Spinal surgery and strength training

[buckers]

Hi,

I was going to post this in the recovery section, so please feel free to move it if I’m in the wrong place.

I was speaking to a friend today who told me he needs to start building his strength up in the new year. He’s 47, has an active job and recently had 'a little surgery'. He showed me the X-rays and I felt totally unqualified to say anything, so I just looked with amazement.

What would you say to someone in his position? I guess “go easy” would be a start.

I've attached the X-rays for you all in case you have any suggestions. Just to clarify - due to the quality if the pics - they are X-rays of his pelvis.

Thanks.

[Steve Hill]

You need to ask Rip this question. Above my pay grade. Sully may have some advice here, but I'm pretty sure he's seen this so he may be of the same opinion.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Is this a spondylolisthesis stabilization?

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Is this a spondylolisthesis stabilization?

It has the look, but damn. That is a fucked-up LS spine.

"Go easy," indeed.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Must be a Grade 4, at least. If I were this guy, I think I'd just bench press. But this shit is COMPLETELY outside my experience. My only comment would be to have this fixation reevaluated.

[TinyArnold]

If lower back bends, wouldn't this fix cause further injury?

[Mark Rippetoe]

It's not supposed to bend, for this reason.

[buckers]

Thanks for the replies. Obviously my friends deadlifting days are over. The X-rays are amazing and I thought they would be of interest here. Apparently, L5 was shifted forward by 1cm prior to the operation. I think he just needs to be grateful he can still walk and progress from there. Hopefully he'll be sensible with his rehab.

[Subsistence]

Just out of random curiousity, do you know what happened to this guy to get him in that situation?

[buckers]

Just out of random curiousity, do you know what happened to this guy to get him in that situation?

Hi, he can't pinpoint a specific injury. It's hard to speculate, he's very active person who makes furniture for a living. That means a great deal of stooping over as he works, which could be immediately followed by the lifting of a heavy cabinet or the like. I doubt that he used great lifting technique and certainly didn't do any regular strength training. For as long as I have known him (7 years) his lower back has looked to be in a permanent state of flexion and he finally had the fusion operation this summer. The metal work is drastic and he still looks "flexed" but I suppose the spinal column was so distorted that I dread to think what would have happened if it had deteriorated further.