North American Spine Society, 2006 Annual Meeting

[Jim M2]

Mark,

A body cast? Dr. B is very innovative. The fact that one leg needs to be casted to immobilize the lumbar has meaning to me. That part of my pain that's motion dependent is highest when the legs are moving apart, for example when walking. The longer the stride, the higher the pain. The pain is always on the back-foot side of the spine. What I mean is, if the right foot is behind me, the right side of the L5S1 level spine gets sharp pain.

It would seem unlikely for the facets to self-fuse. Dr. Zeegers told me at the GPN seminar ('05 in Fountain Valley) that fused ADRs weren't very successful because even with backside fixation the level isn't immobilized enough to eliminate the pain. I'm grasping at straws trying to imagine how this plays out long term. Usually the body finds a fix but it takes a long long time.

That is an awesome post you made. It is the last word on the state of this problem. I hope others find their way to ispine soon.

Many thanks,
Jim