Back to peak of fitness – thanks to spine surgery

Despite suffering a rugby injury to his lower back 30 years ago Bryan Mason has always prided himself on his fitness.

Even when his back flared up, the former PE teacher managed to develop a series of core exercises which allowed him to continue a full, active life including running, cycling and vigorous walking.

But 18 months ago, the pain which he had got used to and learned to live with got much worse.

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"From the time I got up in the morning, fairly intense sciatic pain was only relieved by crouching down at regular intervals," says Bryan, from Crakehall, near Bedale.

"I underwent physio in an attempt to strengthen the muscles around the damaged disc area but this made no significant headway.

"Recognising the real problem, my physio, Sue Francis – ex-physio to the Zimbabwean rugby, cricket and Olympics athletic teams, recommended I saw spinal surgeon Mr Manoj Krishna."

Mr Krishna is the spinal surgeon for York and Teesside. He recently helped to set up a Spinal Support Group in York.

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In June last year, Bryan had spinal surgery which he feared would put paid to a charity trek he had committed to 12 months earlier and planned for October. "It was to raise funds for the Embangweri Mission Hospital in northern Malawi and its work in the bush amongst HIV/AIDS sufferers," explains Bryan.

But the success of the operation and the resultant intense physiotherapy meant that come early October he was deemed fit enough to take on the gruelling trek.

This involved flying to Cairo, making the eight-hour transfer to the Sinai Peninsula and then a night-time climb up Jebul Musa "the mountain of Moses" – also known as Mount Sinai.

"Reaching the summit as the sun rose was one of the many outstanding experiences of the Sinai trek. Other experiences included walking 20km a day in 90 degree temperatures through wadis, over mountains and across sand dunes. Sleeping under the stars for a week was probably the highlight, and a good test for the recently constructed lower back," he says.

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"Reaching the Red Sea after 85km trekking the Sinai Desert was a welcome relief. My back was ready for some gentle snorkelling and to all intense and purposes seemed to have come out of the desert better than it went in. Perhaps it was the special touch it received on the top of Mount Sinai. Moses came back down with the Ten Commandments and a glowing face, but I wonder how his back was feeling?

"Maybe Mr Krishna needs to include a trek through the Sinai as part of his post-operative recovery strategy. It worked for me!"

The trip was a personal achievement for Bryan – the trek raised 3,000 for charity.

"Mr Mason shows just what can be done with the latest surgical procedures and a positive mental attitude," says Mr Krishna.

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The next meeting of the York Spinal Support Group takes place at the Nuffield Health York on Saturday February 13, 10am-12pm.

BRIDE ABLE TO WALK DOWN AISLE AFTER BEING FREED FROM FUTURE OF AGONY

Another person to benefit from spinal surgery is Alison Cooper.

At 44, Alison was faced with a future of pain as a prolapsed disc in her back meant even standing was agony.

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"It felt like someone had ripped the back of my leg open," she says.

Surgery four years ago helped and meant she was able to walk down the aisle on her wedding day, but then last year it returned,

"I couldn't stand for any length of time or sit comfortably. Every time I tried to stand from a sitting position, I felt an electric shock feeling in my leg and a spasm in my back. I had to roll off on to all fours to get myself off the couch, I couldn't lie on my back because of the intense pain, and I couldn't lie on either side because of the leg pain.

"I was unable to sleep because of the pain, and was lucky if I managed three hours a night. I found it difficult to get out of bed, to get dressed, to take my dog for a walk, to cook, clean, drive, socialise and be a proper mother to my son and wife to my husband."

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She adds: "Unfortunately, with a back problem it is something you cannot see, therefore people do not understand how debilitating it is. Because of this, and the fact that I went to work every day and did my job, I don't think some of my colleagues realised how bad the pain was, but somehow I just tried to adapt to doing things in a different way and get through the pain."

She was eventually put in touch with spinal surgeon Mr Manoj Krishna and just before Christmas she had the operation known as lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF)

Alison says she has already started to do the things she couldn't do because of the pain. She also says that she has been greatly helped by the York Spinal Support Group set up by Mr Krishna last year.

"To hear other patients talking about their symptoms made you feel that you were not alone, and that there was hope that something could be done," she said.

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