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Scoliosis Surgery
Standing two inches taller, Margie is back
to yardwork after surgery for scoliosis
 Margie lives with her husband on
12 wooded acres in beautiful
Michigan. She loves taking walks with her 5 year old
standard poodle named Gunther, together they are on
the lookout for deer, turkeys and an occasional coyote.
It is not unusual to catch Margie out cutting the grass
during the spring and summer months.
About 10 years ago, Margie began having some
back pain, and while mild at first, her pain symptoms
progressed. She went to her general practitioner
in Chelsea who examined her and ordered X-rays.
Margie was diagnosed with degenerative scoliosis
in her lumbar spine. Her doctor talked with her
about conservative care options for treating her back
pain, including anti-inflammatories, massage and
walking to remain active. Her doctor also referred
her to scoliosis specialist and fellowship-trained spine
surgeon, Dr. Douglas Geiger.
A few years went by, and though her back pain
symptoms were getting worse, Margie continued to stay
as active as possible. She was starting to feel pressure
push down onto her shoulders and felt fatigued more
often than normal. She visited Dr. Geiger in the spring
of 2006, the scoliosis surgeon ordered an MRI of her
spine and the results showed that her scoliosis curve
was worsening. Dr. Geiger talked with Margie about
her treatment options, both non-surgical and surgical.
Margie decided she wanted to continue with nonsurgical
care as long as possible. Though, she did not
use anti-inflammatories for her symptoms.
A year went by and Margie’s back pain was significantly worse and also felt pain radiating into
her lower left extremities. Her pain was worse when
standing, bending, or trying to lift or carry objects.
Normal activities such as household chores or yard
work were becoming impossible. Margie had also lost
nearly three inches in height.
Margie again visited Dr. Geiger, he examined
her and viewed recent diagnostics including a bone
densitometry and a CAT scan. He talked with Margie
about her worsening degenerative scoliosis and
together they discussed treatment options, including
the extensive surgery that would be necessary for her
condition. Margie knew she wanted to return to her
normal lifestyle and was ready to move forward with
the necessary surgery. Dr. Geiger talked in detail with
Margie about the pre and post surgery care instructions
and made sure all of her concerns were answered.
He emphasized that recovery from the surgery would
not be easy. It would be 6-12 weeks following the
surgery before she would regain her full strength and
function.
Dr. Geiger performed the posterior lumbar
fusion surgery to correct her degenerative scoliosis.
The surgery was successful and Margie was pleased to
regain two inches of height after the surgery. She slowly
returned to walking and household activities. She was
careful to follow the post surgery instructions.
Today, Margie is back to the activities she enjoys,
without any pain medicine. She takes walks with her
poodle, Gunther, and helps out with the maintenance
of 12 wooded acres!
Click here to download a PDF of Margie's complete story detailing successful return to activity after scoliosis surgery.
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