For those people who happily say they "are doing well" with large curves are in for an unhappy surprise.
When I had pre-op pulmonary function tests before my revision(30 Cervical, 80 thoracic, 40 lumbar) My results were 70% of normal. This is with doing Pilates and walking/hiking 12 miles a week. My revision gave me a 50% correction. I was able to breathe better after surgery when I resumed my exercise regimen but I was never able to overcome fully the lung restriction from my original deformity. The anterior approach, so necessary for my correction, involved cutting through my breathing muscles.
The last 5 months I was involved in the care of my terminally ill mom and was unable to keep up my exercise routine. Lately I noticed shortness of breath and excessive phlegm. My pulmonary testing showed my pulmonary function less than 50% of normal. Because of my ribcage deformity parts of my lungs to not get airated well even when I sleep. I need to get bach into a vigorous exercise routine and Pilates. Next month I go back for testing.
Moral of the story is: when the chest gets that deformed from large curves waiting too long can cause problems down the line even when surgery is hugely successful. You don't have to have pain to reach this point.
When I had pre-op pulmonary function tests before my revision(30 Cervical, 80 thoracic, 40 lumbar) My results were 70% of normal. This is with doing Pilates and walking/hiking 12 miles a week. My revision gave me a 50% correction. I was able to breathe better after surgery when I resumed my exercise regimen but I was never able to overcome fully the lung restriction from my original deformity. The anterior approach, so necessary for my correction, involved cutting through my breathing muscles.
The last 5 months I was involved in the care of my terminally ill mom and was unable to keep up my exercise routine. Lately I noticed shortness of breath and excessive phlegm. My pulmonary testing showed my pulmonary function less than 50% of normal. Because of my ribcage deformity parts of my lungs to not get airated well even when I sleep. I need to get bach into a vigorous exercise routine and Pilates. Next month I go back for testing.
Moral of the story is: when the chest gets that deformed from large curves waiting too long can cause problems down the line even when surgery is hugely successful. You don't have to have pain to reach this point.
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