I have suffered from severe bouts of lower back pain for 20 years. In my twenties I played Rugby, weight trained & was into long distance running & classed myself as being pretty fit.

I worked as a mechanical engineer which involved working on large machines, lathes etc. In the early days I would probably suffer one severe bout approximately once every 12 – 18 months. In between I would often suffer from real nagging lower back pain.

On occasions I have been known to suspend myself from an overhead workshop crane to ease the constant pain in my back.

I continued working throughout this period and would only have any time off work when the back went into severe spasm which meant at least a week off my feet followed by another week walking around hunched over to my right side.

The regularity of the severe bouts slowly increased over the years & in 2007 / 2008 I would have a severe bout about every 2 – 3 months.

On most of the occasions it would mean a week off my feet and on numerous occasions I would struggle through the pain.

I really hate being off work so I would often go to work not knowing whether I would be able to drive home. I am a strong believer in keeping mobile throughout where possible. I have no doubt that recovery is much quicker if you can get up and walk about every now and again, even if it means hanging onto furniture, doors, worktops etc.& occasionally getting stuck half way up the stairs.

Over the years I have tried all the physio offered and occasionally it would help but only until the next bout.

In 2008 I was receiving physio along with exercises to help strengthen the core muscles.
Due to the frequency of my back problem, most sessions were spent helping ease the pain I found myself in, so little exercising was getting done.

Having discussed my ongoing and worsening back condition with my Physiotherapist, Andrew Wilson, I decided to seek the opinion of Mr Krishna.

I was told by Mr Krishna that I had four compressed degenerative discs and was first offered facet joint injections to see if this would help the pain and increase the period between bouts. The injections eased the pain for a couple of months but then I was back to square-one again. I underwent a discogram to assess which discs were causing the most pain. This procedure had the desired effect of identifying the three lower discs as being the ones giving me the most grief, but left me in terrible pain, probably the worst I had been in years.

I met with Mr Krishna again and he discussed the possibilities of surgery with me.
Mr Krishna was confident that he could carry out a good mechanical repair and explained that there was approximately a 70% chance that I would be in a lot less pain.

I considered these odds to be pretty good so I agreed to surgery straight away. I think I had already decided to have the operation before that consultation with Mr Krishna. You see, you can only put up with the constant pain for so long. The stiffness every morning when you get out of bed & the worry that your back might go at any time.

Not being able to go on holidays or weekends away for fear of been left stranded in an unfamiliar place or situation.

The first night after the operation was the worst. The operation pain wasn’t bad at all; the main discomfort was caused by all the equipment you are hooked up to. The next morning I was helped onto my feet by the physio’s and walked down the corridor to the X-ray dept. I actually viewed the X-ray images on the monitors and was amazed at the extent of the metal work within my body.

I spent three days in hospital and returned home on the Monday afternoon. My wife and neighbour collected me from the hospital and the 30 mile car journey home was quite comfortable.

After about five days I could manage to walk around the village where I lived and on the second week was able to drive. In fact on the Thursday of second week, I was well enough to drive the 50 mile round trip to York to my place of work and conduct three job interviews. The recovery over the third week was pretty rapid and I could easily manage a 1-2 mile walk. I returned to work after 3 weeks off. After 5-6 weeks I was able to walk 4-5 miles.

We moved house just over a month after the operation and I kept getting told off for carrying boxes & stuff. Friends kept saying ‘don’t overdo it’ but I didn’t really listen. My approach is how do you know what you capable of unless you test yourself?

I did test myself not long after when I came off my push-bike on some gravel. I had to have a lie down for a couple of hours, the main damage being to my pride.

I am the Manager of an engineering company and the majority of my time is spent in the office or walking around the works. I went back to work thinking that I would do 3-4 hours and then call it a day. However I found that I was able to complete the day and have never missed a day since.

Over the next six months the recovery slowed slightly but I was still able to carry out far more than I could prior to the operation.

Twelve months on and I felt great. I no longer had any back pain. I still retained a level of stiffness in my lower back, but hey, this is nothing compared to how I was.

12 to 18 months on things really settled down. I found myself doing strenuous activities without even thinking about my back. Things like lifting a full height fridge freezer through the front door and into the kitchen. Decorating & hanging doors, gardening and painting the outside of my property.

Two & half years on and I don’t really consider myself as having a back problem. Just recently I have been mixing a laying concrete, carrying bales of hay and straw & building & renovating stables.

The operation has indeed been life changing for me. I have got my life back & more.
From the first moments when I awoke from the operation I knew something had changed for the good & I could feel positive about the future.

I intend to carry on enjoying my life & don’t let the thought of a couple of rods and six pins slow me down. After all, who knows what’s round the next corner & what life has in store for us?

I feel extremely lucky and will be forever grateful to Manoj & his team for the amazing repair job they did on me.