A YOUNG Dubliner has been able to get back to her hobby of horse riding after a serious spinal condition was successfully treated.
Kelly Loveridge (16) was a normal teenage girl until the age of 14, when she was diagnosed with a severe curve in her spine.
Kelly was passionate about horses and she loved spending her time riding, however, the diagnosis shattered her dreams and left her in excruciating pain.
The condition also left her facing major spinal fusion surgery until she discovered an exercise routine that has drastically changed her prognosis.
Kelly had always been very fit and active throughout her life and she was passionate about horses, until her mother started to notice that her shoulder blade was protruding on one side.
Kelly had also started getting tired far quicker than normal and was complaining of aches and pains in her back. Riding teachers had noticed her lack of energy and were worried that something serious was going on.
They had also noticed that her posture was getting worse and that she was struggling to sit up properly when she was riding.
Kelly’s mother made an emergency appointment to see the family GP who immediately gave them a devastating diagnosis.
Kelly was told that she had a condition called scoliosis, which means curvature of the spine. The GP believed that her condition was particularly severe and the family was told that they would be referred to see an orthopedic surgeon.
“Scoliosis destroyed my world,
? Kelly said.
“I have always been so passionate about riding, getting up on a horse and giving absolutely everything to be out on the fields, but when I started feeling tired and getting pain down my back, it was really hard to stay motivated.
“I struggled to keep up with all my lessons and I lost loads of confidence. Everyone around me was really worried and it was hard because I felt like I was letting everyone down and being a hassle.
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When the Loveridge family returned home they decided to do a bit of their own research into the treatment of scoliosis but the more they read the more alarmed they became.
They discovered that scoliosis was a progressive condition and that it needed to be treated as soon as possible to prevent any further damage.
Scoliosis causes the spine to excessively curve sideways. The condition affects more than four per cent of the population and if left un-treated can lead to fatal heart and lung problems.
Current treatment in this country is to wait until the curve becomes so severe that the only option left is to operate. The major operation is an incredibly risky procedure that involves metal rods being inserted either side of the spine, before the spine is fused solid.
However, Kelly’s family discovered Scoliosis SOS, which was founded and run by Erika Maude, who has scoliosis herself.
Since it opened more than seven years ago the clinic has brought relief to hundreds of sufferers.
Kelly was booked onto a four-week treatment course and her whole family was overwhelmed with the results that she achieved.
“I feel like I have been re-born,
? Kelly said.
“It’s incredible the results I have.
“My back looks amazing and I have my energy back. My confidence has soared and I am so excited about getting back to riding and really focusing on getting to university in two years’ time. I know I am young but I know what I want and I know that I will just need to go out and get it.
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See www.scoliosisSOS.com for more information.