Lumbar wedge fracture from a ground fall...recovery?

This past November I was on what I would consider a warm up climb in Red Rocks and fell before I could get a solid piece of gear in. I was helicoptered out of Calico Basin at the Winter Heat wall and I felt like I was back in my WFR class, instead this was real life. I sort of bounced, not once but twice down a couple of rock ledges before coming to a halt. Since I was attached to a rope I didn't keep on tumbling. As luck had it, this happened two days before my birthday! Happy birthday to me, the lovely doctors at UMC in Vegas diagnosed me with a L2 compression fracture. However, they failed to diagnose a minor heel fracture, but that's not what this post is about.
A few things...

1) Thank all that is good in this world for the efficiency, competency and care of the Las Vegas PD SAR. All volunteer run, this group of professionals does not get enough recognition. I must have been waiting for a mere 20-30 minutes in the canyon before their team arrived and I was evaced.

2) Letting my Ego get in the way of my climbing was what, indirectly, caused me to fall. I kept thinking to myself, "hey, I am more than competent at 5.7 this will be easy." But, that attitude caused me to not take the runout first section very seriously.

3) I have been trying Somatic Experiencing therapy to get over the trauma of the fall. The jury is still out but, it is like mental training for climbs on steroids.

Most importantly, I start physical therapy this week and I am excited and nervous since I don't know what to expect. Anyone out there have experience with this kind of spinal injury and have any insight on physical therapy? How to get back into the sport? I don't want to stop climbing...but it seems really unattainable to me right now. Advice and thoughts are much appreciated!

Kate!
Good to hear from you. My partner and I were about to rappel when you fell. Really wish you the best. Stay positive :)

Compression fractures generally heal well without complications in young, healthy individuals. I'm a physician and see these types of injuries occassionally.

Falling is scary and it can be quite unerving if and when you do your first lead after sustaining a serious injury. I fell on a sport climb a few months ago, right at a bolt and fell 12-15 feet due to rope slack , when I expected a 5 footer if I fell (it was cold and my hands got so numb that I couldn't feel the rock). Anyway, I clipped my foot on a ledge and fractured my heel. Not serious but painful and hard to walk for 6 weeks. When I resumed climbing, I was nervous but have found that the "get back on the horse that threw you" philosophy has some validity. Avoiding stressful situations just makes it worse (assuming you really want to resume climbing). Obviously, your injury and fall were more serioius & this can be harder to move past.

Sorry to ramble on about my own experience but I wanted to let you know I understand what you are going through.

Hope you get better quickly and back to doing what you love

I assume you are seeing a back surgeon and PT might be beneficial, if he recomends it.

When you are healthy again, you might start with a few toprope climbs, then follow a few times, then do an easy, well protected lead or 2 to get your confidence back.

Thanks all! I graduated from my back brace this Tuesday and I start physical therapy today. I was prescribed 4 weeks of PT. Not too bad! I have started off with some low impact exercise, such as biking, and restorative yoga sessions. As expected, my back is very stiff and any harsh, sudden movements instigate a pain response. I think when done correctly, top roping can be a low impact exercise. Though, I will probably wait a week until trying that out. I teach children how to rock climb as part of my job so it will be interesting to see how that goes.

Getting injured is always a bummer in climbing. I had my own big fall years ago. It can be difficult to get back to climbing. Physically and mentally. I am always curious about other peoples stories that have gone through similar incidents. I will send you my story. PT for the mind and body will be the answer.

Kate S wrote:T Most importantly, I start physical therapy this week and I am excited and nervous since I don't know what to expect. Anyone out there have experience with this kind of spinal injury and have any insight on physical therapy? How to get back into the sport? I don't want to stop climbing...but it seems really unattainable to me right now. Advice and thoughts are much appreciated!

There’s hope. In March 2008, I fell in a gym and sustained compression fractures of T7,T8, T10 and C7. I recovered slowly and did my own PT using my home weight room. I asked the orthopedist about PT, but he said I didn’t need it since what I was doing on my own was probably more helpful than anything PT would try. I told him that I would not try climbing until I was strong enough to do 12 chin-ups (palms forward and palms reversed) and most importantly 6 somersaults. I started climbing in about 5 months on easy traditional routes. I was very skittish for the first two months. Would put my foot on a large hold and would question whether it would work. Things gradually got better. I’ve been climbing regularly since then. The most helpful thing was having partners who were patient with me as I slowly progressed especially when I stated leading again and would take a long time on easy routes.

Jim Fox wrote:Compression fractures generally heal well without complications in young, healthy individuals. I'm a physician and see these types of injuries occassionally.

Sometimes they heal OK in old men. I was 78 when I had the accident.

Cheers, rob.calm

rob.calm wrote: There’s hope. In March 2008, . Sometimes they heal OK in old men. I was 78 when I had the accident. Cheers, rob.calm

Wow. I'm impressed that you were still climbing at 78 and happy to hear you healed well.

rob.calm wrote:I asked the orthopedist about PT, but he said I didn’t need it since what I was doing on my own was probably more helpful than anything PT would try.

Yes at first I was irritated that the surgeon who was supervising recovery of compression fractures of two lumbar vertebrae was delaying the start of physical therapy.
And then he did not write a prescription for PT anyway -- said I was so active that PT wouldn't make any difference.

He was right - (in my case) - I recovered just fine without it.

Ken

Hangboard hangboard hangboard! Keep that finger strength up.

Go lead that 5.7 and purge those demons (sew it up though).

caesar.salad wrote:Hangboard hangboard hangboard! Keep that finger strength up.

Consider the possibility that putting tension / extension load on the spine in the right intensity and timing might help recovery.

kenr wrote: Consider the possibility that putting tension / extension load on the spine in the right intensity and timing might help recovery.

I'm sure it does. I'm getting exactly that at my PT for a lower back disc problem. A PT clinic will be able to pull precise, programmed traction and take muscle contraction (as you'd get on a hangboard or chinning bar) out of the picture.

rob.calm wrote: There’s hope. In March 2008, I fell in a gym and sustained compression fractures of T7,T8, T10 and C7. I recovered slowly and did my own PT using my home weight room. I asked the orthopedist about PT, but he said I didn’t need it since what I was doing on my own was probably more helpful than anything PT would try. I told him that I would not try climbing until I was strong enough to do 12 chin-ups (palms forward and palms reversed) and most importantly 6 somersaults. I started climbing in about 5 months on easy traditional routes. I was very skittish for the first two months. Would put my foot on a large hold and would question whether it would work. Things gradually got better. I’ve been climbing regularly since then. The most helpful thing was having partners who were patient with me as I slowly progressed especially when I stated leading again and would take a long time on easy routes. Sometimes they heal OK in old men. I was 78 when I had the accident. Cheers, rob.calm

Holy shit. That is a crazy injury to have at 78 and go back to doing somersaults and climbing. What's the secret? Good genes? Good diet? Tiger blood?

caesar.salad wrote: Holy shit. That is a crazy injury to have at 78 and go back to doing somersaults and climbing. What's the secret? Good genes? Good diet? Tiger blood?

Seconded. Totally inspirational.

OP, no experience here, hope you're back crushing soon.

I'd appreciate it if you let us know how the Somatic Experiencing therapy works out. I have some lingering psychological effects from an accident that I was involved in years ago. Does health insurance cover that sort of thing?

BTW (not related to the above), I have a friend who had a crush fracture of a mid-thoracic vertebra and made a quick, full, recovery as far as climbing goes. He has visible signs (his back has an obvious angle there), but he climbs as hard as before.

Tom Nyce wrote:I'd appreciate it if you let us know how the Somatic Experiencing therapy works out. I have some lingering psychological effects from an accident that I was involved in years ago. Does health insurance cover that sort of thing?

Does it interfere with your activities of daily living? Difficulty sleeping, changes in work/school performance, etc...

Also, if anyone wants a REALLY inspirational recovery story, look up Hugh Herr. Put up some amazing routes in NH then lost both his legs climbing on Mt Washington in the winter. He then started working on special prosthetics for climbing and went back to it. He has a TED talk. I recommend everyone watch it.

Since my insurance did not cover my somatic experiencing therapy I was only able to do four sessions. However, in those four sessions I was able to overcome some recurring dreams I was having and became comfortable watching videos of people falling. Once I start climbing again I will know how well it works out. It's my theory that if I had been able to continue the therapy sessions I would have had more profound results.

I don't have any difficulty sleeping but if I was working right now I would not be able to perform my regular work duties. I am an outdoor educator in California and soon to be Outward Bound in Oregon. I doubt I would have the strength and stamina to go on any hiking or backpacking trips with students right now. However, I start work again right when my PT ends so I am confident I will be able to return to business as usual. I will probably get tired more easily than my other instructors but at least I will be able to work!

Kate S wrote:I doubt I would have the strength and stamina to go on any hiking or backpacking trips with students right now. However, I start work again right when my PT ends so I am confident I will be able to return to business as usual. I will probably get tired more easily than my other instructors but at least I will be able to work!

PT helps very little with stamina. I was surprised at the negative impact the fall had on my endurance. I worked up gradually to walking two miles in our neighborhood. Then the first time I walked on a not very steep hilly trail, I was exhausted after half a mile. But with steady hill walking, it came back in a couple of weeks.

Rob.calm

rob.calm wrote: PT helps very little with stamina. I was surprised at the negative impact the fall had on my endurance. I worked up gradually to walking two miles in our neighborhood. Then the first time I walked on a not very steep hilly trail, I was exhausted after half a mile. But with steady hill walking, it came back in a couple of weeks. Rob.calm

This is the importance of doing low impact cardio during your recovery, Kate, as you had mentioned. You might want to get a referral to a sports medicine doc. Once you are cleared to do more impact than biking, you should try walking on a treadmill and just ramp up the incline. It will get your HR up and will engage your quads and glutes more than just flat level walking. As always, remember, pain is your body's way of talking to you. Look out for increased point tenderness on your spine as well as any shooting 'electrical' sensations down your legs (sign of nerve pinching). Those are things that would mandate an immedate stop to any exercise you are engaging in and an immediate call to your DR and/or a visit to the ER. As I said before, this should all be done only after talking with the doctor taking care of you. S/he knows your case better than any of us.

Watching videos of falls might also help with the psych aspect. That's called exposure therapy. It's most commonly used to treat phobias, but it would probably work in this situation as well. When you are medically cleared, taking practice falls in the gym would be the next step after that.