Weaverton Cliffs. Everything was good until Christmas weeken when I coudn't put my socks on by myself. Spent New Years Eve in the hospital with a pain shooting down my left leg. The MRI revealed a bulging disc in my lower back. I will know if I can continue my dream after my appt with the neurosurgeon on the 28th.

Was planning on an April 1st start, but might have to wait until 2012. Anyone need maps, The AT Guide (just received it last week) or MH food?

Sorry to vent, just a little disappointed after planning for a year.

Good luck to all this year.

Tumbleweed

[Megapixel]

Don't give up. Like you said, you will know more on the 28th. No need to throw in the towel, or the maps, book, and food just yet. Stay positive, and keep us posted my friend.

[Speer Carrier]

I know you're no longer high school age, so this may not apply.

The quarterback on our high school football team suffered an injury in the third game of the season that resulted in a bulging disc. He was back playing by the sixth game.

I wouldn't give up the dream yet. You may find that a couple of months will be enough to get you well enough to do the hike.

[RETCW4]

Thanks for the encouraging words less and Speer Carrier. Hopefully all of my training will help me bounce back. Will update when I know more.

Tumbleweed

[Don H]

RET,
Sorry to hear about your injury. Did you fall going down the switchbacks coming off Weaverton? I was there in October and coming down with my Scout troop I was a little concerned.

Stay positive, maybe it means just a later start or a SB starting in June.

[Helios]

I am glad to hear a bit of positivness in your last post. Hope is a good thing. Overcoming this injury will be just one more step in the process of you becoming a thru hiker!

I don't live too far from Harpers Ferry. When you are healed up and if you feel like heading out for a shake down hike just to see, send me a PM and I'll hike with you.

I've hiked down Weaverton cliffs a few times. To know that the JFK 50 is run on this part of the trail, and the runners come down that amazes me.

[hobbs]

In November I fell hiking down Weaverton Cliffs. Everything was good until Christmas weeken when I coudn't put my socks on by myself. Spent New Years Eve in the hospital with a pain shooting down my left leg. The MRI revealed a bulging disc in my lower back. I will know if I can continue my dream after my appt with the neurosurgeon on the 28th.

Was planning on an April 1st start, but might have to wait until 2012. Anyone need maps, The AT Guide (just received it last week) or MH food?

Sorry to vent, just a little disappointed after planning for a year.

Good luck to all this year.

Tumbleweed

Chief hope you get good news from the doc...Read a post of your awhile back..Hope it goes your way. you deserve a break and then some in my book...Good thoughts coming your way..

[FritztheCat]

Hope it all works out! Looking forward to meeting you as we share the same start date!

[Fog Horn]

I just got diagnosed with a protruding disc in my lower back and even with physical therapy the pain is intense. They're doing traction right now (where they pull the spine apart to give the disc more room) and I'm hoping that will work out.

I cannot imagine the pain you're feeling with a bulging disc when the protruding one hurts this bad. I hope you get good news from the doc. Maybe you'll just have to push back your date instead. Hang in there, and deal with your pain and your injury first and foremost.

[randyg45]

Add me to the chorus urging you to keep a good thought. I've had back surgery twice (not sure i think there's always a lot of diference, but my bad discs were described as "ruptured") and I still hike, etc.

There's a new surgical technique, too, involving a heated needle that "cooks" the problematic tissue. Recovery time is supposed to be days... might have to find a sports doc; it was developed in Atlanta for football players and the like.

[4eyedbuzzard]

I've had three herniated / bulged disks at different levels, L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1 in 2003, 2006, 2007.

Realistically, you probably (um, almost definitely) aren't going to be able to thru-hike this year. You should be able to do some hiking by summer including with a light pack. I don't know how severe your injury is, but given the radicular pain, you are going to at minimum be in for a lot of physical therapy.

In fact, you should probably already be doing physical therapy (hydrotherapy in a pool if still in acute / severe pain stage to facilitate movement while reducing the strain using buoyancy) using prescribed pain meds if needed to accomplish PT, and taking anti-inflammatories and/or receiving steroid injections. I consulted with my orthopaedist very early on (he does sports medicine and surgery) and ultimately didn't have surgery with any of my injuries but instead underwent numerous LESI's (lumbar epidural steroid injection) and months of PT each time. Surgery was always the final option if conservative treatment didn't work. If you are considering surgery, also consult with the Physical Therapist who will be handling your post-op PT. Ask them their opinion as well. Just remember that surgery has its risks. Make sure the risk / reward equation balances. In my case, I was never going to be able to lift 50 or 70 lbs again and work off ladders and such and return to my prior job even with surgery, so the determining factors became pain management and quality of life. Surgery just didn't make sense as I kept making good progress with PT and steroid treatments.

I do have some permanent nerve damage resulting in a little numbness in my lower left leg, some muscle atrophy in the left thigh, and slight symptoms of drop foot (dorsiflexion), most from the first and third injuries, though the dorsiflexion problem is more just a slight weakening. As to pain, well, I hate to bear bad news but it is likely your back will never be the same again, as in 100% pain free. It will get stiff more easily, muscle strain will be more evident, and you'll want a lumbar pad for driving, etc. But it definitely isn't an end to things you enjoy - it'll just slow you down a bit.

In my case, which was pretty severe (I had some paralysis at some points), I am still able to play golf (I'm a 9 hc and still hit it 250+), hike / backpack, play some basketball, work around the yard and house, etc. - just not as much as I used to. I can't run as fast as I used to, but I can still run. I have to be very careful lifting anything over 30 to 40 lbs or so and especially bending over or kneeling - any position that puts the spine in flexion.

Ask LOTS of questions of your doctor and surgeon and therapist. Good luck with your recovery. And work hard during PT! It's the key to getting better surgery or not.

[Fog Horn]

4EB, mind if I ask a weird question?

With your full pack weight on your back, does hiking with poles help?

Also my doc gave me PT to do at home and so far the only PT I have to do with them is the traction (mine is a lot less severe than OP), but I'm planning on doing the stretches and strengthening exercises on the trail when I thru (hopefully in 2012). Do you do anything of this nature when you hike? I'm betting I'll look goofy but I'll get a better chance of completion.

[4eyedbuzzard]

4EB, mind if I ask a weird question?

With your full pack weight on your back, does hiking with poles help?

Also my doc gave me PT to do at home and so far the only PT I have to do with them is the traction (mine is a lot less severe than OP), but I'm planning on doing the stretches and strengthening exercises on the trail when I thru (hopefully in 2012). Do you do anything of this nature when you hike? I'm betting I'll look goofy but I'll get a better chance of completion.

I didn't originally use poles, but have always hiked with a staff, one of those Tracks ones. But I don't carry more than 25 lbs (usually less) including food and water, so I can't compare it to the old days when I carried 40 sometimes. I'm trying poles for the first time this year. I do think they'll help though, least I hope so.

I have mostly followed McKenzie methods regarding therapy, along with some weight training / exercise, anti-inflammatories, etc. We tried to use the best of what was out there and apply it to my specific situation. I do lots of stretching (30 minutes each morning) and often do upper body push ups keeping my pelvis on the ground to extend (curve back) the lower spine as much as possible. I'll even lay there for 10 or 15 minutes in that position (chest / shoulders elevated using elbows, pillows, a pack, whatever is available where I am if my back is acting up.

Who cares even if you do look goofy doing exercises. Besides, most hikers (especially thru-hikers) look pretty goofy a lot of the time anyway. It'll give 'em some ammo for a trail name.

[Torch09]

Did anyone else read this as "Miss May 2011 thru hike"? haha. I thought this thread was about a centerfold.

Sorry.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Did anyone else read this as "Miss May 2011 thru hike"? haha. I thought this thread was about a centerfold.

Sorry.

Nah - but I'd definitely respond to that one too. Maybe not verbally, but I'd respond alright.

[paradoxnomad]

Sorry to hear about your back, injuries can be tough, i know from experience. Just keep persevering and don't give up. I'm planning on SOBO starting on Katahdin on June 16th. If you can't go NOBO and are feeling up to it still in June I'll be there.

[writeronthestorm]

I suffered 3 herniated disks about 5 years back. It was a pretty devastating injury for me at the time. I had terrible hip pain and numbness in my left leg. I could barely walk at times.. BUT I went to physical therapy and they fixed it. So don't just assume you need surgery. Try physical therapy first, it worked for me...

On a side note. I've been having sciatic pain in my hips/legs lately, which has me really worried about my thru-hike as well. With a March 27 start I'm praying I didn't re-injure my back. So yeah, I know what your going through. Just try stay positive man.

[futureatwalker]

I had a prolapsed disc about two years ago. I'm not entirely clear what caused it - but I had been having back pain after basketball in the months leading up to the disc problem. I had shooting pain and numbness down my left leg - possibly an L5 problem.

My doctor advocated conservative treatment as a start. Anti-inflammatories and pain killers. Could I still go running I asked. No way he said. You don't want to make the injury worse at this point. The bottom line was that, after 6 weeks or so, it would either be better or it wouldn't. Then he'd look at other options.

My doctor was right. After a few weeks the pain began to ease, and after 6 weeks it was gone. I've resumed running and backpacking then, and have been fine since.

So, two points:

Obviously, different injuries might require different treatments, but based on my experience, I wouldn't choose surgery as my first option.

You may well recover in a month or two.

[mweinstone]

ask your doctor about gravity inversionboots or tables or bars. hanging upsidedown 15 min a day can heal this way way way quicker. and its fun. these are the injuries this was invented for.

[Ladytrekker]

Isn't it funny how we think. July 4th I stepped on a nail in the ball of my foot working in the yard. Cellulitis, two surgeries, Iv drips, massive swelling and still left with a very sore foot today. My first thought was all the hiking I was not going to get to do. Terrified I would miss the Florida hiking season which is now. However, sore foot and all I am hiking a 15 mile overnight this weekend just hoping the 800 mg Ibuprofen will get me thru. LOL....I may not be able to walk on Monday but I'm doing it.

Hope all works out well for you but I know how you feel we find something we like to doing its hard to sit on the sidelines. So get better soon.