Back Sugery and shooting again

[Pump Gun Pimp]

I am getting ready to get Disc surgery in my lower back. Has anyone out there had this done and I guess what my question is - how long was it before you could shoot again?

 

[RyanM]

Depends on what kind of shooting. I've never had back surgery (but I do have a really bad back), but I'd say you could probably shoot a .22 pistol, sitting, from a rest, as soon as you can get out of bed by yourself.

 

[Pump Gun Pimp]

Shooting rifle ... 243, 308, and 50 BPowder

 

[220_Swift]

I just had a laminectomy and fusion in L4-L5 4 weeks ago today. I know that right now shooting is not an option for me. It will really depend on you though and how bad your situation is. My father in law had a laminectomy a few years ago and he walked out of the hosptal the next day with no pain. On the other hand, I was wheeled out in a wheel chair in a lot of pain.

I would also suggest talking it over with you physical therapist (if you go to one after the surgery) as they can tell you all you want to know about what you can and can't be doing. If you have a herniation, you want to be extra careful. The average rate of someone getting a herniation is a 7% chance. After you have had a herniation you run a 27% chance of doing it again.

Hope this helps some. If you want to discus anything with back surgery in further detail feel free to drop me a pm. Good luck

 

[Conqueror]

There's no set limit, and it's always tough when patients ask "how long until I can ________?" It varies widely depending on the exact procedure, your particular capacity for speedy healing, how well you do in rehab/therapy, how much pain you feel, etc. Generally speaking though, as soon as you can get around without pain, you can probably do some light shooting. Start with smaller calibers - maybe even a .22 - just to ensure that you're not going to tweak something. Shooting requires awkward positions, motions, etc. and you don't want to find out something's wrong when you're leaning over a .50BMG.

Your best resource would be your surgeon. A good doctor will be quite receptive to hearing about your hobbies and what you hope to do post-operatively, and will work with you to reach that goal.

 

[rantingredneck]

On Sept 22nd I fell out of my treestand bowhunting and pretty well crushed L-1. I had back surgery on Sept 24th. I now have T-11 through L-2 fused with titanium rods. I go back to the docs on Friday, the 16th, and hope to be released to shoot up to .243 Win. So far they've said no to even .22LR. I'm pretty sure I could handle the rimfire stuff now, but I'm hoping for .243 so I can salvage some of this deer season at least. I'm sitting here now out of my clamshell brace typing this, which is technically against Dr.'s orders. My brace gets uncomfortable after a bit and I've been going without it for very limited stretches here lately. So far no pain. I still get tired and sore toward the end of the day and have to lay down to relieve the soreness. I'm hardly taking any vicodin or muscle relaxers at all any more.

I'll let you know what my surgeon says when I see him on Friday which will be about 7 weeks since my surgery.

 

[DragonFire]

A friend had back surgery at the end of August. His doctor shoots with us at times, and he's not so much worried about the actual shooting as he is about all the activities that go with it, like lugging the ammo bag to the range, and bending over to pick up spent brass.

I think it was just over a month before my friend starting shooting again. Though I'm not sure exactly what he had done.

 

[Hogfan1911]

As mentioned before, a lot depends on type of surgery, how fast you heal, etc. Your MD will have final say on when/what you can do more so than your physical therapist, as they have to follow the MD's protocols normally. Just do the exercises they tell you (don't try to be a hero and overdo it too soon), and above all, keep doing them as part of your daily/weekly routine, with increased resistance as necessary, after your actual "PT" is finished. If I were to venture a guess, the first thing you'll be allowed to do is rimfire, standing offhand on a rest that keeps your spine pretty straight. Then you could progress to larger stuff, still standing, probably with a good back brace on. Shooting from sitting will take awhile, especially from a bench without back support, as unsupported sitting puts a suprisingly large amount of strain on the discs. Not to mention hunching over a rifle. Will probably have to have someone along to do all your lifting, too. Something as simple as being seated at the bench, picking up your rifle from the rack, and bringing it across your body rotationally could ruin your whole day. And no, I did not stay at a Holiday Inn express last night, but I am a PT. Hope this helps, and get well soon!

 

[Teufelhunden]

I would generally avoid shooting for a couple of months after the surgery. I had a laminectomy between L4-L5 back in April, and I am back full duty as a cop and on the SWAT team. I would say my recovery has been 98%. I can't say full because I can still feel a throb back there if I really work, but there have been no functional limitations as a result of the surgery.

I attribute this recovery however, to being extraordinarily careful while I was healing. I took 4 months off from work, didn't pick up either of my toddler daughters for 3 months and was very careful to use a form-perfect (straight back, bent knees) life if I had to bend down to pick anything up. Even if I felt OK, I wouldn't get as physical as I thought I felt up to. It was an aggravating recovery, but my caution has paid off.

I would say that future pain and discomfort (and more surgeries) isn't worth the rest of the deer season...

-Teuf

 

[byf43]

L4-L5 disk removed and titanium rods and fusion done in 1992, from a tumble down the steps.

I was out of work for 1-1/2 years!

My company put me through a 'work hardening' program. One month in length. 5 days a week. 6 hours a day.
I was in the best physical shape of my life, coming out of that program.

I went back to work at 'Full Duty' status.

I used to shoot High Power Rifle with an M1 Garand.
In Prone - Rapid and Slow Fire, I'd really feel the tension and 'jarring' of the spine.
That's when I switched to the AR platform.

I laid off of shooting that entire time, except for pistols.

I broke my neck in a freak accident, in June, 2001.
C5-C6 disk and C6-C7 disks were removed and C6 vertabra removed and a 'cage' was inserted along with a titanium strap, with a bunch of screws.

I was off of work for 4 months.

The doctors told me that I could shoot whatever I wanted, but, if it hurt. . . don't do it any more.

I've shot just about everything that I own with the exception of two .45/70 Gov't. rifles that I have.

 

[collector14]

I had two discs removed in my neck in late 2001, bone from a bone bank inserted and a titanium plate with six screws in it, added for good measure. All of this after an auto accident in 2000.

Don't make the mistake I made... I sold my long guns thinking I would never competition shoot or hunt again. I started back in 2005 and wish I had never given up on the idea.

The pain and all of the problems that can go along with neck and back injuries (especially discs), like nerve damage, will make you think you'll never be able to do things you did before.

Well, I'm here to tell you that you can do things you did before, maybe not quite as good as before.

 

[kentucky bucky]

Howdy,
I've got that T-shirt x4. Yes, 4 different surgeries on my L4/L5 and L5/S1 and one to retract a piece of blown out disk that had slipped down to another little cubby hole and had Mr. happy and his friends numb. I will tell you that the surgery is not as bad as shooting leg pain or back pain of the disease if your surgeon knows his stuff. It took me about 4 weeks before I had to make myself not do stuff I shouldn't. That is when you feel more normal, but it takes at LEAST 6-8 months to heal, and a year is safer. I think you could shoot a low recoil gun with no problems after a couple months, but twisting motions and bending over to pick up a bunch of brass isn't on the agenda. Don't shoot any 40 lb muzzleloading chunk guns either.

 

[Pump Gun Pimp]

Kentucky, thanks for mentioning Mr Happy. I didn't know that could come from the back problem. I just thought that was something else going wrong, I'll let my Doc know. It's a symptom I am getting also.

 

[ScottsGT]

Been there, done that...had a double laminectomy about 7 years (or more) back. L4&5 and L2&3. I was the poster child for this surgery. I jumped up out of the bed the next morning after, while still in the hospital, and took a nice long walk down the hallway and climbed a short set of stairs. The physical therapist was floored. Do yourself a favor, and ask the surgeon what your after surgery follow up will be. I've met a lot of others that had it done and their surgeon did not recommend any special exercises, and wound up with severe scare tissue that bonded itself back to the nerves. I'll PM you as to the process I went thru.
As others mentioned, you are going to have to get use to not doing things that use to be everyday routine. Example for me, I cannot run or jump off anything at any heigth. Both discs are at 40%, and any impact can cause severe damage. I had one of the worlds best surgeons do the surgery, he actually is the leader in the industry of back surgery.
http://www.southeasternspine.com/
Dr, Johnson CHANGED my life. Since then I have shot anything I have wanted, climbed into hunting stands, walked miles thru the woods with no backpain. If you can or have time, research the Dr's success' or falures before going under the knife. There are a lot of "butchers" that do this too. I have found out the main differences between a good back surgeon and a bad one is the after surgery follow up/PT.

Sorry, I see your not accepting any emails thru the board. Good Luck!

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

Mr Happy not wanting to come out and play can be from any number of directions including abdominal problems. Also can be from back and hip trouble. Definetly check with your Doc.

 

[K3]

Lumbar diskectomy on L5-S1 a year and a half ago. 2 months after the surgery, I was mountain biking again. Granted, I was a bit more careful than I use to be, and I walked the bike over a few really nasty spots on the trail for a few months, but I was riding. Shooting hasn't been a problem, even with rifles that have a little oomph in their recoil. Just recently, I started doing leg presses in the gym again, though nowhere near the poundage I use to use. Of course, my surgery was not as severe as a laminectomy or a fusion, but it was still back surgery.

 

[the lone gunman]

Back Sugery and shooting again

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I am getting ready to get Disc surgery in my lower back. Has anyone out there had this done and I guess what my question is - how long was it before you could shoot again?


I too am facing this surgery in dec. I cannot even stand for more than a few miniutes. Hoping this will help,, Good luck to you on yours, Wish you the best.

 

[Pump Gun Pimp]

Grandpa, Mr Happy works ok, I have a sensation of being "kicked" in lefty. First appt with surgeon tomorrow a.m. - I'm a tad nervous, never had major anything before.

Lone, all I can pretty much do is lay also. Standing to whiz is a job. Good luck on yours also.

 

[DF357]

Removed discs and fused L3/L4 and L4/L5 in 1982. L5/S1 was damaged but the Dr left it alone in hopes that it would heal properly with the other 2 fixed...it did.

Was out of work for 6 months. The fusion meant having bone removed from my pelvis and inserted in my spine. That's what took the time to heal.

Docs don't normally tell you that bladder control can become an issue with spinal surgery, especially in that area of the spine.

For several weeks after the op, I couldn't tell if I was going or not. Sometimes I thought I was when I wasn't and other times I thought I wasn't when I was ! Also foot and leg pain or extreme cold sensations in the foot will be the result. I had both.

After several months all went back to normal and I have had not one problem since.

I suspect that procedures are better today than 25 years ago.

Good luck !

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

I am a little confused reading the posts on back\neck surgery here. The doctors want to fuse my C-4 through C-7 both front and rear. They want to have at least 8 pints of my blood stored up for me. They also said they were going to use cadaver bone along with my own from my hip. The post op scenario they gave me was 2-3 weeks in intensive care on a ventilator, 6 to 8 months wearing a halo and about a year and one half to total recovery or as much as I am going to recover. In reading what you guys are writing either I am seeing the wrong doctors or you are having something different done to you than the doctors want to do to me. I have been riding out the pain for the last 5 years trying to postpone the surgery taking a lot of pain pills. Right now I go through 360 methadone and 300 percaset tablets a month. Also take 12 ibuprofen tablets a day Don't like it much but I dislike pain worse. Can't shoot rifles any more but I still enjoy the pistols and THR.

 

[Pump Gun Pimp]

Gaucho, Mine is very lower spine, I think what you got going on is up top. Probably a whole lot more serious seeing that the neck is included in your description.

Doc said today, I'll be off the range for at least 4 months. It is the bending over the bench deal that he is getting at, he said. CRAP !!!

 

[the lone gunman]

Well I just got a call today and they bumped up my surgery to monday the 19th of THIS month, Never had surgery before and am very nervous, Gonna tell Doc to put in a couple of grease fittings, maybe it will last longer .

 

[Deer Hunter]

My dad's had back surgery probably three or four times. He's still out in the woods and active as ever. Not a huge shooter, but he is a big hunter.

 

[ScottsGT]

Well I just got a call today and they bumped up my surgery to monday the 19th of THIS month, Never had surgery before and am very nervous, Gonna tell Doc to put in a couple of grease fittings, maybe it will last longer .

Ask the anesthesiologists if you can get a 6 pack to go of the knockout drugs! Best sleep I EVER had. I remember the moment I woke up after surgery, I was almost in tears because the pain was gone. No more shooting pains down my leg, no longer felt like my leg was in a vise. The Dr. was asking me why I was not using the morphine pump. "Why? I feel great!" The wife overrode the controls and gave me a good hit before the 150 mile ride home though. She's an RN, and had to take charge since the staff there was very inexperienced. She took great pleasure in pulling out my catheter :eek
Funny thing was though, the floor supervisor was her first supervisor when she graduated from Nursing School.

 

[rantingredneck]

I'll let you know what my surgeon says when I see him on Friday which will be about 7 weeks since my surgery.

Went this morning to get Xrayed and for a followup with my neurosurgeon.

He released me to work full-time, hunt, and shoot. I'm still in the dreaded clamshell brace for another six weeks, but he said as long as I wear that I can do whatever I feel up to doing. He said recoil would not be a problem for me in my particular situation. He said just use common sense and if something hurt, stop.

Went to the range today for the first time in two months. Shot .243 win benched, 12 ga slugs benched and free hand, 12 ga 00 buck, 45ACP and .380ACP with no problems or pain. Was the most fun I've had in weeks!

To those facing surgery, good luck. I have recovered much faster than I expected to and have impressed the docs with how far I've come. Follow their instructions. Work with your PT even though it will hurt at first. Don't lay around on your butt once you get home. Get out and get active to the extent you are able/allowed by the docs.