Do any of you still turn, or know someone who still turns, following spinal neck fusion? Is it do-able?
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Turning Following Spinal Neck Fusion?
- Thread starter Bruce Reitman
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2004
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- Lakeland, Florida
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- www.hockenberywoodturning.com
Talk to your surgeon. What he or she allows you to do will determine if turning is advisable.
I assume there are lots of variables.
I had C5-C6 November 2021.
Then C3-C4-C5 in April 2023
I had a recovery period. Neck collar, no driving, 10 lb limit for lifting, don’t fall, don,’t raise arms above my head…..
After 2 weeks I could drive, lift 25 lbs, wear the collar much much less
After 6-8 weeks I could do anything I felt like doing.
I did club demos about 3 months after each surgery. So I was able to turn quite well. After about 2 months recovery.
Much much faster recovery for me than my friends who have had rotator cuff surgery.
I don’t do any big pieces anymore but I backed off the big ones a few years before the surgery
Dave Landers
Beta Tester
I had C4-5 ACDF (from the front) and C4-T1 PCDF (back), same surgery last July.
I couldn’t turn with the collar because I couldn’t look down and see the lathe. But I was turning (with my surgeon’s ok) a day or so after it came off.
Every one is different, but it shouldn’t shut you down. Talk to your surgeon and describe what’s important to you and get their opinion and advice.
I couldn’t turn with the collar because I couldn’t look down and see the lathe. But I was turning (with my surgeon’s ok) a day or so after it came off.
Every one is different, but it shouldn’t shut you down. Talk to your surgeon and describe what’s important to you and get their opinion and advice.
Mark Hepburn
Artist & Chef
I had an ACDF also on C3, 4 & 5. Besides a small range of motion issue I'm able to do pretty much everything I was doing before. But I did wear a collar for 6 weeks and like Dave, no turning (but I wasn't anyway due to my hands). After I got the collar off I was able to do light work for a couple of weeks and then back to full throttle. YMMV.