Request lessons learned on skiing after Back Surgery

Greetings. Wondering if ya'll could provide me some experiences/lessons learned returning to skiing after Back surgery.. I had microdiscectomy three weeks ago and am recovering nicely. Walking an hour a day and started some light dumbbells and isometrics last week. My hope is to be back on the ski in mid to late march depending on physical therapy progress which i hope to start 10 Febish. Any guidance or suggestions for specific ski prep would be welcome. I am retired Marine and had been trying to heal my back (herniated disc with left leg footdrop) thru physical therapy for two months before realizing that surgery was only chance to free the compressed nerve, so I have good idea of back exercises and general exercise stuff..... but am looking for specific ski recovery exercises and or experiences by anyone who has returned to skiing after surgery. sorry for the long post......but thanks very much!!!!

[bkhallpass]

Don't have any specific advice for you 71, but wanted to encourage you to hang in there. I took all of my therapy, training, preparation advice from my surgeon, and it all seemed routine to me. Of course it helped that I selected a Doctor who was a wakeboarder.

I had a lamenectomy, formanectomy (sp?) and fromanectomey (sp?) in
the thoracic spine which means they cut a bunch of bone out of my spine right between the shoulder blades, and of course cut about a six inch incision from my neck right down through the middle of my back. A lot of people thought my skiing and wakeboarding days were over. In my case I probably won't ever be good at it, but I'll tell you what, I climbed back on a wakeboard 3 months after the surgery, wakesurfed after 4 months, and went waterskiing 8 months after surgery.

Stretch, stretch, stretch. Strengthen, strengthen, strengthen.
Hang in there man, you'll be back. BKH

[BrianM]

Originally Posted by bkhallpass

In my case I probably won't ever be good at it, but I'll tell you what, I climbed back on a wakeboard 3 months after the surgery, wakesurfed after 4 months, and went waterskiing 8 months after surgery.

Thats OK. In 71s case he was never good at waterskiing in the first place.














I kid. I kid! 71ChevelleSSkier is my regular ski partner. He is good people and I am glad to have finally talked him into being a part of this site.

[phecksel]

just don't try it too soon. Biggest problem I've seen among my friends is starting to feel good and attempting to play with the big dogs. Guaranteed to extend recovery

Thanks very much ph.. and bkhall.. and of course you too BrianM for your encouraging words!!