newb question--scoliosis

[Il softball fan]

Been reading along and following for a year or so. Decided to join the club and start posting.

My DD is 14, almost 15. July of 2014 she had spinal fusion surgery for scoliosis. Fused from just below the neck area to mid lower back. (don't remember the exact vertebrea numbers) She has three titanium rods, along with 18 screws to hold everything in place. ($53k worth of titatium apparently) Everything is healing nicely and she never complains of any pain.

I have did some research and have came up with very little information about returning to softball after this surgery. I have found one girl that went on to play college level as a catcher, but have found little else to go on. The surgeon that did this procedure and who we follow up with is well known and people travel from all over the country and other countries to see him. Problem is he has ZERO people skills and we have been having a hard time getting much answers from him. When ever we ask, he always starts ramblin on about letting kids returned to "non contact soccer" at 6 months and blah blah blah, and contact soccer at 7 months, and on and on. When ever we tell him she has never played soccer in her life and we need to know about softball, we never get an answer.

Just wondering.....any others in the same situation, or have teammates, or relatives or anyone with experience in this?

Thanks.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

Have your PT write a note to the doc to get instructions for return to softball. He'll more than likely answer them sooner than he will you, and you'll have a nice little record of his answer, as well.

BTW, I am very glad to hear your DD is pain-free. That's a hell of an ordeal to go through and I am happy it is working out for her.

 

[BobInMadison]

Best of luck for your daughter. I like LAS' suggestion.

If she is playing HS softball, how much do you trust the school's trainers?

I mention that because my kids go to a school with really good trainers. DS once got nasty shin splints running track, and the trainers were fantastic working with him to get through that. (Ok, that is a MUCH smaller problem). If her school has good trainers, and if she works with them, they can be her first line of defense in making sure she can get through her practices without hurting herself. The trainers are right there, while her PT and MD aren't.

 

[Il softball fan]

Thank you. The thing is the surgery was considered a major surgery, and for the first six months she could not do anything basically. No lifting over 10 pounds. No bending. No running. She just got cleared at the 6 month mark to start swimming as exercise. Still no lifting anything. So she has been for the last few weeks swimming and riding a stationary bike. We have her 7 month xrays and check up in about 2 weeks so hope to get some guidance then. There is no PT involved.

Still hoping to hear some stories from anyone who has any. Thanks.

Edit to add....here in Illinois the high school season starts in March, so she will definately miss her entire freshman season.

 

[YOCOACH]

On DD's HS team last year, there was a Senior Teammate that had this surgery her Sophomore year. Her doctor called her his "miracle patient" and he would tell his patients about her. He would say all things are possible if a softball player can return to the field and her position of Catcher. She was the starting Catcher on varsity both her Junior and Senior year. Unfortunately, her Senior year, half way through the season she injured her throwing shoulder that again required surgery so she couldn't complete the season although she did get her Varsity letter.

I can't tell you anything about the recovery time it took her from the back surgery or anything of that nature since we came into the situation a couple of years after it happened. I can't tell you how hard she worked at PT or practicing to get back to playing form/fitness. All I can tell you is that there's always hope and all things are possible. Good luck and prayers for a speedy recovery.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Been reading along and following for a year or so. Decided to join the club and start posting.

My DD is 14, almost 15. July of 2014 she had spinal fusion surgery for scoliosis. Fused from just below the neck area to mid lower back. (don't remember the exact vertebrea numbers) She has three titanium rods, along with 18 screws to hold everything in place. ($53k worth of titatium apparently) Everything is healing nicely and she never complains of any pain.

I have did some research and have came up with very little information about returning to softball after this surgery. I have found one girl that went on to play college level as a catcher, but have found little else to go on. The surgeon that did this procedure and who we follow up with is well known and people travel from all over the country and other countries to see him. Problem is he has ZERO people skills and we have been having a hard time getting much answers from him. When ever we ask, he always starts ramblin on about letting kids returned to "non contact soccer" at 6 months and blah blah blah, and contact soccer at 7 months, and on and on. When ever we tell him she has never played soccer in her life and we need to know about softball, we never get an answer.

Just wondering.....any others in the same situation, or have teammates, or relatives or anyone with experience in this?

Thanks.

You don't have strep aswell do you? My oldest had scoliosis, and was a carrier of strep... they can be linked. Its the root cause of both its Bacterial.

 

[tboug]

My daughter went through this in June of 2013 when she was 16. She had two significant curves in her spine and wound up with rods from her neck down to about her tailbone. Basically her spine was an S-shape. Her surgeon told us at our first consultation with him that she would more than likely be able to play ball the following spring when the high school season started.

She had the surgery June of '13, went through some painful recovery, but made it to the first day of school in the fall, and was getting back into her runnng routine around then as well. Started throwing the ball in the fall, could do some light weight work, and by December/January she was cleared to resume her normal physical activity. Only limitation was she can not do squats anymore, kind of sucked for her as leg workouts were her favorite, but she adapted.

By the start of the HS season she was ready to go. Had just one issue early in the season where she missed 3-4 games because of some pain, and come to find out it was a nerve trying to grow back but made its way under her shoulder blade causing the pain. A good physical therapist took care of it and she has been fine since.

She still has some numbness in her right side, though the nerves are growing back, it takes some time, but she is able to do nearly everything she did before the surgery. She could, but I wouldn't let her be the catcher anymore on her travel team so she plays infield now. I didn't want to see any home plate collisions do any damage.

I had also searched for info on any softball players going through this and found absolutely nothing when my daughter had the surgery. So I hope this helps you somewhat. Hang in there and listen to your doctor as everyone heals differently, eventually she will get back and don't count out this softball season for your daughter. With the doctors' OK she could be playing yet this spring.

I will tell you that the 8 1'2 hours she was in surgery was probably the most exhausting thing I have ever been through as a parent, so I know what you have gone through.

On the bright side, my daughter was happier than all heck when she found out she had gained nearly 2 inches of height after the surgery.

 

[InsidePitch]

DD had a teammate get this surgery in 14's. She was out basically 9 months and was able to return. She seemed to have little ill effects other than the agony of having to watch the team through the fall and winter workouts. Good luck to your daughter.

 

[chinamigarden]

From a couple of answers here it sounds like it's possible. Have you considered downloading videos of some of the basics of softball. Swinging a bat, running, sliding, fielding... Show the doctor and ask. Can she do this? When can she do this?...

 

[Il softball fan]

Thank you all for the replies. Exactly what I have been searching for at least looks like it is possible! Doctor has already said no for 1 year so that will be July of 2015. Dds main position was catcher and I really dont think it is worth the risk either tboig. Thankfully she also has played short and second. My main worry was swinging the bat. After the spine fuses together it will not twist at all.

Tboug thank u for joining to respond. I appreciate. As you know, there just isn't much info out there as far as softball. And I agree that surgery time waiting was aweful. I was so stressed I sat and read an entire book. Hadn't read a book since high school lol.