Former Watford soccer star on long road back to recovery after spinal treatment (From Watford Observer)
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Former Watford soccer star on long road back to recovery after spinal treatment
12:43pm Friday 19th March 2010 in
A former Watford FC youth academy player who feared he would never again kick a football says he is well on the road to recovery after overcoming a debilitating back condition.
Former Westfield student Akil Brown, 20, had a promising career ahead of him when he was diagnosed with Scoliosis – a debilitating curvature of the spine.
Mr Brown, who now lives in the north London area, explained: “I was in a lot of pain and couldn’t get my breath any more. I couldn’t play a full game and was devastated when I was diagnosed.”
The normal treatment for the condition, which affects about two in every 1,000 young people in the UK, is major spinal fusion surgery – a procedure that carries with it a risk of serious medical complication and takes many months to recover from.
Keen to avoid such major surgery, he underwent an intensive four week programme of physiotherapy and posture correction therapy with Scoliosis SOS, a private organisation that helped get him back on his feet.
Despite being a long way from his peak, Mr Brown says his life has been drastically improved. He added: “I’ve started playing in some matches again – which is a massive achievement. I’d still like to play professionally but I’m just happy to be playing at all.”
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Akil, pictured during his recent treatment programme
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Emily Reeves says...
8:48pm Fri 19 Mar 10
I am very happy that this young person found releif for this condition through physiotherapy
However Scoliosis is a proggressive condition that you will never fully stop without surgery. Reason being, when you get older and your core stability system starts to weaken, and your muscles are less strong your body will not be able to hold this position before that the physio has achieved at this young age.
The spine will still need to curve, only reliant currently on this young mans core stability muscles, it will definitiely require surgery in later years, carring a much higher risk.
This operation carries a 2% chance of full body paralysis, and a lung is pierced and deflated during surgery in order to reach the spine.
On waking the lung functions 10% less than it did before you went to sleep.
Over 12 month it will regian %8 stability but will never match the ability of the other lung?
Is this really what you want to hang around and wait till you are old for?
There are no other major risks with this surgery, it is relatively safe.
Yours Sincerely
Miss E M Reeves (25)