For athletes who train and compete hard, chronic neck pain and pinched nerves that radiate pain down the arm can be more than an uncomfortable inconvenience. Instead of having confidence in their body’s abilities and being able to enjoy pushing their limits, the pain is a constant check on what they’re able to do. Shooting pains make it impossible to focus on even basic training, much less improving their performance. Weight training and upper-body exercises can trigger sharp pain.
That discomfort—both physical and psychological—isn’t confined to training or competition. Chronic neck pain can make it difficult to get proper sleep, jolting the sufferer awake repeatedly no matter what position they sleep in. Symptoms like numbness or tingling in the arm can prompt worries about long-term nerve damage. If conservative treatments like pain medication and physical therapy aren’t providing consistent relief or improvement, uncertainty about whether full recovery is even possible may begin to set it. With every specialist offering different advice, athletes may not know who to trust, even as they’re desperate to find a treatment that works.
When nothing else has worked, spinal fusion surgery may be offered as a solution for conditions like chronic neck pain or a pinched nerve that is sending shooting pains down the arm. This procedure does produce satisfactory results for many patients. However, artificial disc replacement (ADR) is a minimally invasive alternative that can have several key advantages, especially for active individuals like athletes.
ADR replaces a damaged or degenerated disc with an implant designed to function like a healthy disc. Spinal fusion connects two vertebrae together to prevent their movement and reduce pain and other symptoms such as radiating nerve pain. How do they compare for athletes and other active individuals?
Pain and Stress Management | Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR) | Spinal Fusion |
Effect on natural movement | An artificial disc mimics the natural movement of the cervical spine, allowing for better flexibility and mobility after the procedure. | Affected vertebrae are fused together, eliminating motion in that segment. This may restrict neck mobility and potentially affect athletic performance. |
Stress on adjacent discs | ADR minimizes the stress on adjacent spinal segments by maintaining natural motion. This reduces the risk of developing adjacent segment disease (ASD). | Fusion can increase stress on the vertebrae above and below the fused segment, potentially leading to wear and tear over time and the development of ASD. |
Recovery time | ADR is a less invasive procedure, which often reduces recovery time is often shorter with ADR. Recovery doesn’t require waiting for bones to fuse. Many patients resume normal activities, including sports, within a few weeks to months, depending on their rehabilitation plan. | Fusion requires extended recovery, as the bones must grow together. This can take several months, during which time strenuous activity may be off limits. |
Range of motion | Allows athletes to retain a greater range of motion in the neck. This can be essential for sports requiring dynamic movement and reaction. | Limits motion in the fused segment. This can affect performance in sports requiring full neck mobility. |
Risk of future surgeries | With reduced stress on adjacent discs, the likelihood of needing additional surgeries is lower. | Increased stress on nearby discs often leads to degeneration, which might require further surgical interventions. |
Chronic pain and nerve symptoms | Can effectively relieve pain, numbness, and tingling caused by a pinched nerve or degenerated disc. May also feel more natural post-recovery because the procedure maintains spinal mechanics. | Can effectively relieve pain, numbness, and tingling caused by a pinched nerve or degenerated disc. |
Long-term outcomes | Studies suggest patients undergoing ADR often experience better long-term quality of life due to preserved range of motion and reduced risk of ADR. | While effective for stabilizing the spine, fusion may lead to mechanical issues and reduced long-term quality of life. |
In addition, because ADR does not require a bone graft of rigid hardware to stabilize the spine, as are used in spinal fusion, patients have a reduced risk of post-surgical complications.
Whether ADR is a better choice for any individual patient depends on several considerations. One of the most important is eligibility. Factors like severe arthritis, osteoporosis, multiple-level disc issues, or conditions affecting the spine’s stability can make fusion the better option. Surgeon expertise also matters. Finding a specialist skilled in both ADR and spinal fusion can ensure that both options are available to you. Keep in mind that both ADR and spinal fusion will require a structure rehabilitation plan afterward. However, ADR patients often regain mobility and are able to return to full activity faster.
Chronic neck pain or nerve pain can be a serious impediment to athletic performance. Board-certified orthopedist Dr. Tiffany Rogers specializes in spine care, including artificial disc replacement. As a doctor who began her career in physical therapy, she is focused on finding the least invasive method to effectively treat her patients and get them back to the activities they love. To schedule an appointment, contact us here.