UKC

Hi all, I hope this is the correct forum for this: Has anyone come back to climbing after fracturing a vertebra? I had a 25% compression fracture on my T8 vertebra after a horse riding accident on 20th April. The fracture is stable and has so far been healing well. I've been told that it will take about 6 weeks for the fracture itself to heal, but I cannot go back to riding until 3 months after my accident. However, my orthopaedic specialist doesn't seem as certain on when I can return to climbing. I will, of course, be listening to whatever he and my Dr tell me regarding when it is safe to return to activities - I do not want to risk long-term damage from starting anything too early. I just wanted to know if anyone has fractured vertebrae and, if so, how long was it before you were back climbing? Also, I'm wondering whether it would be better to start back with top roping rather than bouldering? I imagine the potential falling from bouldering would be riskier? I'm still a beginner-intermediate climber, so I'm not at the stage when I'm climbing anything particularly taxing on the body.

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

I've not had a fractured vertebra, but I think you are right that top rope climbing is safer than bouldering so long as you have a reliable and alert person belaying you. And climb on a tight rope so that there is no jolt if you do come off. Also better climbing straight up and avoiding anything which might result in a sideways swing which again might jolt you if you swing into adjoining rock.

Good luck and wishing you a speedy and complete recovery.

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

I had compression fractures of two vertebrae. Took a while for the pain and inflammation to reduce so I would estimate it was about 4 months minimum before I started again. I started with very easy top roping, as didn't want the shock of leader falls or the shock of bouldering falls to aggravate the injury.

I also found I needed to keep warmer when cragside, as shivering really made the injury area hurt.

My back flexibility was affected for a long time - I had far less flexibility at the injury site, so on steeper stuff I would bend from lower down, which made my lower back flare up. A decent physio would help with all this. 

I also found pushing open heavy doors with one arm was a real aggravator - nothing to do with climbing but may be worth knowing all the same! I had to go through doors like this backwards for quite a while!

Take your time and you'll get there

In reply to Trangia:

Thank you! Yes, I would be climbing with a taut rope and with a very experienced belayer, who is actually used to keeping my rope tight as I am scared of heights haha. Actually, I was only just beginning to allow my belayer to give a little bit of slack when top roping, and had my first go at lead, before my accident. Ahh, well! I cannot wait to be back.

In reply to get to the punchline:

Thank you! I was hoping it would be less than 3 months before I could be back on the wall, but I might just have to accept it could take longer, if yours took at least 4 months. I will be seeing a physio familiar with climbing before I do go back on the wall, as I don't want to put myself out of action again by starting too early or without my back being strong enough.

I already have to keep my back warm as I have previous muscle damage to the lower right-hand side of my back (another horse-related injury!), but that's still good to know.

Thanks for the tips!

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

I returned after about 3 months having had compression fractures to 2 vertebrae. If your specialist thinks 3 months ok to return to horse riding surely climbing shouldn't be any longer? I'm no doctor but I would have thought jogging up and down on a horse would be as bad, if not worse, for a fracture as gentle climbing especially just top-roping.

Good luck with the recovery. 

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

I fractured mine in Jan/Feb 2019. Was back leading 9-10 weeks later, having started with (very tight) toproping after about 6-8 weeks.

Didn't boulder properly (with a risk of a fall) for a long time...

In reply to climberchristy:

That's good to know - thank you for sharing your experience. Yes, I think horse riding is far more risky. For an experienced, balanced rider such as myself, there's not much issue in being jogged up and down as such, but there is a lot of continuous movement of your body moving with the horse. The main risk with horse riding is the falling off, which I'll certainly be worried about, but my horses are very quiet (I broke my back falling off a friend's horse). Hopefully I'll be back in to climbing in about 3 months then. I was wondering if I could return to climbing sooner than 3 months because I see less risk with climbing on a nice, taut top rope than riding, but I think from other people's experiences it sounds like 3 months is about right - fingers crossed!

In reply to Cyrees:

Wow! That's amazing that you were back to leading just 9-10 weeks after. Yes, I think bouldering is worrying me the most. A fall, especially uncontrolled and landing badly sounds like a bad idea until I'm absolutely certain that my back is fully healed and stronger. Thank you for sharing your experience.

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

Hi there, sorry to hear that but glad it’s healing well. I fractured T10 and 11 in a fall and had to have surgery to fix them in place.

I never got an official green light to start climbing again. My consultant gave me the all clear after about 4 months to resume normal daily activities but wouldn’t give any opinion on climbing. I think I waited another couple of months before doing much climbing, but mainly just because I was busy with other things. 

I was a bit cautious bouldering for a while after. I don’t think there was any real risk of doing more damage, but falling onto mats did bloody hurt for a wee while. Leading was generally fine, although I didn’t rush into pushing myself too hard.

Get well soon!

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

Yeah - I got super lucky, but was definitely back at pre-injury level about 16 weeks (looking at my logs) after the injury. A lot of that was due to working with a (climbing) physio who guided it fairly usefully. The general rules were:

- Avoid compression (so hangboarding was fine as it 'stretched' things out), but falling, even onto mats, wasn't. I've never ridden a horse, but I'd imagine the repeated movements would be worse than toproping/lead climbing so long as you don't fall much;

- Avoid impact wherever possible, so when eventually bouldering/training, only do things that are super in control, or low-level. So lots of training on traverse walls, or 'easy' boulders but lots of mileage;

- Lots of supporting conditioning and rehab.

- Easy toprope routes, making sure there was no impact, and things were okay, then moving gradually into leading, with the same limitations.

Ultimately the experience, which you may go through, was about c. 6 weeks of intense pain (bone break) and after that stiffness/instability. I confess I probably jumped the gun, but I was caught in an NHS administrative nightmare (admitted to a hospital 3h drive away from where I got regular treatment), so had to do a lot of sorting my own stuff.

At that point, obviously work with your medical team, but if possible try and find someone who understands climbing - non-specialists tend to not really understand the forces involved. If you're in/near London I worked with Cris Costa who was excellent.

Plus, as I say... luck.

In reply to Stuart Williams:

Gosh, I hope you're fully recovered now. I'm guessing the consultant didn't want to give you the all clear just in case you ended up hurting your back again shortly after restarting climbing? I'm guessing they are cautious in case anything comes back on them? I asked my consultant when would be a safe time to start driving again, and he wouldn't give me a straight answer on that either. He said definitely not for 6 weeks and then said that  I would need to see how I felt and it would be my judgement call. Same with horse riding. He technically said it would be at least 3 months when I asked, but he replied "it should be okay for you to resume all of your normal activities after at least 3 months".

Ouch, yeah I can bouldering falls hurting, even with the mats. I think I'll certainly be avoiding bouldering for quite a while and just stick to top rope. Thank you!

In reply to Cyrees:

Wow, that's definitely a good recovery time! Yes, I've got my eye on a climbing physio and will be contacting them this coming week. I'm in Sheffield, so I have the benefit of there being quite a few physios who specialise with climbing injuries/rehab, given that this is the home of Team GB and a hub for climbing.

Apart from taking things steady, it looks like strengthening, conditioning and rehab are the main things so thank you so much for your input!

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

Yes thank you, fully recovered and it didn’t take long to be able to train as usual and overtake pre-injury fitness levels. 

I think you are right about the consultant hedging to avoid liability or giving false assurances. I understand why and I can be a bit cagey when discussing possible outcomes at work for similar reasons. But I thought it was worth mentioning just in case you had a similar experience - I know I was hoping for a clearer answer at the time and felt a bit frustrated!

Edit: also, finding a decent physio definitely sounds wise. I didn’t have any physio input at the time and I think I suffered for it further down the line. 

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

i fell off laguna sunrise at the roaches and fractured 2 vertebrae. i was in a lot of pain for a few weeks. it wasnt until 6 months later i went to the doctors and had it scanned. thats when i found out i had fractured 2 .

it was 12 years ago so cant remember a lot,i dont think i climbed for a bit due to pain. i just climbed as and when it didnt hurt. i have no issues now with.

you will know best by how it feels.

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

I had exactly the same injury after nutting the road when i fell off my bike.  I've recovered completely.

I got back climbing after about 7 weeks but was getting muscle spasms, aside from being hideously weak in my core.  I was leading again in three months but it probably took another three to get my strength back.  I took up yoga at that point, which really helped the torso muscles.

One little 'surprise' was trying to drive after 5 weeks.  You do a surprising amount of twisting to get into the driving seat.  Oh, and i was paranoid someone would crash into me and my back would break properly.  Knocked that on the head for a few weeks longer.

It's a bit of a bugger but hopefully, you will be able to look back and see that you dodged one of life's 'bullets' 

Chin up and i hope you recover OK.

PS. I had two months off work and got to see the whole of the TdF when Chris Froome won, in 2013.

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

Hi, I had seven fractured vertebrae T2-9, a broken clavicle, fractured ribs and badly fractured scapula necessitating being in a spinal brace for two months and I started back climbing approximately three months after my accident which was caused by falling rock, luckily my helmet saved me from any head injuries or worse. I started with top roping at the climbing wall and religiously doing the physiotherapy I had been advised to do. After a couple of weeks I ventured out onto rock and started leading again. I initially didn’t get the all clear to start climbing again from my consultant but he was amazed at the progress I had made when I went back for a follow up appointment and when I told him how I had achieved it he told me to carry on as it was clearly doing wonders for me. Take care and do all the physio exercises, I hope you make a good and speedy recovery very soon.

In reply to Rose:

I will try not to repeat what others have said but having sustained a bad wedge compression fracture (still visible deformity now, 20 years later) I would say:

avoid compression/shocks for a good while

climbing is good for it, you should regain your previous standard with patience

yoga, once healed, is an excellent idea.

In reply to mrjonathanr:

Avoiding bumps... Yes.  In my case, my mate was driving about 30mph and didn't see a speed bump.  Gordon Bennett, that hurt!

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

I had two spinal fractures and was in a brace for 14 weeks. I asked about going skiing at 18 weeks but they weren't particularly happy about it. I bruised or broke a rib falling across my skis but otherwise it was fine. I got a talking to at my 6 month check up but I think they were happier that I had been active.

One thing to consider if you are in a brace right now is that it takes a few weeks to relearn a proper walking motion once it's removed as you will have lost movement in the top half of your body. I continued to walk like a robot and veer unexpectedly for quite a while afterwards. Your upper body muscles will also have withered quite a lot.

In reply to Stuart Williams:

I'm glad to hear you fully recovered.

Yes, it's understandable and thank you - it's good hearing about other people's experiences at it gives me an idea of what to expect or what I should be mindful of.

In reply to mark s:

Ooo ouch! I'm glad to hear you've not got any lasting issues, even with not knowing you'd fractured vertebrae until months later. Thank you for your input!

In reply to Dave Cundy:

Glad to hear you recovered fully! That's encouraging that you were back climbing in as little as 7 weeks and only 3 months until you were back lead climbing.

Yes, I was a bit naughty and tried to drive 1 week after my accident. Like you, I was surprised how much small twists and movements there are with driving and how much it affects the back. Safe to say I was in agony after just 15 minutes. I did not try that again, and will not be back driving until at least 6 weeks.

Ah, sweet! Sounds better than being stuck at home, as I am now. Though I do have a small getaway holiday with my husband this week, which I am really looking forward to. I'm going mad being stuck in the house.

Thank you for sharing your experience!

In reply to Christheclimber:

Flipping heck! That sounds incredible that you were back climbing in 3 months after all of that damage! Gosh, I guess climbing is potentially a very good aid for the back during the recovery process, despite being a risk? Sounds like some gentle top roping in addition to good physio is actually a pretty good idea as long as I don't return to the wall too soon and don't push myself too hard. That's really encouraging though. Thank you for sharing your experience! 

In reply to mrjonathanr:

Sounds good! I'm looking forward to getting back on the wall. Thank you for your input!

In reply to mysterion:

Wow... yes, I bet your consultant wasn't impressed that you not only went skiiing at 18 weeks but also had a fall. Good job your back was no worse for wear though!

I've not been in a brace, so I'm alright walking, although I hold myself quite rigid and straight as I feel my back twinging if I am not careful about how I move (such as twisting or bending at the waist instead of using my knees). However, I have noticed that the muscles in my back are very weak too; my whole back (not just the area of my injury) starts to ache and hurt after a certain amount of time stood or sat without back support. Thank you for sharing your experiences!

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

I had a pretty bad injury a few years ago, and had wedge fractures on t12 and L1, and also a total fracture of c2. It seemed most medical professionals reacted with stern warnings - but the more experienced spinal experts the opposite. I was encouraged to gradually start to move the compression fractures after around a month, to prevent muscle wastage and permenant problems. I was climbing again (indoors using autobelays) after 4, and I think it could have been sooner but for concerns about the neck injury. Best bet is asking for a consult with a spinal injury specialist, preferably one who knows about climbing. Also - autobelays are great, you get to feel independent and they generally give a soft catch. Good luck with the recovery. 

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

Sounds like you’re on the right path, but just to say that finding a good sports physio (all the better if specifically a climbing physio) is so important. Though not as serious as your case, I injured my back AND shoulder earlier this year and my physio (at Pure Sports Medicine in London) got me back to climbing much sooner than I would have on my own. Just as important as actual rehab exercises, for me it was key to know what kind of pain was just part of the recovery process and what kind meant I should back off, etc.... But anyway, good luck with it!

In reply to OllyD:

Ouch! Interesting that the spinal experts had a different view point, but then I guess they are the specialists and know that area of expertise the best. My consultant doesn't not have a good knowledge about climbing, unfortunately, but I am now booked in with a specialist climbing physiotherapist, and the practice also has their own consultant, so I should get the right help and advise. Thank you for sharing your experience.

In reply to alex505c:

I've just booked in with a specialist climbing physio, whom I'll see just after my next (and hopefully last) appointment with the orthopaedic consultant, so I should be giving my back the best possible chance at recovery. Thank you for your reply!

In reply to RoseOfTheWest:

Yes, fell from the top of the old berghaus wall in Newcastle ( about 27 years ago ) - before they had soft mats.  Fractured several vertebrae.  Took about 6 months before the pain subsided enough to do anything - then about 5 years before I regained the ability to climb.  I suspect that most of that was because the physio was actually doing more damage than good.  Still not right - never climbed anything hard since and live with regular back pain.  Sorry - that's not very encouraging.

In reply to RoseOfTheWest: Hi Rose, sorry to hear about your injury. Similar to a lot of the other posters I fractured a vertebra and have largely got away with it. Nothing really to add to the posters above, but thought it’d be worth adding another positive story.

I had a wedge compression fracture of T8 (stable, so no surgery, but did have a vest-shaped, non removable cast for 6 weeks, deeply unpleasant) a bit over 20 years ago. I was back climbing (carefully, on top ropes) approx. 9 weeks after the break. I started leading and bouldering again about 6 weeks after that, initially being very careful about impact and gradually working up to being comfortable falling both bouldering and leading. The doctors and consultant were almost exclusively concerned about impact from falls and not worried at all about climbing movements.

My consultant was a bit old-school, so big on immobilising me while the fracture healed and I had no physio other than a few private appointments some months after the injury. The physios I saw were generally of the opinion that climbing had helped my recovery, as it woke up a lot of the muscles that hadn’t been used for a long time and reversed a lot of the muscle wastage that had resulted from being immobile.

It hasn’t held my climbing back at all (including taking some big falls both onto ropes and the ground, long days on mountain routes, carrying a big backpack etc.) and I haven’t had any further problems with it (touch wood) except some aches on cold days, which I also have in other healed breaks. 

I hope you are similarly lucky, best wishes for your recovery.