Pedicle screw for L5 pars #

[leroy]

I know this subject was covered earlier in the year, but I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences with the surgical option for lumbar stress fractures? I have an upcoming appointment with a spinal surgeon to look at this option.

I am a 23 year old now ex-fast bowler with a complete non-union L5 stressy, which I've had for about 3 years. I have done a lot of physio (I am one) and while intensive therapy improved me in the early stages the injury feels as though it is slowly getting worse, with increasing soft tissue problems around the pelvis. I have made a return to sport but am nowhere near my previous level, and work is taking its toll.

I've also had a few guided cortisones and tried the Boston brace earlier on - cortisone gave me some relief and the brace did nothing. So I'm now considering surgery, but I've had a lot of mixed opinions. Does anyone here have something to offer?

[injuryupdate]

I would say that surgery is probably your only option for returning to high level cricket and it may or may not work. Not experienced enough to know which of the surgical options is better though. If you have basically decided that your days as a quick are over, I would hesitate to have any surgery. Fibrous semi-unions (which is probably what you have got) are probably present in 5% of the population and are only really a major issue in terms of re-fracture in fast bowlers, gymnasts etc. If you do have a fibrous union it probably has implications for L5 nerve impingment down the track, but surgery to 'correct' the union wouldn't fix this anyway.