Sarah looks shell-shocked after all her xrays!!
So Sarah had an appointment with her orthopedic surgeon and her physiatrist who works with him. I went in thinking we were going to focus on her tight left hamstring and we ended up discussing her spine. We did hip xrays and spine xrays.
It was quite a feat getting the xrays done correctly.
The doc wanted them weight bearing(standing) but Sarah can only stand on her right leg, and then only for 15 seconds or so.... So....it took five people to hold her properly. One on each foot and knee, then we had people under her arms, another holding her chin up....we had to do this 4 separate times to get all the pictures.
The first time she protested loudly and carried on but after that she gave up and was silent and cooperative. Xray rooms are difficult for her--lots of loud clicking as they move the machines around, doors slamming and them lots of people's hands on her.
And the results? Her hips are still in their sockets. YAY! Her hip surgery was 6 years ago and it is still holding. Whew! I wouldn't want to repeat THAT again.
And the spine...it has a 'C' curve of 20 degrees. Apparently that's considered mild, but she didn't have it 2 years ago. The doc is not concerned at this point about it.
The issue is the kyphosis(slouching forward) that she has. She has had it to a degree all her life but it is more apparent now. The doc says it is flexible-meaning she is not stuck that way, but she is not as flexible as she used to be(in my little opinion). The kyphosis is due to her low trunk tone. There was a long discussion with all the docs and PTs there. They brainstormed among themselves on the best way to handle it. The conclusion is that she is to have more time in her stander, time lying flat on the floor, backwards over a large therapy ball and on her belly up on her elbows.
Sarah will love these new activities! NOT!! Anyway, I will give it our best and hopefully keep things from progressing.
Oh, and about the hamstring...put a dynamic brace on that leg when she is napping. This brace stretches the leg out as straight as possible.
Oh, and see you in 6 months.
Wish us luck!
