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Prior surgery fitness level vs surgery correction

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  • Prior surgery fitness level vs surgery correction

    I'm wondering if being active or not active before surgery make any differences with the degrees of surgery correction and cosmetic outcome?

    I've been doing yoga, pilates for 15 years and lately have been adding light weight training. We all know that the curves on the scoliosis also makes one side of muscle stronger which pulls the spine on one side and the other side of muscle is weaker.

    I wonder if I work out and keep the muscle toned and strong to hold the spine in place, would that decrease the degree of correction? Or the tone muscle will hold the new correction better?

    Can people whom had surgery share their thoughts about this on their outcome and their fitness level before surgery?
    62/75 (T4-T9 68 degree & T11 - L4 80 degree) 10/19/2010
    45/50 year 2000
    36 yrs old
    Considering, researching surgery for the first time
    S. California
    http://s1210.photobucket.com/albums/...ashionista889/

  • #2
    It's hard to say whether fitness = better correction or easier recovery. I'm not sure how it could be measured. However, I felt a stronger heart might be in my favour so I did cardio exercise and weight bearing exercise to increase my bone density. Which is a fancy way of saying I walked a lot, very fast.

    My bone density was measured 9 months prior to surgery. I was told my bones were "average" for my age (57.) I had another bone density scan last week and I was told my bone density had increased since the last scan, at an age when it would be expected to decrease.

    Now whether this had anything to do with faster/stronger fusing, I have no idea.

    My recovery was, I think, fairly easy. I had a period of dizziness, not adequately explained, but apart from that, I was pain-free and doing most things at 3 months. I had no muscle spasms during my recovery and often wonder if my kayaking had anything to do with that. I guess I'll never know for sure.

    One sure thing about fitness, it helps you feel more positive about the surgery. It gives a feeling of such well-being that you feel you can face anything. For me, that was the best part.
    Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
    Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
    T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
    Osteotomies and Laminectomies
    Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

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    • #3
      As far as I can glean from the testimonials and the cases of my two daughters, the degree of correction is largely controlled by intrinsic factors of each spine (stiffness) and the judgement of the surgeon as to how much correction to attempt. I don't think anyone has shown that stiffness can be changed enough with PT (or chiro) such that the degree of correction is measurably increased over what it would have been absent the PT/chiro. It might be the case but I doubt anyone has shown it.

      I think speed and ease of recovery is controlled mostly by patient age but also by patient fitness and attitude to some extent. Younger age trumps fitness in the case of my daughters and I think most kids.

      Good luck.
      Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

      No island of sanity.

      Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
      Answer: Medicine


      "We are all African."

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      • #4
        I think that prior to surgery - cardio is more important than any other kind of exercise to get the heart ready for the surgery. Weight bearing exercise is great to do three months post op. I had also practiced yoga for many years, so either stretching or yoga would be good prior to surgery too. Also - I highly suggest getting a pre-op hypnosis CD to listen to. I listened to one prior to surgery for two weeks and on the day of surgery, and I was told I had minimal bleeding through surgery, and as soon as I came round from anaesthesia I had sat up immediately, and I remember my doctor's eyes looked like they would pop out of his head, he couldn't believe it. I felt very little pain when I woke up, and I believe this was a lot to do with the hypnosis. Also the more relaxed and less stressed you are going into surgery, I feel in my heart that the better correction your doctor could do for you. That's just my opinion!
        Lynette - 44 years old.

        Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
        Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

        Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
        Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

        Surgery April 1st 2010.

        Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
        Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
          As far as I can glean from the testimonials and the cases of my two daughters, the degree of correction is largely controlled by intrinsic factors of each spine (stiffness) and the judgement of the surgeon as to how much correction to attempt. I don't think anyone has shown that stiffness can be changed enough with PT (or chiro) such that the degree of correction is measurably increased over what it would have been absent the PT/chiro. It might be the case but I doubt anyone has shown it.

          I think speed and ease of recovery is controlled mostly by patient age but also by patient fitness and attitude to some extent. Younger age trumps fitness in the case of my daughters and I think most kids.

          Good luck.
          I don't know if chiro has any benefit pre-surgery, but my chiro treatments broke up a VERY stiff curve that had not progressed in over 20 years. Sadly, the breaking up of the curve caused it to progress a combined 16 degrees in two years (both curves total). My scoli area is now very crunchy. We will see what kind of correction I get when I have it fused.
          Be happy!
          We don't know what tomorrow brings,
          but we are alive today!

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          • #6
            Wow Lynette! I've never heard of anyone sitting up right out of anesthesia! You better pass along the name of that hypnosis tape!!!

            ,
            Evelyn
            age 48
            80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
            Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
            Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
            Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
            Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

            Comment


            • #7
              I actually listened to a couple of different ones - one was by Debbie Lane - she is my local hypnotist here, you can look her up at wisdomhypnosis.com. Also Seth-Deborah Roth does an excellent pre-op CD, you can look her up at hypnotherapyforhealth.com - both are very good and I swear by them. Debbie Lane was the hypnotist he miraculously got my leg working instantly after one hypnosis session - I limped into her office, and walked out of her office with no limp. I've never looked back.
              Lynette - 44 years old.

              Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
              Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

              Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
              Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

              Surgery April 1st 2010.

              Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
              Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks!!! That's very cool about your leg, too.

                Evelyn
                age 48
                80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
                Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
                Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
                Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
                Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

                Comment

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