Cervical disc surgery

[Dcerchia]

I am a 49 year old female. A week ago, I had a 3 level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (C4-5,5-6,6-7). I am hoping to return to lifting after this heals. I competed at an RPS meet in January, totaling at the elite level in my weight class. Do you know of any older lifters that have had a 3-level fusion and returned to heavy lifting?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I have had a single level, and my sister has had a 3-level like yours. She is not a competitor, but I see no reason whey you cannot return to competition.

[copperhead]

I had a 2 level ACD with carbon basket fusion @ age 48. I have not experienced any difficulty with my lifting, except for some early tricep weakness on right side from delaying treatment. This has pretty much resolved itself with some work. Did/do some extra dips and BL (5x5).

[thelasereagle]

sorry to read this Coach.
& sorry you had to go through that!
so i have to ask.:
to what exactly do u attribute the cause of your ACDF?
can you gage effect of trauma vs other factors by rough %?
& can BB training technique be optimized for zero wear/tear on discs?
many have endured it & CNS symptoms can be harrowing

[Mark Rippetoe]

sorry to read this Coach.
& sorry you had to go through that!
so i have to ask.:
to what exactly do u attribute the cause of your ACDF?

Thanks for your sympathy. Kid football. Lifting weights had absolutely nothing to do with my cervical case.Thanks for your sympathy.

[Dcerchia]

Thanks for the positive replies.
Even my surgeon, who clearly does not lift, said my degenerative discs and bone spurs were not from lifting weights. Lifting was aggregating the pinched nerves, but so were a lot of things. I got to the point where I couldn't train and was woken up in pain every night. It's only been a week since the surgery, but I still do have some of the same old pain and of course some new pain. My doctor said that will go away in time.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It will probably go away. Mine was gone when I woke up in recovery. I smiled, and then went back to sleep.