DD has Scoliosis and one leg is shorter than the other

Chana Miriam S

Tue, Jan 24 2012, 11:05 pm

So, my perfect, gorgeous, graceful as a swan 12 yo girl has been diagnosed with scoliosis. I caught it when watching her do breast stroke at swim team since her shoulders were uneven.

We are watching it and going back in six months. The next two years are critical. Anyone else have this experience?

she is a competitive swimmer and also plays on school teams for sports...

anon for this

Tue, Jan 24 2012, 11:12 pm

I have scoliosis, I think it was diagnosed when I was about your daughter's age. I visited the orthopedist every 6 months or so to monitor the degree of curvature. The curvature (an "S") increased a bit as I grew but didn't require a brace or surgery. I continued having it monitored until I stopped growing. Basically it doesn't seem to have affected my life at all, except that I would've been a couple of inches taller without it.

Hatzlacha!

roze22

Wed, Jan 25 2012, 12:43 am

I was diagnosed with scoliosis at 10, and have a severe curve. I worse a back brace for 6 years (10-16), and have been in and out of physical therapy since then. Because of other back issues (possible, but not necessarily made worse by the scoliosis) I will most likely have to have surgery at some point.

I have tried everything- chiropractor, physical therapy, accupressure, braces, etc.

I would recommend looking into physical therapy. It can strengthen your daughters back, giving her the opportunity to continue her sports. Nothing will stop the curve, but you can provide the best base.

The fact that you are just watching it is good. I know by 12 I was already in a brace, and the ages from 11-13 tend to have the most change in curvature

If you have questions, feel free to PM me.

amother

Wed, Jan 25 2012, 12:45 am

I have scoliosis. When I was in 10th grade I went to the dr. every 6 months to monitor.
Then the curvature went up a little and it was close to 20 degrees so they said I have to wear a brace to prevent it from getting worse (only when it hits 40 would they do surgery). So I wore a brace the whole 11th grade. I was very strict about it. They said I have to wear it 23 hrs a day and I really did. I took it off just to do excersise and take a shower. It was torturous but it definitely helped. The curve even went down a bit. The scoliosis was never really noticable to any regular person but I see how one scapula sticks out more than the other which also makes one side of my chest a little bigger then the other. I also wore a 1/4 inch lift in my shoe which was no big deal at all.

AFTER this whole ordeal, I went to a chiropracter and he said if I would have just gone to him (or any chiropracter) all along he could have kept it from getting worse and even could have made it better and I would never had needed a brace. He also right away insisted I remove the lift from my shoe (it was like a wooden heal pad)
My sister started much earlier then me (at around 11/12 yrs) and my mother was already experienced so she brought her to the chiropracter. It definitely is much more expensive, but it is better. Because he fixes it (it needs to be monitered a whole time the child is growing bec. the spine can continue to curve otherwise) and he also make the backaches go away and the child doesn't need to wear a brace. Wearing a brace during highschool can be traumatizing. I would do anything to prevent it.
I heard that physical therapy can also help.

Please feel free to ask me any questions

amother

Wed, Jan 25 2012, 12:55 am

I have a similar but not exact issue. I would like to recommend two things:

1. PHYSICAL THERAPY! Going to PT has helped me SO MUCH with a subtle problem that has caused me to be in pain for several years. I found that the PTs were much better than my doctors at observing the way I stand and move, then using those observations to determine the cause of my issue and a treatment plan. The first treatment plan didn't work, as happens when getting treatment from doctors on issues, so we tried something else and it's made such a difference! I wouldn't be as pain-free as I am today without PT. Your insurance likely covers it if your daughter gets a prescription.

2. Talk to your doctor and/or PT about a few things:
- Is it really a leg length discrepancy or is it a twisted pelvis or muscular problem that makes it look like one leg is shorter than the other? Different people will see different things. I got the wrong answer at first from a doctor and PT, but when we saw that the original treatment was making things worse, we eliminated that as a cause we could focus on other, more productive areas. So I'd really recommend determining this.
- If it is a leg length discrepancy, can it be mitigated permanently or temporarily by using a lift in the shoe on the shorter side?
- Is it severe enough to require a lengthening procedure? (This is not something to be undertaken lightly as it's painful and takes a long time).
- If it isn't truly a leg length discrepancy, how can you treat the problem that makes it look like one leg is shorter than the other?

So, again: PHYSICAL THERAPY! This amother can't recommend it enough! I hope your daughter sees positive results regardless of the path you choose.

amother

Wed, Jan 25 2012, 12:58 am

amother wrote:

The first treatment plan didn't work, as happens when getting treatment from doctors on issues

I didn't word this correctly and can't fix it since I'm amother. I meant to write that the first treatment plan didn't work, as OFTEN happens when getting treatment from doctors or other medical professionals as cause isn't always obvious.

That's what I get for rethinking and editing my post. Some stuff makes sense and some gets lost. Sorry!

4Sisters

Wed, Jan 25 2012, 8:01 am

Agree w. the recommendations for PT and seeing a chiropractor (make sure s/he has experience w. scoliosis and a good manner w. teens!).

I had surgery twice and then a brace. Blurgh! But, b''h, 4 normal pregnancies/deliveries/healthy children Wink

Hatzlacha to your daughter and good for you for catching this early.

rovacat

Wed, Jan 25 2012, 8:09 am

I have scoliosis. my pediatrician found it in a routine check up on my 13th birthday. I bent over, and she freaked out by my curve. everyone has some kind of curve. I think at around 20 degrees, you ahve to watch it, and at around 30, you need a brace, and 40 you need surgery. this is what I remember. mine was around 35. so I was immediately put into a brace which I wore until they saw through bone x-rays that I had stopped growing. once my bone growth stopped, there was no need to wear a brace. the brace is just to prevent the curve from getting worse. I never did any type of therapy, or anything extra. I've never had extra back pains bec. of it. I had a follow up x-ray 5 years later, and maybe 10 years later, and when they saw my curve isn't getting worse, they said there's nothing else to do.
swimming is definitely the best exercise for her. and what she needs most is for you, her mother to be calm. if you freak out, she will.
I wore my brace throughout high school, and I made it fun. life continued as usual. that's the most important thing for her.
I'm also a swimmer, and it never got in the way for me. don't worry. I've been able to continue my life normally without problems.
feel good!

amother

Wed, Jan 25 2012, 10:44 am

I TOO have scoliosis! At a routine check-up at the pediatrician, she told me to touch my toes and immediately diagnosed it and referred me to an orthopedic surgeon. Luckily, I did not need surgery but I did need to wear a brace 24 hrs/day (removed only for showering). It was sheer and utter torture. It was extremely painful to wear, let alone sleep with and was bulky and made me feel awkward during high school. But it b"H helped and I only needed to wear it for half of the predicted amount of time - so if your daughter DOES end up needing it, make sure she sticks to the wearing schedule. Like others said, physical therapy was great for doing back strengthening and postural exercises. Hatzlacha!