Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
What kinds of sports or physical activities do you usually enjoy?
I like to play football and basketball and usually tennis, and then just working out every now and then just to stay in shape. So now, since I'm in college, I like to play two-hand touch and football for my clubs just to stay active, and I just go to the gym every now and then as well.
When did you first start noticing any issues with your back?
My back problems appeared probably in seventh grade after I went to a football camp. I picked up somebody, just trying to deadlift them, but I think I did it wrong, and then my back just started aching and stuff like that.
What happened after the pain started?
I went to a doctor probably the following summer to see what exactly was wrong, and he said I had scoliosis. He told me I could never play football again or pretty much do anything—that I needed surgery right then and there. But we consulted other people, and they said we could go to a chiropractor and try stretching and other things that would also help. So we did that.
What conditions were you eventually diagnosed with?
I was told I had scoliosis and kyphosis. Scoliosis is when you have an S- or C-curve in your back, and kyphosis is pretty much when you have a hump in your back. I didn't know I had kyphosis until I actually came here, because before that they had only told me I had scoliosis.
When was your first visit with Dr. Geck, and what did he recommend?
My first visit with Dr. Geck was, I think, in December—after football. He recommended actually getting surgery as the very first option, because he said if I kept going, it was going to get worse over time. He said since I'm young, my bones heal so much faster, so it would be easier if I just did the surgery.
How did the surgery and recovery process go for you?
We went ahead and did the surgery. My recovery took a little bit while I was in the hospital, but after that it just kept getting better. They told me to keep walking and slowly keep moving so I’d get better, which I did. I only took a month off from school.
How do you feel now after surgery?
I really love actually being a little bit taller—I'm about two inches taller—and I feel free. I feel like my lungs can expand a lot more and I can breathe a lot easier now.
