Hi Everyone,
I have been diagnosed with a spinal tumor in the L5-S1 region. Likely, it's benign but will need to be removed surgically. :afraid:
Swimming is my life and my love... it has always been my fallback activity to cure whatever ails me. And, on top of it all... the Masters Team I swim with has never been more engaged and my level of swimming never more intense. :bliss:
Has anyone here had any experience with getting back into the pool after a serious back surgury as this?
Any advice encouragement or wisdom is greatly appreciated.:bow:
Parents
Former Member
swimnfit,
I had a microdiscectomy in the fall of 2006 at L5/S1. I went in for surgery because of a large rupture in my disc causing numbness and lack of control of my left leg.
The surgery was actually what got me back in the pool. I was told that I needed to be physically active following my surgery and the docs suggested swimming. Since I swam in my youth, I figured swimming was better than the alternatives.
I was in the water as soon as my stitches were out and was doing flip turns about 2 weeks after I got back in the water (albeit very cautiously). By February, I swam my first meet and by April, I was swimming without fear of reinjury.
You shouldn't worry; you'll be back to swimming in no time!
MIKE... I wasn't paraphrasing you so much about 'swimming in no time', and I know some people have worse situations. I had been through every hospital in Boston and had the first surgery at Harvard -wondering where you had yours up in Mass.
swimnfit,
I had a microdiscectomy in the fall of 2006 at L5/S1. I went in for surgery because of a large rupture in my disc causing numbness and lack of control of my left leg.
The surgery was actually what got me back in the pool. I was told that I needed to be physically active following my surgery and the docs suggested swimming. Since I swam in my youth, I figured swimming was better than the alternatives.
I was in the water as soon as my stitches were out and was doing flip turns about 2 weeks after I got back in the water (albeit very cautiously). By February, I swam my first meet and by April, I was swimming without fear of reinjury.
You shouldn't worry; you'll be back to swimming in no time!
MIKE... I wasn't paraphrasing you so much about 'swimming in no time', and I know some people have worse situations. I had been through every hospital in Boston and had the first surgery at Harvard -wondering where you had yours up in Mass.
