Contraction? Anyone?

[Kimisamazing!]

A little background information:

Im Kim. I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis at birth and my curve is over 100 degrees. Ive had bracing and rods and all that jazz. This may though I'm planning on having a BIG surgery to sort of open up my rib cage and give me a closer to normal lifespan. My doctor has told me how before the actual surgery im going to have the halo and be put into contraction with a special wheelchair and everything. Can someone who's had this PLEEASEE tell me how it felt and how it was? Like the experience because I don't know what to expect.

[tonibunny]

Hiya Kim,

I think you mean "traction" rather than "contraction" (which is a slightly different thing)

I spent a few weeks in halo traction when I was ten, before my first spinal fusion. This was back in 1986 and back then we had to lie on a rotatable bed all the time rather than being able to move about in a wheelchair during the day, so I'm not sure what that will be like.

What I can say is that wearing the halo isn't painful, it just feels a bit odd. Each day, the doctors have to gently tighten the bolts that attach the halo to your head, which feels weird but again that doesn't hurt.

Halo traction is a very effective way of gently pulling the spine out before surgery if you have a large curve, and hopefully it will help you to get a great correction

Good luck!