Anyone have scoliosis surgery after age 60? Outcome?

@hauser1 Welcome to Connect. I am glad you had a great outcome from your scoliosis surgery. Would you mind sharing what you did to contribute to that success? Did you go through rehab or walk a lot to rebuild strength?

I am a spine patient too, but with a much smaller surgery of a cervical fusion.

@jenniferhunter I had a 2 week stay in acute rehab for 2 weeks after the hospital. Then home PT OT, then outpatient PT for 6 months. My left leg was greatly weakened after surgery, so I worked hard to improve that. Then I started back to the gym doing weights. Yes I walked the first year, but a foot bunion prevents me from going more than 2 miles. I do the treadmill for 45 min and that seems good. Also rotate with 45 min on a stationary bike instead.

@celia16 There is an effective Physical Therapy method called Schroth Method, however, it is a specialized PT so it's not available everywhere. I have scoliosis and luckily found ONE woman who does this in my area and had a lot of luck with it. Problem was, she had so many people needing it, I couldn't get an appointment as often as I needed it. The PT was developed in Germany in the late 1800s by a woman named Schroth who had scoliosis herself. It took a while to be accepted, as you can imagine, and to get to the US. Google it and you may find some PT's in the family member's area that can help her.

@celia16 I had scoliosis surgery at age 76, 21 months ago.I have titanium rods and screws T4 to Pelvis, 17 vetebrae. I am very happy with the outcome. I went from life altering, debilitating pain to having an actual life again. As in walking, sitting for long periods, exercising. I have practically no pain. Neck and shoulders have had to adjust, but that is discomfort not pain. The recovery period is long and challenging but worth it in my experience. I went to Dr. Alekhos Theologis at UCSF San Francisco. He is phenomenal. He gave me back a life I can enjoy again.

@hauser1
I had the same surgery T4-S1 3 years ago. I was 58. I was the same constant pain only being able to walk 30/40feet. Now having a life again. I think what helped me recover was inpatient rehab 2 weeks. And I didn't have a lot of help. I had to get up and do things for myself. Good luck.

@kwright41175 I thank you for sharing your successful but difficult recovery with scoliosis surgery. Any information I and the community can gather is most appreciative. Interesting about the inpatient rehab for two weeks, and how beneficial it was and is. Good for you to overcome the painful obstacle, and placing your mind over body. Where did you have the surgery at, and how long ago was it?

@vikkitennis while it seems that the specialty-surgical community does not seem to endorse Schroth, it is a bit disconcerting for a PA in this specialty to be unaware of it. My research was basic but one of the dealbreakers for me was involvement in the Scoliosis Research Society. This led me to consider Barrow Brain & Spine (Affiliated with Dignity Health and based on the St. Joseph campus). While I prefer the Mayo "System", I have not found the right folks in AZ to take an interest as a second opinion. I may turn to Mayo Rochester as they were who first proposed this surgery when I lived up there. Your concerns about the recovery and your ability to return to all of the activities you have seem very well-founded. Yours does not seem to be the usual case as many of us cannot participate in those activities at all prior to surgery and thus won't miss anything by not being able to participate after. I wish you great luck in solving this!

@kennys1957 Good morning! I had a T11 to L4 fusion 21 months ago at the Phoenix Mayo Clinic.
Dr McClendon was my second opinion after a surgeon at UC Davis (Sacramento) wanted to do a T10 to L5 fusion.
Dr. McClendon did an amazing job and specializes in minimally invasive surgery. It’s so much more work for the surgeon but does less damage and quicker recovery time. My surgery was 8 hours versus a 2-3 hour surgery for the “open” technique. Also, he told me recently that because of the minimally invasive technique used, he didn’t need to cut and destabilize tissue structure, etc. around L5 which will help prevent future problems. I also love that I have a follow up zoom appointment with him every 6 months for 10 years after my surgery.
He really wants to stay involved with my healing and progress.
Wishing you the best with getting a second opinion! Sherry

@sherrym25 this is EXTREMELY useful! I will seek an appointment with him. Mayo Rochester did my smaller one and has been enormously helpful for me in both locations from a full-systems perspective.