Scoliosis Support Group

We were told NEVER to Horseback ride, do aggressive Sports, go on a trampoline. This means NEVER!!!! My daughter is 2 years post surgery on 14 Verdebra. 2 rods and 26 screws. I suppose it depends on the Dr, the surgery extent, and your healing. I will not let my daughter do any of the things that we were advised not to. She wants to of course and feels fine everday. Has had no complications, but that said, after the hugh surgery it is and all the time to recover, you will find it probably isnt worth it to ride a Horse.Sorry if its not what you want to hear, but I think you'll find it beats another surgery!

Its been 2 years almost and my daughter is just now starting, Gym, Cheerleading and VB, and track, and etc. But she's been on restriction up until this year. Just depends on how well you want to heal before you do anything really!

Yikes, what pampered said is scary! You'd think they could come up with some better treatments for scoliosis eh?

I keep thinking that surgery is the last resort but how many doctors jump from X-Raying your back to diagnosing scoliosis to offering surgery?

Talk to your doctor first about the horseback riding. If he says absolutely no horseback riding, if I were you, I'd say thanks and never talk to him again! Of course there are other things you can do with horses but I would really encourage you not to give up on your goal!

Unfortunately not having the surgery is the scariest statement here! Its very important if you are over a 50 degree to have the surgery. It gets a degree or more worse each mo. If riding a Horse is all you loose due to scoliosis you are in a good spot! Believe me what you loose you gain in so many ways. My daughter has taken up many other activities she wouldnt have with out having scoliosis and being limited. Music, track,etc.
Please look at it in what you can gain not what your losing.
Yes curvedliz, I wish they had other treatments, but not in these cases alot of the time. ALso Dr's do jump from xrays to diagnosis to surgery or a brace because that is all that is offered for this disease.Bummer Yes.............

hi cait,

You really nned to speak to your doc about this one, but from personal experiance I have scoli since i was four, had four ops, a rod, plaster casts and a milwalke corset, and have ridden everyday day of my life! drove my poor doc mad! but im still here, life is for living, I'm not saying for one min your should be a badly behaved as me, just that life is for living, dont give up hope there is nearly always a way round most things, lots of love, keep strong!!

Hun let me tell you something, youre young. I had my surgery at 16 years old, and riding horses is one of the best things for my back! It strengthens the muscles really well for scoliosis patients. For most girls the brace treatment DOESNT work. Get yourself informed, look up scoliosis on the internet, and ask your doctor as many things as you need to. Your athletic ability after surgery will most likely be great, but in some cases, such as mine, Ive had Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ever since. There are risks to everything, and the best thing is to know the facts. Good luck, here if you have any questions.

Me, I personally never follow doctor's orders when it comes to what I can do as far as activity! I do what I want when I feel I have the energy to do it! Once when my mom was younger, she broke her leg falling off a horse and crashing into a jump. The doctor put a cast on her leg told her that she couldn't ride until it was off. She rode without stirrups and with the cast on! She also ended up cutting the cast off herself! Do whatever you feel like you're up to doing. At first, just sit on your horse and walk around a bit to get the feeling. If you jump, I would take a bit of a break from that though. Hope this info helps!

Hi, I had my surgery in my teen years (pretty extensive surgery for scoliosis). I was told to NEVER bungee jump or dive and that was pretty much it - I would never do these. (there were a lot of other things they said may be difficult but never ruled them out Eg dance and sports but I managed just fine....including horse riding. If I pushed myself too hard I would get some phisio. I refused to not live a largely ristricted life and used swimming as a new found activity that I now LOVE and its my own form of phisio! I go to the gym BUT have to take it easy (as in I can go but maybe every now and then I know im in a fair amount of pain and skip it for a week or two) and regularly (fortnightly at least) go to a remedial massage therapist to ensure my back is in as good shape as it can be to still be able to manage daily duties and be ok with jogging and pushing my body a little for a severe scoliosis sufferer. I would say you will have to be careful and may find your balance a little different, but riding a horse 6 months later should be ok....but I'm not a doctor. Ask why you cant, what the risks are etc.
I too would encourage you to not give up something you enjoy and think like a "victim" and give in. I was told I would be on bedrest for 6 months of any pregnancy and even recommended to not have any children until my second surgery by 1 doctor (with a predicted of up to 10 year wait in between). 11 years later I have 2 children and I was only struggling as most people do for the last few weeks of the pregnancies. I have managed to aviod the second surgery for now. Yes it hurt a lot in the weeks that followed but I pushed through my phisio sessions 5 days after surgery and while still tender and in pain just over 1 month after my surgey I was able to hike up a small mountain. Good luck!

Thanks so much for the responses, guys. I see where you are coming from, PamperedBlonde. If I was a mother, I would be just as concerned and careful as you are. I've researched horseback riding, and there are a lot of sites that said it builds the back muscles up like Sara said. My doctor told me that there is a good chance, that if I do well, I can go back to riding in under a year.

Sure, it seems like awhile. But thank GOD I can! Hopefully it stays that way too and he doesn't change his mind. I'm only getting one rod in my back, and it's some type of new surgery that my doctor has just started performing on patients. Apparently it works well, and I'll hopefully have just as much mobility as I do now. Sara: You said you ride. Is it painful, or just as easy as before?

You six are the best. Thanks. :)

Hi, there are many treatments, you just have to look at the curve number. I just got mine checked, 51 and 53 and its shifting my heart and rotating at the same time. He said anything over 30 might require surgery and he gave me the option of being tied down to a bed and getting "stretched" look at your options. There is the back brace to you wear 23 hours a day if you are under 50 in curvage. You are still young you are still going to grow. Dont be afraid to ask questions. My little brother got two rods and four ribs removed. So ask away look online get advice from other doctors.