Tennis-mad teen gets her swing back just in time

A TENNIS fanatic who faced having a major operation to fuse her spine solid after finding out her back was crushing her lungs is back on the court.

Jessica Groves – King (16), from Lucan, had always been very fit and active throughout her life and she was passionate about tennis until her mother Lisa started to notice that her ribs were protruding on one side of her back.

Jessica had also recently begun complaining about backache and was struggling to keep up when playing tennis. This was highly unusual for the teen as she had always pushed herself really hard and was not the type to give up on anything very easily.

In a state of panic, Jessica made an emergency appointment to see the family GP who immediately gave her a devastating diagnosis. Jessica was told that she had a condition called scoliosis, which means curvature of the spine.

She was told that she would be referred to a specialist but that it was likely to be a good three-month wait.

When Jessica returned home, the Groves-King family decided to do a bit of their own research into the symptoms of scoliosis as they were all very anxious to find out how the condition would affect Jessica’s dream of becoming a PE teacher.

But the more Jessica read on the internet the more alarmed she became, as she discovered that scoliosis was a progressive condition and that it needed to be treated as soon as possible to prevent any further damage.

Jessica was dissapointed that she had been told to go home and wait for an appointment and decided to take matters into her own hands.

Scoliosis causes the spine to excessively curve sideways. The condition affects more than four per cent of the population and if left untreated 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 which involves metal rods being inserted either side of the spine, before the spine is fused solid.

Jessica’s life fell apart, as she was facing the prospect that major surgery was probably her only option and the fact that being a PE teacher was going to be a challenge, if not impossible.

In a desperate last attempt to find a miracle, Jessica started to search the internet for alternative treatments. It was around this time that she discovered Scoliosis SOS.

Founded and run by Erika Maude, who has scoliosis herself, the clinic opened nine years ago and has since brought relief to hundreds of sufferers. Located in central London, it is the only clinic in the world to offer treatment following the ScolioGold method, which is a combination of internationally renowned non-surgical treatments that have been practiced separately in Europe for several decades.

Within weeks of being on the course, Jessica’s condition dramatically improved. She was no longer getting short of breath when doing exercise and her bubbly, confident personality had returned.

She learnt a set of exercises which strengthened the muscles surrounding her spine that meant her scoliosis stabilised. She also made huge improvements to her cosmetic appearance and learnt that her condition would not ruin her life if she kept up the exercises.

Jessica’s mother felt a massive sense of relief that her daughter was not going to need surgery.

Since completing a course of ScolioGold treatment, Jessica has returned home and has been able to run around the tennis court for the first time in months. She has regained all of her confidence and has bounced back to her normal sociable self.

“I am so excited to have found a way of managing my condition and I really am looking forward to a summer filled with tennis,

? Jessica said.

“I am actually going to be able to watch Wimbledon this year without feeling jealous that I could not pick up a racquet.

“The work that goes on in those treatment rooms is incredible and I would recommend anyone with scoliosis to do the course.

“Never underestimate the power of your muscles.

?