Column Treatment Progress Report No.48: A patient Who Was Able to Play Again Following Severe Walking Difficulty After Golf
July 4, 2023
The patient
A male patient in his 60s
Treated in September 2022. Approximately 9 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
This patient had disc herniation in the areas indicated by the red frame (L4/5).
This patient was found to have a lumbar disc herniation at the L4/5 level.
In addition, foraminal stenosis was observed at L3/4, and anterolisthesis with disc degeneration and loss of disc volume was noted at L5.
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
June 2022: Initial pain in the left thigh occurred during a round of golf.
July 2022: The patient visited a local orthopedic clinic and was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis.
Trigger point injections were administered, but as symptoms did not improve, conservative management with medication was continued.
September 2022: After another round of golf, severe back pain developed the following day, making it difficult to walk.
The patient visited our clinic seeking to improve her symptoms.
Treatment
The Cellgel Method was performed at two intervertebral disc levels: L3/4 and L4/5.
Post-treatment progress
The table below shows the results of the patient’s own evaluation of the pain in each body site on a scale of 0 to 10.
No pain at all is rated as 0 and 10 as the maximum possible pain.
| Lower back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before treatment | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1 week after treatment | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1 month after treatment | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 months after treatment | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 months after treatment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
1 Week: No noticeable change compared to pre-treatment.
1 month after treatment: Although pain and numbness persisted in the left leg, but the patient felt better overall. Walking distance began to increase.
3 Months: Significant improvement; the patient was able to play golf once every three days.
6 months after treatment: Mild pain still occurred after sitting for long periods or after playing golf, but daily activities were not affected.
This patient regularly played golf as a hobby.
Since golf involves repeated twisting of the waist, it places a significant strain on the intervertebral discs. Following the procedure, we advised the patient on the importance of stretching and maintaining muscle balance to protect the spine during his swings.
* Results vary among individuals. Please be aware that identical outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
* It generally takes 3 weeks to 3 months for treatment effects to appear.
Our Treatment Method
Supplementary Information on the Cellgel Method
Cost of the Cellgel Method:
¥1,320,000 / 1 site (tax included)
to ¥1,760,000 / 5 sites (tax included)
Risks and Side Effects:
Temporary pain may occur after treatment.
Nerve injury is theoretically possible due to the nature of the procedure, but no such cases have been reported in our own experience or in published studies.
Extremely rare risk of allergic reaction to local anesthetic.
Symptoms may temporarily worsen for 1–2 weeks after treatment, believed to be due to decompression effects of the implant pulling on surrounding tissue.
If the disc is severely collapsed or nearly gone, treatment may not be possible.
The physician will discuss suitable treatment options with each patient depending on their condition.
For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:
Blog page explaining the Cellgel Method in an easy-to-understand manner
The Cellgel Method on our treatment methods page
This article was written by the administrative Director of our clinic
