Scoliosis: Life, Support & Friends

Hey guys. I was looking up some exercises that are ideal for Scoliosis and came across some very useful ones.  Stretch Up and Reach Down The stretch up and reach down exercise is recommended for those with scoliosis by SportsInjuryClinic.net. Stand with your back against a wall, both arms dangling freely at your side. Standing with your back against the wall to perform this exercise helps you avoid bending forward or backward. If the left side of your back is your tight side, lift up your left arm so that it's pointing straight toward the ceiling. Reach up toward the ceiling with your left hand. At the same time, reach toward the floor with your right hand. You should feel a subtle shift in your spinal alignment with this stretch. Hold your stretch for five seconds, then relax. Repeat your stretch up and reach down exercise a total of 10 times, and perform your stretch two to three times per day. If you're not sure which side of your back is tighter or which arm you should ...

Many teenagers will probably recognize Shailene Woodley. She plays Hazel Grace in "The Fault in our Stars" and Tris Prior in "Divergent". But did you know that she also suffers from Scoliosis? Shailene Woodley was diagnosed with Scoliosis when she was 15 years old. She had to also wear a back brace,18 hours a day for two years. When doing an interview for Marie Claire, Woodley said "Some people have crooked teeth, some people have broken fingers; and I've got a back that has my initial on it". Such an inspiration to us twisties, eh?  There are many more celebrities that have scoliosis; whether they've had bracing, or whether they've had the surgery. But I will be posting more celebrities, possibly once a week! I find that many of their stories are such an inspiration, and it shows that you can still go out there and do what you want even with Scoliosis!  If you want to read more about Shailene Woodley's Scoliosis then here's a lin...

I have been meaning to blog about the meeting we had in February for the UK Scoliotics since returning but life has been so hectic I have just not had the time! So please don't shoot the messenger here for being late on her blogging ;) We met at La Tasca in Victoria, London at lunch time on the 19th February, we had a great turnout with people coming from all over the UK and of course Spain! I have listed the people who attended below. Maria from Uttoexeter, Staffordshire Megan from Cambridgeshire Judith from Mill Hill, London Linda from Croxley Green, Watford Krysie from Coventry Karen from Hurst Green Simone & Chris Icough from Spain  Evi from London Lisa from Kent Janice from Sunderland Gail from Hull Janet from London Alana from Spain The venue itself were very helpful, they threw in some free jugs of Sangria, (which seemed to go to Maria's head - hahahaha, although I think she enjoyed it ;) and 5 pounds off the menu price per head, we had a great ...

Well I am having a bad day but on a professional level so I decided to take some time out to breathe and calm down and writing helps me do this :) I have been on Lyrica now since the 12th July, 2010 and we have had some interesting moments! I am definitely a different person, not quite on the ball as I used to be, I am delayed in my reactions to everything, I am always tired and lethargic and I forget what I am doing ALL the time, I walk into a room and say "what am I doing in here?" a few minutes later I will go "oh yeah, I remember now", not me at all and not sure I like that, what is this drug doing to my brain exactly? My periods are all over the place, I was late by 2 weeks last time and only bled for 2 days - this is most unusual for my cycle as for years, since the age of 14 I have been regular and lasted fror 5 days so I guess Lyrica is playing a part in that also. I think I read somewhere that Lyrica makes you infertile but if you consider we are trying t...

The Scoliosis Association (UK) will be holding a meeting specifically focused on infants in London. The meeting will be held on Saturday 26th June, 2010, at the Sir Herbert Seddon Teaching Centre at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, London. The meeting will be hosted by Mr Hilali Noordeen FRCS who, along with a team of scoliosis specialists, will be discussing the causes and diagnosis of infantile, juvenile and congenital scoliosis, treatment options and current research. There will also be parents discussing their personal experiences of coping with the condition and opportunities to ask questions and chat with other families. This is the first infantile meeting that SAUK has held for many years and it is a fantastic opportunity for parents of infants or young children with scoliosis to get dedicated information and to pose questions to scoliosis specialists. For more information please contact: 020 8964 5343 or visit the SAUK website where you can sign up onl...

Severe axial vertebral rotation treated with a modified Boston brace: a case report Authors: Eustathios I Kenanidis, Michael E Potoupnis Abstract We report the case of a 13-year-old Caucasian girl suffering from severe axial rotation of the T5 to L4 vertebrae. The patient (initially examined during a school screening study) was at first considered to be suspicious of suffering from scoliosis due to a highly positive Adam's forward bending test. However, her radiographic evaluation revealed the existence of axial rotation in 12 of her vertebrae, without inclination in the sagittal and coronal planes. After an observation period of 12 months and due to the fact that both her physical appearance and the measured vertebral rotation deteriorated, the patient was given a modified thoracolumbar Boston brace that had an immediate positive derotational effect on all but two vertebrae. Twenty four months later, the progress of the vertebral rotation(s) seems to have been halted and mos...

Genetic aspects of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in a family with multiple affected members: a research article Authors: Marcelo Wajchenberg, Monize Lazar, Natale Cavaçana, Delio Eulalio Martins, Luciana Licinio, Eduardo Barros Puertas, Elcio Landim, Mayana Zatz and Akira Ishida Background The etiology of idiopathic scoliosis remains unknown and different factors have been suggested as causal. Hereditary factors can also determine the etiology of the disease; however, the pattern of inheritance remains unknown. Autosomal dominant, X-linked and multifactorial patterns of inheritances have been reported. Other studies have suggested possible chromosome regions related to the etiology of idiopathic scoliosis. We report the genetic aspects of and investigate chromosome regions for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in a Brazilian family. Methods Evaluation of 57 family members, distributed over 4 generations of a Brazilian family, with 9 carriers of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis...

My mom and I were recalling some of our later experiences in the blood thirsty adventure that is the Alberta Health Care system, and a particular memory got me thinking more about my second surgeon. I figured I did an Ode to Dr. Elf (lord help me if any doctor ever stumbles upon this page), and now it's time to address the issue of Dr. Stoic. When I hit the tragic age of 18 I was informed that I was no longer allowed to go to the Alberta Children's Hospital as I had exceeded their maximum height allowance. Also, last time they opened me up they counted my rings and discovered I was far older than appropriate for hanging around small children (apparently clowns can do it and no one makes a sound. Go figure.) So as I stated previously Dr. Elf and I laid out three potential surgeons. He patiently went through them one by one, giving a thorough explanation for each although suspiciously leaving out their criminal records which I request from anyone I spend more than five minutes ...

Yesterday was a bad pain day. Admittedly, I could very easily be a drug addict, I take morphine for breakthrough pain which, these days, is happening more and more. I've never abused my drug privileges mostly because of the terrifying fear that one misstep with any narcotic will suddenly cause my brain to warp into a large fungal covered sponge with droopy green jell-O-like soup in which for it to stew. That fear, along with the whole 'losing-control-of-my-life' fear, have combined to make me very cautious with my medication, even on days when I wake up and just know that it's going to be a bad pain day. I can always tell, something doesn't feel right. That normal humpitude sensation on my right side somehow feels more pronounced, like a small armadillo has attached itself to my back and then died. Meanwhile that delicate area of my entire spine just aches, plain old aches, aches like an old leather shoe. I mean, metaphorically if this shoe had an entire nervous sy...

Authors: Stefano Negrini and Theodoros B Grivas Scoliosis Journal report : Introduction to the "Scoliosis" Journal Brace Technology Thematic Series: increasing existing knowledge and promoting future developments. Bracing is the main non-surgical intervention in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis during growth, in hyperkyphosis (and Scheuermann disease) and occasionally for spondylolisthesis; it can be used in adult scoliosis, in the elderly when pathological curves lead to a forward leaning posture or in adults after traumatic injuries. Bracing can be defined as the application of external corrective forces to the trunk; rigid supports or elastic bands can be used and braces can be custom-made or prefabricated. The state of research in the field of conservative treatment is insufficient and while it can be stated that there is some evidence to support bracing, we must also acknowledge that today we do not have a common and generally accepted knowledge base, and that i...

Scoliosis may occur throughout growth and devlopment. The most common form, adolsecent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), usually becomes apparent during the adolescent growth spurt. Infantile and junvenile forms of scoliosis become apparent earlier in development. Initial inspection of the newborn is the first chance to identify an underlying pathology that ultimately may lead to the devlopment of scoliosis. Initially, obvious trunk asymmetry is absent. Close observation of patients with congeital or skeletal abnormalities may lead to early detection of spinal deformity, which will allow for timely and effective treatment. Some anomalies such as congenital kyphosis, whether from failure of formation or segmentation, may be difficult to identify in the very young child. Other congenital pathologies such as hemivertebrae may result in severe scoliosis. These congenital pathologies may not become clinically apparent until the child attains an upright, umbulatory stance. Occasionally early surgi...

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), today announced the launch of the TSRH ® 3Dx ™ Spinal System. Designed with procedural efficiency in mind, the TSRH 3Dx Spinal System offers two screws designed to address multiple pathologies. The Multi Planar Adjusting (MPA ® ) Screw option provides surgeons a variable angle posted screw for targeted, controlled correction maneuvers. The OSTEOGRIP ® Screw enhances bone fixation by incorporating a dual-lead thread pattern that reduces toggle at the bone-screw interface. Building on more than 20 years of clinical success, this next generation pedicle screw system includes competitive differentiating technology for addressing multiple spinal pathologies, from degenerative disc disease to spinal deformity. The system also offers CHROMALOY™ rods and a minimally invasive capability. “The TSRH 3Dx Spinal System allows me to better match solutions to specific patient needs,” said Dr. Brett Scott. “It gives me confidence by marrying new technologies with a long cl...

Author: Matt Cooper I spotted this article on a golf website and as I knew about Stacy Lewis having Scoliosis I decide to re-print some of the article here to share with our members. Well, it took longer than expected but we all knew it had to happen sooner or later. The weight of expectancy was huge but one sensed it was coming. Welcomed by sponsors, officials and even fellow players. Much anticipated and greeted with scenes of drama and relief. Yes - finally an American has won again on the LPGA. One player excited about the tour's first visit to Houston in 20 years is Stacy Lewis, a Houston resident who has played at the nearby Woodlands all of her career. Lewis' golfing journey has been an extraordinary one - she started playing the game aged eight, quickly gained a reputation as a great talent, was diagnosed with scoliosis (curvature of the spine), wore a brace for six years, then had surgery, became the number ranked amateur in the US and then finished third in the 2008 U...

Well, my fame as a blogger seems to be short-lived. Unfortunately I've lost my health insurance, and I won't be having surgery after all. I found out about two weeks ago, but it's been hard to organize my thoughts since then. At first I was extremely relieved, which really surprised me. I hadn't realized I was that scared. Now I'm just crushed. I'm really depressed about it. I had a muscle spasm an hour ago, and it lasted over 15 minutes. I can finally move again, but it's still hurting. Oh, well. Dr. Bones wanted me to wait ten years anyway. Hopefully Dr. STL will still be practicing in ten years.

Braces and Plaster Casts Orthotic management of spinal disorders dates back at least to the Middle Ages. Some of the concepts underlying those primitive devices, notably three-point forces, remain valid today. Fabrication materials have progressed from metal and leather to light weight thermoplastics allowing many new designs and a new level of comfort for the patient. Braces help control the curve as you or your child grows. These braces are sometimes prescribed post surgery, along with plaster jackets. I had a plaster cast for 7 months after my Harrington Rod surgery. They are designed to protect the back while the tiny bone ships used for grafting fuse to form a solid bone mass. Unfortunately for me my bone chips have not all formed a solid mass and I now have terrible problems with my donor site. There are many different braces in use today, however, they all present similar problems in finding clothing that is both comfortable and trendy! The Milwaukee Brace Developed by Drs Al Sc...

OK, so I am seeing a lot of blog posts coming out saying things like "have Scoliosis, come visit our Chiropractor", since when did the Chiros become professionals in twisted spines? For starters they are not medical doctors so I advise that you see a proper Scoliosis specialist before you see a Chiropractor! When I had my surgery in 1989 with a Harrington rod from T4 to L1 I was told in under no circumstances should I see a Chiro, Dr Jackson told me this from Southampton General Hospital, over the last 5 years that I have been running groups and chatting on various other groups, the general consensus across the board is do not see a Chiropractor, some groups do not even allow you to talk about them! I do have a slightly different view to most I have to say, I do allow people to talk about their treatments because I am all for sharing and if a patient had good results then share them, we are all individuals at the end of the day and we react to different treatments, however, t...

I just had to share this fantastic new rehabilitation tool or perhaps we should say toy that has come onto the market to help all children from the ages five to eleven. What is the Power Pumper for? From watching videos and reading information about this bike/scooter it is a unique mobility device for occupational and physical therapists, educators and children with therapeutic or health-related needs. This innovative, award-winning, therapeutic mobility device has a unique pumping action which provides movement for both upper and lower extremities, and helps build trunk muscles. The Power Pumper is used in therapy and physical education activities for building endurance and muscle development. Visit PowerPumper.com for details of how children with special needs can receive a free Power Pumper. The Power Pumper provides these benefits: * Rehabilitation - Encourages normal movement in upper and lower extremities * Appeals to all children * Children feel safe because of its ...

Dammit, I promised myself I wouldn't cry. Mom and I drove to Tulsa and flew to St. Louis. Completely uneventful. Up early the next morning, called the shuttle to the hospital so we wouldn't have to worry about parking and grabbed breakfast in the cafeteria. Let me tell you something. Barnes Jewish is the biggest hospital I've ever seen. No joke, the building I was in is 20 stories high and all of the buildings cover SEVEN CITY BLOCKS. This place was GINORMOUS. I got two new x-rays taken. Oh, I forgot to mention, I was in excruciating pain THE ENTIRE TRIP. So I couldn't stand up straight (especially without my shoes) during the x-rays. I didn't bother to tell the radiologists or Dr. STL, I don't really know why. I was amazed to see the x-ray up on the lightboard. My bones are so off center when I am in pain. It was a good thing I stood like that, though. None of my previous x-rays had shown that my L4 vertebra is a good 1-1.5 cm to the left of my L3 ...

I wanted to take some time out to talk about Llweyn on our Scoliosis Support Group, Llweyn is a part of the Scoliosis Association of British Columbia, Canada (Chapter 100 of the Scoliosis Association, Inc.), she is an inspiration to the members of our group, has a lot of support and help to offer. Scoliosis Association British Columbia Is the second Canadian Chapter but the first to receive, after 3 years of working with the Canadian government, Registered Charity status in April, 2008. This means that the Scoliosis Association can now do some fund-raising and issue tax receipts, along with opening a proper charity bank account that does not charge monthly business fees. They do not have a website at the moment but you can contact Llweyn on our support group or email her directly. Scoliosis Association: Llweyn Working alongside Llweyn is Marion Primeau who is associated with the other Canadian Chapter of Ontario, Marion's chapter has also applied to become a Registered Charity. Sco...

Stacy Lewis discovered at the age of 11 that she had Scoliosis, after wearing a brace for 2 years it was decided that she should have surgery. A scary future for such a promising young Golf professional, but as we know from previous Scoliosis patients, we are tough cookies and if she can cope with Women's Open Round pressure along with Scoliosis surgery, she is going to be just fine! Lewis helped the United States win a victory of 13-7 over Great Britain and Ireland, earlier this year, the flawless round that Lewis put in was a round of 67 Saturday on the 6,789-yard, par-73 layout at Interlachen. It was the best round of the day by two strokes and gave her a 54-hole total of 9-under-par 210, one stroke ahead of Paula Creamer, who shot 69, and two strokes ahead of Helen Alfredsson of Sweden and Inbee Park of South Korea. "Truthfully, I'm not really that surprised," said Lewis, a 2007 graduate of the University of Arkansas, where she was the NCAA Division I individual c...