Greetings
Has anyone ever had a neck fusion? How did your return to the pool go? I am having a single level fusion with bone graft and plate at C4/5. I am not worried about the operation as much as I am about my return to swimming successfully. Don't care about other sports but gotta swim. Anyone have any experiences?
Thanks
Spudfin
Former Member
I have anklosing spondilytis in my C-spine and to make matters 'more challenging,' I broke C-1 last June. Wearing a halo for 12 weeks healed the break (a Jefferson burst fracture w/o cord damage) but C-2 thru -7 also fused quite nicely, thank you very much.
I only breathe to my weak side 1-2x per length and without a centerline snorkel, fly/*** are just memories. Never broke a minute for *** anyway so no big loss. Just keep at it. Remember the human animal is the most adaptable species.
I have two fused neck vertebrae, occurring as a birth "defect" rather than after surgery. (It's apparently a pretty common birth defect.) I can't remember right now if they are at C4/C5 or C5/C6. At any rate, my only swimming limitation is that I can't do forward-breathing fly, because it causes too much backward arch of my neck.* Side-breathing fly works OK for me, and rotary breathing on freestyle is not a problem. PM me if you want to discuss more.
So I know nothing about what you should expect from surgery or recovery, but I can't see any reason why your less-mobile neck should limit swimming once you have recovered.
*I realize that in perfect fly I would be keeping my head in line with my spine rather than arching it backwards to get my chin out, but I am just not that strong.
