In reply to Trevor Langhorne:
I've had fused dorsal vertebrae for 18 years. I took me a real long time to get sorted to full health and movement but I dabbled with skiing and climbing within 4 months.
Someone talked about lifestyle. It never fully heals but it is completely manageable if you understand your injury and know what to change/tweak in your everyday life. For me it was a necessity. But I climb harder now than at the time and although I hardly ski now, I skied better (but in a different way) for 2 years after full recovery.
I do pay for big days, I see a sport physio every 2/3 months and I stretch a lot. If for whatever reason I stop doing it (life/kids...) I immediately regret it! Deep muscles have been altered.
Never got an operation, fused in place after being immobilised for some 5/6 weeks (I cannot remember the details).
In brief, don't give up what you like, don't let others tell you what you can do but don't be a fool either: your circumstances have changed.