Hardware removal to surf again? S1 - L4 fusion 15 months ago

Posted by jong @jong, Sep 3, 2024

..from the front they removed the lowest 2 disc /fragments, then put the cage in from the back. I completely trust my surgeon, also a surfer, Dr. Tim Peppers. He' uncommittal in regard to this question of hardware removal..Im age 65/ X expert surfer, 170/ 5/10, no excess weight and mostly recovered. As I make advances, its a DAILY struggle to live a normal life. Can't sleep on my back at all, or anyway more than 4 hours, can't much walk right when waking, and have to nap most days of the week.
Standing in one place or sitting more than 15 minutes causes anything from back spasms, to muscle contractions, to losing control and falling..when in the gym, it like almost no problems at all..Im thinking the only thing left for a *mostly full recovery is the hardware removal??
Anyone have this experience, or making it back as a surfer?

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jong | @jong | Dec 5, 2025

UPDATE**
September 15th 2025 I had all, yes all of the hardware removed. Since the surgery day April 2023, my recovery up to that point was not satisfactory. Since the hardware removal it's a whole new game. Highly recommended. I'll keep you posted. Too early to surf but everything indicates that's going to work. One thing I'll tell you if you read this far, time is really really important to allow yourself to heal. Whether it's the original surgery or what I'm telling you about. Forget about 60 90 days, we're more like 6 to 9 months when we get these things done..