Cervical Disc replacement

In 2010 and had my c6-c7 disc replaced as it was herniated completely. In 2011 I had my c5-c6 disc replaced as I apparently didnt learn my lesson.

Problem: severe atrophy in the right triceps basically the largest of the three heads deflated and I can manage after a year and a half to do DB extensions with 5-8 lbs...but once I get up around 10 lbs...I struggle. I have been very limited in pushing strength with that arm and yesterday managed ten straight push ups before failure.

On my left arm, due to the most recent injury, I enjoyed part of my forearm deflating in a similar manner but a lesser degree of strength loss. The Dr. said that some nerve damage may have occurred and if it has been over a year, I am basically screwed and it is not going to get any better...

Has anyone had any similar problems and were there any solutions?

[QUOTE=apocalypse;705528441]In 2010 and had my c6-c7 disc replaced as it was herniated completely. In 2011 I had my c5-c6 disc replaced as I apparently didnt learn my lesson.

Problem: severe atrophy in the right triceps basically the largest of the three heads deflated and I can manage after a year and a half to do DB extensions with 5-8 lbs...but once I get up around 10 lbs...I struggle. I have been very limited in pushing strength with that arm and yesterday managed ten straight push ups before failure.

On my left arm, due to the most recent injury, I enjoyed part of my forearm deflating in a similar manner but a lesser degree of strength loss. The Dr. said that some nerve damage may have occurred and if it has been over a year, I am basically screwed and it is not going to get any better...

Has anyone had any similar problems and were there any solutions?[/QUOTE]

I have a slightly similar problem. I had a herniation in my L5,S1 for two years and so I developed a bit of nerve damage on my left leg. It's slightly smaller than my right, and slightly weaker. I'm assuming it'll always feel different to my right leg.

I just wikipedia'd muscle atrophy and a few things came up on possible treatment.

Muscle atrophy can be opposed by the signaling pathways which induce muscle hypertrophy, or an increase in muscle size. Therefore one way in which exercise induces an increase in muscle mass is to downregulate the pathways which have the opposite effect.

One important rehabilitation tool for muscle atrophy includes the use of functional electrical stimulation to stimulate the muscles. This has seen a large amount of success in the rehabilitation of paraplegic patients.

Since the absence of muscle-building amino acids can contribute to muscle wasting (that which is torn down must be rebuilt with like material), amino acid therapy may be helpful for regenerating damaged or atrophied muscle tissue. The branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are critical to this process, in addition to lysine and other amino acids.


I guess the only thing is to start training it all over again, step by step.

[QUOTE=apocalypse;705528441]In 2010 and had my c6-c7 disc replaced as it was herniated completely. In 2011 I had my c5-c6 disc replaced as I apparently didnt learn my lesson.

Problem: severe atrophy in the right triceps basically the largest of the three heads deflated and I can manage after a year and a half to do DB extensions with 5-8 lbs...but once I get up around 10 lbs...I struggle. I have been very limited in pushing strength with that arm and yesterday managed ten straight push ups before failure.

On my left arm, due to the most recent injury, I enjoyed part of my forearm deflating in a similar manner but a lesser degree of strength loss. The Dr. said that some nerve damage may have occurred and if it has been over a year, I am basically screwed and it is not going to get any better...

Has anyone had any similar problems and were there any solutions?[/QUOTE]

I ruptured the same disc about 15 years ago - at the time, I could bench 225 about 6 times - couldn't do 95 lbs.

Came all the way back - benching 225 again - ruptured another one - took a bone from my hip and fused it.

All I can say is, it will come back. I'm 54 now and just work out with 185 on the bench but, it is a very bad injury but not one that will give you permanent effects.

Just do what you can and be very careful.

Few years late but I also had my C6-7 disc replaced this year. Injured myself back in August last year, rested for about 3 months, tried to do some push ups, managed 1. The nerves and muscles on my right side had completely shut down. I persevered everyday and after a few weeks battled my way up managing 10 reps.

Eventually received MRI scans and the disc was so badly ruptured it required the replacement. This was done on January 8th this year ad I am now back in the gym working my way up the weights steadily.

You've just got to have the belief it will improve and the determination to not let it defeat you. I also read using a stress ball purely on the affected side everyday will stimulate the damaged nerves. Unfortunately nerves take a long long time to repair and grow.

Dang pinched nerves and herniated discs are no joke and will bring a man to his knees in pain, at least mine did. I walked around for for months thinking I had a strained tricep bc I couldn't even hold a pot of water with my left arm. Finally I had an MRI and my C3 was pinched and had a cervical disckectomy replacement with the Prestige disc. I woke up with instant pain relief and no issues since. I just started back lifting in January.