Recovering from spinal injuries is hard, but Professor Ishaque is uniquely qualified in how to treat them, as a spinal surgeon and as someone who successfully recovered from a disc herniation. Read below why Professor Ishaque believes that The Musher can help prevent and treat spinal injuries like his.
“Two years ago, I ruptured a disc in my back and the pain was so severe, I passed out in agony. The following morning, I woke up with a paralysed right leg. Being a spinal surgeon, I guessed what had happened, but it felt very surreal. The images are the MRI of my back which show a large disc bulge/prolapse/herniation severely pressing on my spinal nerves. Rather than panic, I dealt with it methodically. I believe surgery should be the last resort, so I followed my own mantra. Within a week, I could walk again unaided, albeit with a floppy foot, but because the damage to the nerves was so severe, I had no pain. Unfortunately, over the next two years as my nerves woke up, so did the pain. Having spinal injections, taking medication regularly and working with my physio Sarah Duncton and personal trainer Laura I built up my weak and wasted right leg and worked on my core strength and stability. I thought I knew how important the core is to back stability, but I soon began to realise quite how important it really is first-hand. That is why I was so keen and grateful to be given the opportunity to be involved with the development of The Musher by Luke Porter. Although I wouldn’t want to go through the pain again, as I reflect on the last two years, I know the experience has definitely made me a better doctor and with development of The Musher hopefully be able to help many people going forward with both the pre-habilitation and rehabilitation of their backs.”