What is Scoliosis? My Story.

Scoliosis is a medical condition where your spine is laterally curved. There are other types of curvatures of the spine (Lordosis, Kyphosis); however, Idiopathic Scoliosis appears to be the most common.

There are many side effects of Scoliosis, depending on how severe it is. For myself, my side effects to my 'S-shaped' spine are: back pain, muscle spasms, limb numbness (at times depending on how I'm positioned), inability to perform certain movements, and I also have a 'rib hump' (will be discussed in a later post - stay tuned).

Don't let these side effects fool you! I had played competitive soccer for eight years, and maintained a very healthy, active lifestyle. For many people, Scoliosis does not have a major impact on how they live their lives; however, in cases such as mine, doctors have advised me that even if I stay healthy and active, there is no way of knowing EXACTLY what my spine will do in the future and how it will affect my quality of life. This is why I've decided to move ahead with spinal fusion surgery. Yes, the vertebrae in my spine will actually be fused together by a bunch of metal screws and two rods! My orthopaedic surgeon and I have discussed at length my desired outcomes of the surgery, and the challenges that I may face down the road, and we have agreed that it's the best option for me.

Here is a picture of the two most recent x-rays of my spine - the one on the left is from 2017, and the one of the right is from 2018.

According to the measurements on my most recent x-ray, my Thoracic curve (the top one) is 44 degrees (plus or minus five degrees), and my Lumbar curve (the bottom one) is 60 degrees (plus or minus five degrees). Fortunately for myself, unless I point out what's wrong with my posture, most people don't notice it as my curves sort of 'balance out.'

My mission for this blog is to help anyone I can, whether they have Scoliosis or not, by bringing awareness to the condition. Scoliosis is not the end of the world - even though sometimes I have felt like it is. If I can even help just one person have a slightly better understanding of the condition, or help anyone with Scoliosis feel the tiniest bit more supported, then this blog will be considered a success. Not all disabilities are visible, and not a single person should have to go through their Scoliosis journey feeling unsupported or that they are less than anyone else.

There will be many more blog posts to come! I'm sure you must have hundreds of questions, just like all of my friends and family members have had. Stay tuned for more blog posts!

This blog is my own personal experience and journey with Scoliosis. It is not a medical blog, and if anyone has concerns about their own health, they should see a physician.