Mountain Buzz banner

Whitewater boating after t12 compression fracture.

6K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  gnarsify 
#1 ·
Had compression fracture of t11 and t12 snowboarding 3 weeks ago. Have to wear brace for 3 months. Hoping to get out on the water this summer. Curious If anyone has experience with this or other back injuries. Saw one old thread from 2013 on similar issue but wouldn't let me reply to it.

Curious how paddling will feel, Think it might hurt, but could also be good core strengthening. Probably nothing too crazy as swimming could obviously be bad. Probably won't be 100% bone strength for 6 months or so I would guess. Im also a pack rafter so less weight to paddle around than a kayak. Any info/experience/recommendations would be welcome. Thanks

Brian from Alaska.
 
#3 ·
Oof, that is a bummer. I blew out my L4-L5 and then later my l5-S1 a bunch of years ago, I had work done two separate times, and have been free and clear for a bit. The only bummer is that I pretty much lost my kayak roll and have not seen it for a long time. I have a hell of a brace, but after a certain point, it is good night, and I am swimming, which sucks. I am thinking this seasons will be all in inflatables for me, and I will miss how the hardboats squirt and surf!
The biggest thing for me was getting a back doc who was also a sports guy. When I had my first surgery in 95, I asked my surgeon how soon I could get back in a boat. He said 3 months. I did pt religiously, and 3 months to the day I was in his office. I said, can I start boating? He said, it is February, are you out of your mind? I said nope, can I start boating? He made me wait till april. The second guy I had was a sports guy, got me the right pt and had me back on the water in 3 months.
The three people whose opinion matters the most is your back doc first, pt second, and then you... get in a boat on flatwater, and see how it feels. If it feels bad, wait a bit, or maybe score a ducky for a season... The older aire forces (not the current generation) are pretty fantastic with thigh straps and footpegs.

Good luck with the back, and listen to your body!
 
#4 ·
Once a major injury happens there's no turning back the clock. You will never be the same again in ways you won't even know for a while yet.
One thing you can do, however, is not make it worse by trying to do the things you used to do too fast or with too much ' gusto ' until you get it figured out what has changed in your body and what it will tolerate now vs. before.
Maybe the injury was minor and you will just ' heal ' and be able to do everything you used to do or maybe it will take a little while and some patience.
Start on a Class 1 run. Take your kid if you have one. Or borrow one. Enjoy the day out. See how everything feels.
Then maybe a Class 2 .... Or Class 1 again.
 
#5 ·
Boating Vehicle Boat Recreation Wilderness


Thanks for the replies. Don't like the sound of you will never be the same again. I suppose I should expect it though.
I have been walking about a mile a day and yesterday tried to take a shortcut which ended up being through deep isothermal snow, and it felt like going up mount everest.
Will most likely just be doing mellow class 1 like this one near my house.
 
#6 ·
I may be a glass half full kind of guy, but, you are also never the same after having kids too.
I know that I will not have a combat roll again, ever, and switched to a Aire Force XL that I had, and have been smiling a bunch more on the water, dropping into bigger holes and surfing the heck out of stuff. Yep, no more "real" edges, and the paddle is often what changes things instead of hips, but, I am smiling, and can self rescue fast. As an added bonus, if things go sideways, I can be out of the ducky, on the show and ready to throw a rope in blazing fast speed.
Take your time, and listen to your body, sure it is always going to be different, but, you can also still have enough fun that you get that happy grin.
 
#7 ·
Hang in there man, you'll get there.
You will ALWAYS get better, when you never give up, and stick with your rehab.
I have never broken my back, but I have spent years at a time recovering from Brain injuries, it sucks and it hurts! but you do get an awesome life back eventually! And you appreciate it a little more for having to work a shit ton at it.
I truly don't think I would have had as good of a recovery if it wasn't for the river, motivation to recover so I could boat, and do what I loved, and even just sitting on the bank when I was really messed up, helped immenseley.
 
#8 ·
I know a lady who is 58 and got a burst fracture of several vertebra in her T spine. She did it kayaking big whitewater. She recovered and STILL paddles bad ass whitewater all the time, and backcountry skis and mountain bikes. Another friend of mine had a spinal fracture and is one of the most bad ass ice climbing alpine mountaineers you'll ever meet. You have a lot of river miles ahead of you.
 
#9 ·
I had l5-s1 fusion about 6 years ago. While I agree with some of what is said above I disagree with some as well. I have been paddling most of the same stuff since surgery. I have been religious about core work, 3 to 4 times per week pretty much all the time. The only things I don't really do is run or jump. I still ski, bicycle, kayak, row my raft. I can still touch my toes fairly easy. Getting back to boating will take some time and maybe some extra effort but with good work on pt I think it is likely you will be back to boating before too long. It took me about 6 months to get back physically, I find the most difficult part is mental. Wondering if I'll get injured again. For the most part its all good. To say you wont be as good or the same is a little bit exagerated I think. As we get older our bodies break down anyhow so though I can say I'm not the college basketball player I was 30 years ago, I can say that for a guy pushing 50 I'm in a lot better shape than just about everyone I know. Stay positive, let yourself heal, and work that core and things should be ok.
 
#10 ·
I've got a moderate wedge-shaped compression fracture involving L-1. The result of a hit from behind by a speeding SUV while on my bike. (a hit and run).
It happened five years ago and for the most part I've managed with only occasional ache. I do notice though that carrying anything on my back can exacerbate it. Perhaps too optimistically I've signed up to hike down into the Grand Canyon next April, 2022, and back up on the Bright Angel trail, done over two days. I'm 72 and in fairly good shape. Without a backpack I think I could do it. But I don't see any way around that since I'll need to carry water. I'd greatly appreciate any input.
 
#11 ·
I had a T7 compression fracture years and years ago. As I get older it flares up every once in while, had to work with a PT to come up with a stretching/foam roller routine to loosen up scar tissue. Otherwise I've been 100% since. Let it heal, maintain good posture and I imagine you'll be able to keep boating, just don't push it for 6-8 weeks. I'm not a kayaker so maybe the roll might cause issues, but I've been fine skiing, rock climbing, running, pushing oars for almost 20 years since the initial fracture.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top