T12 Compression Fracture

Hi all, I recently had a fairly nasty fall. I embarked on a route that had zero gear for the first little while but it didn't look too bad and was at a grade I rarely fall on, so thought I'd be fine. Sure enough my foot blew and I ripped two token micro cams I'd put in to feel better about the whole thing, which were never going to hold.
Landing in a seated position, I managed to give myself a %25 compression fracture in my T12 vertebra, though the doctors added that there are multiple fractures in this single vertebra. I was walking the day after the injury in a brace and have had only fairly mild pain considering I broke my back. I'm now 4 weeks post fall and am going for walks everyday and riding an exercise bike too. I had an appointment last week and to my dismay was told that I shouldn't do any more serious exercise until a follow up appointment at week 8 and should continue to wear the brace until then, although they added that typically this appointment would be at week 6 but they were fully booked. Furthermore, they added that they didn't think I would be able to do any real exercise -certainly no climbing- until month 3 or even 6. I work a physically demanding job so this is hard news.
Basically just curious if anyone has had a similar injury and what their path to recovery looked like? Pain/movement levels at this stage? Rehab schedules etc? It seems that rehabilitation varies wildly depending on your injury, but am curious if anyone had a conservative plan laid out for them and then found other experts who offered a more proactive rehab program. Obviously my main concern is to recover so I don't want to aggravate things with over enthusiastic exercise but thought I'd just put the question out there to hear of other people's experiences.
I have read several threads on here which have been encouraging, hearing of people getting back into it.
Thanks very much in advance for any info or advice! Don't be like me; wear a helmet and don't climb sketchy routes when you're not feeling good.
Stay safe and thanks

Here is the issue, the docs are worried that by doing shit, the fracture will not heal, or worse become displaced and you will fuck up the cord. You know the cord that controls all of your lower body including bodily functions. I did something similar and though only a compression fracture that was not displaced the docs gave me the same advise. Do not do anything and let it heal. In the end instead of being in a neck brace for 12 weeks they let me out after 10 weeks. I spent a month or so doing rehab to get the neck muscle strength back. The break was over T-Day and at the end of Feb I was climbing ice. In fact see my avatar picture - 10 pitches on Stairway to Heaven. 

Here is what my helmet looked liked after my fall. The folks in the ER really freaked out cause I drove 12 hours home with a stop to unload and reload a pickup of stuff, with ahem a sore shoulder and stiff neck.

I sent you a PM

Allen, thanks for the reply and that's a nice crack in your helmet! Stupidly my fall happened on one of the few days I've forgotten my helmet so my head looked similar to your helmet! Definitely a bit dazed/almost dead. What did you do during your 10 week neck brace period? Did they give you a similarly grim outlook which you blasted through or were they confident you'd be climbing again by February?
Glad you made such a swift recovery and got straight back into it!

My compression fracture was minor just one facet. I did not do much other than go for walks wth our dog albeit on a snow covered road. That was after one of my followups, I can not remember which one, probably around 6 weeks. Basically the docs want to see if things are healing before letting you do too much. As doing stuff 3-6 months out they are probably being ultra conservative so not to get your expectations up too high. See what they at 8-10 weeks ... if things are looking good I would push them on getting into PT ASAP.

Hi Elixir. I experienced similliar thing in a bouldering accident, broke L1 %20-30 and was worried about going back to mountains again. Maybe you have encountered my previous posts here. I know its a hell but I reccommend you listen to doctors for the first 3-5 months and talk any other neurosurgeons if you can. You can recover by the time almost %99 but you should take it easy.

 For me I fell down from 25 feet. I wasnt able to walk without help first 2-3 days because of sharp pain. I was on rest cure at home for two months. No surgery required. In this period I walked short distances with the brace. I didnt bend over, I didnt lift anything and I didnt sit more than 10 minhutes nearly for 3 months. After summer came and I began swimming. I took off the brace after 4 months and I was able to walk normally. My home is close to the beach so almost everyday I swam during the whole summer and I did some core exercises. Now its been 8 months I can do most things I used to do. I dont want to force my self yet because the full recovery lasts 12-15 months but I can run slowly I can lift progressively I can climb lightly even I can play football. I have not meet PT yet but planning to strengthen back muscles its virtually important.

  As you see with the right rehab you can recover. It needs time and a little bit patient. I can tell you do not force yourself, do not bend or twist. Try to keep your spine as its original posture, Sitting is also special subject I dont advise sitting much for 8 weeks. I wish you the best recovery. If there is anything you wonder you can ask. Get better soon !

 Etki.

I broke several vertebrae last year, including nasty burst fractures at T6 and T7. I had a 7 level spinal fusion so my recovery may differ from yours.

That said the key things for me were to be super conservative early on, which allows you a good healing base to be more aggressive with PT later on. I couldn’t lift more than 10 lbs for 3 months. Also no bending or twisting in that time frame. They let me out of the brace two weeks early at 10 weeks (for a few hours per day) because I could demonstrate good mechanics, restraint and stabilizer engagement. 
PT started at 3 months. Do it with the mindset that it’s not a phase to get through, it’s now the way to move for the rest of your life. 
Sleep and nutrition are your best allies. 
NSAIDs may slow bone growth, and were strictly forbidden. Walking is awesome in all respects. Use grip trainers to keep up the arm strength. 
I’m 14 months out now and 95% or more back to normal, climbing as well as ever. It’s hard to trust the process at your point in healing and even more when the restrictions lift and PT/climbing feels horrible. To me it felt impossible that it would be normal again. But it will work. Plus you’ll have the fastest progress in your life! I went from painfully struggling up 5.7 to sending 5.13 in 4 months. If only I could keep on that trend!

Good luck on the healing! Certainly reach out if you have questions, I received a lot of encouragement after writing various people who had similar injuries and it was incredibly helpful. 

I decked a few years back and broke my L7. I was in a brace from mid-June to mid-August.  After a few weeks I went for walks and by the beginning of August, I was back doing 10+ mile hikes in the mountains. I didn't start climbing again until mid-Sept and it was painful at first. I was unable to do yoga until at least October because the twisting was too much. The following summer I summited Rainier via the Emmons route and made a full recovery.