Does anyone here have scoliosis?

I wore a back brace from the age of 12 to 20. Did physical therapy all that time. Then, when they took away the brace, that was the end of my treatment. I've been fine until recently, but I've started having real bad lower back pain and am REALLY stiff when I stand up--even after sitting only a short time.

I'm not asking for medical advice (I don't think, but if the mods interpret it as such, well, I accept their decision), just wondered what, if anything, other adults with scoliosis do to take care of their backs. Anyone here fit the description?

And yes, I'm going to see my doc this week.

Thanks in advance to any S-shaped loungers!

But it was diagnosed as an adult and nothing ever done about it.

Mine was diagnosed when I was 11, and, at the time, my back hurt so bad when I lay down that I never slept through the night. The brace was a godsend. And things have been fine until the last couple of months.

But I have had one back surgery to cut out a disc herniation.

My old Chiropractor said that if I did not have scoliosis, I would have been 1-2 inches taller.

but it was enough to land me in one of these....

when I was 14. I had a pronouced S curve at the time. My Granddad, an osteopath, noticed my uneven shoulder blades first.

I was given the choice of the then Milwaukee brace or the surgery placing Harrington Rods. I opted for the rods, because I wanted it to be fixed permently.

The only pain I have now is that my lumbar region sometimes is sore from over use, since it's the only place in my back that bends. Yoga and stretching help.

Because of the Harrington Rods, I have what is called "flat back." There's no pretty curve to the small of my back. And certain activities are not as fun as they might be without a fully flexible back. Though I understand now you can have that fixed. I guess they take out the hardware there. :shrug:

I like the surgery they do now with the reticulated hardware. You have much more movement in the back than I do.

about the risks of spinal surgery. So, I wore the brace. It was probably the right choice, but I'm beginning to wonder.

I would think the surgery has improved, because braces certainly have. One of my parishioners--a 13 year old boy--wears a brace that's much less cumbersome than mine was. Doesn't show under his clothes at all, no beck piece. THAT would have made junior high a bit more pleasant!

She was free to move her neck if she needed to , but she had to keep her chin on this little chin rest. It was odd looking, but she was good about wearing it. So there we were. I was sitting n the flute section with 25 lbs of plaster (then a fiberglass cast after three months) for 8 months total, and she in the clarinet section in the brace for three years. :D

They don't even put kids in casts now at all for surgery. My 16 yo nephew just had surgery back in the spring, similar to mine, but no cast. And he was up and walking in a week.

There's a show in rotation on Discovery Health about kids with scoliosis and explaining the new hardware. It was very interesting.

At the time, my dad worked for the orthopod who did my surgery and they felt pretty confident with him. I liked him a lot. He was charming and funny and brilliant w/o being arrogant. Although true to form, it took him a week to notice his teen son had a broken ankle. :eyes: :rofl:

As to your situation, I don't think it's an either or. And spinal surgery is scary. All I can say is morphine rocks! If you are having problems now, I'm sure they can do something for you. You can still probably have surgery as a last resort.

I haven't had my back looked at in over a decade. I probably should get it checked to see if I there is any recourse for my flat backside.

I didn't have surgery or a brace; but it's enough to interfere with flexibility, and similar to supernova, I only have an arch in the small of my back on one side.

I visit a chiropractor regularly (ie once a month, and have for close to 25 yrs), and do some stretching. They both seem to help.

curve -- gained 2 inches in height. He has the adjustable rods -- so every six to nine months or so, whenever he has a growth spurt -- he'll have more surgery to straighten out his back. The doctors think he'll go through this for the next six years until they can finally put permanent rods in his back. He wears a brace, but he hates it -- it keeps him immobile.

That's a severe curve for a young child. He's a little trooper. :-)

Scoliosis runs in my family. My curvature is minor, but my brother's has disabled him. He's 40 now, and it's progressed significantly. He never wore a back brace, never had any treatment. A cousin with scoliosis had surgery for it in her mid-twenties, and she doesn't have any of the problems that my brother is now having - specifically, excruciating pain when standing/walking, loss of height, and reduced lung capacity.

I've actually started doing the exercises I did when I was in the brace. In those days, I'd remove the brace, (hand it to my mother to wash it down), do my exercises, put the brace back on, and do most of the exercises again. Most, because some, like sit-ups, were simply not possible in the brace. I've begun doing those exercises again, and some yoga. My primary got me a referral to an orthopedist for Friday.

Thanks for your input. So sorry to hear about your brother.

I have always had minor problems, but never enough for doctors to look further. That all changed when I ruptured a disc in my lower back over a year ago. A chiropractor found a slight curve, but also some problems with my sacrum. Basically she said that some of the bones never connected, which is actually some kind of spina bifida (although obviously not the kind that causes paralysis). I was treated for pigeon toes around ages 1-4, but neither my parents nor I made the connection that there could be more problems. I now have some sciatic problems to go along with all of it. Chiropractic treatment has helped somewhat, but it is getting expensive even though insurance covers some of it. I guess you could say that I am somewhat of a minor mess!

I hope you find the help you need! :hi: