Back trouble...how does it affect skating?

[Andie]

Does anyone know about scoliosis/spinal fusion and how it would affect a figure skater/ice dancer? I still have mild scoliosis and a spinal fusion, my former skating instructor suggested I try ice dance which would probably be better for my condition than figure skating. Basically, I have like 2 of my back discs fused but the other 3 are normal. My instructor, my mom and I assume jumping would be too much strain on the back? I have never tried jumps though.

I still have to ask my doc about this, but am curious as to what anyone here might know about it.... my doctor doesn't know much about skating :lol: and some figure skating people I've talked with don't know much about my back. :??

[batikat]

Can I suggest that in addition to your doctor you go to see a specialist in such problems like a chiropractor. I have had back problems for years. First put it out at the age of 14 (I'm 40 now) and had problems on and off with it ever since. However, I never let it stop me doing what I wanted - riding , sailing 470 dinghies and now ice skating. Although my problem is not scoliosis I do have a skating friend with that condition who also swears by the difference the chiropractor made. Bear in mind that your doctor is a generalist who though he/she will do her best may not be an expert on back conditions (unless of course you are talking about a specialist you go to).
Last year I was practising hard for a competition but ended up in so much pain with my back I was forced to withdraw at the last moment. I saw a physiotherapist who suspected a slipped disc and I had treatment with her for a while. It got better and I returned, rather gingerly, to skating.
This year practising for the same competition I began to have problems again and was thinking that I would once again have to withdraw.:( However someone recomended a local chiropractor, so I went to see him on the Wednesday, he checked my back, confirmed it was not a disc problem but tightness in the sacro-illiac joint, manipulated it there and then and I practically danced out of his office - pain free and feeling great. :) I competed in a group number the next day and on the Friday I competed compulsories, Free Dance and Original dance , felt great and even won the Original Dance beating the person everyone had expected to win!!! :D
As it turned out my chiropractor also skates and thinks it is a great form of exercise. I am now starting to learn jumps (having previously thought I would never do this on account of my bad back and knee) and I am having a great time.
Obviously your problem is different and chiropractic care may not make such a magical difference as it did for me but I would definitely give it a try. I can't see that jumping would have any adverse effects on your condition though it might be slightly harder to learn them when you have less flexibility.
Good luck!

[Andie]

Wow, I got a reply. 8O

Thanks for sharing that about yourself, and that is cool (no pun intended) that you beat that person who was expected to win.

I don't think a chiro would do much for me, a few years ago my mom thought about taking me to a chiro (before I had surgery) but we decided it probably wouldn't help - I mean, a curved spine is a curved spine, even if you can lessen it (as surgery did) it's still basically somewhat curved. :twisted:

The doctor I referred to in my above post is a spine specialist, who specilizes in scoliosis as well as other back ailments, he's the one who did surgery on me. He has told me that "do just about whatever the hell you want" (exact words! :lol: ) but to still be a little careful. One thing he did say was that any skating is a lot safer than bike riding.

But yeah, I'll have to look into what my options are, and go from there. I'm still a little flexible in the back, just not fully. I know of a guy who had a more major spinal fusion than I had and he plays golf! That sport of course involves some twisting, but he's figured out how to do it.

My current coach wants to try ice dance, and I'm figuring dance probably be better for me. Of the 2 or 3 coaches I've had, I've went beyond their expectations so I guess that's something. ;) :P

-Andrea

[batikat]

If your doc says you can do what you want then I would take him at his word and go for it. You may find you love dance and that would be great but I wouldn't let your back problem put you off trying the jumps if you feel like it. I think the point is that you aren't going to make your condition any worse either way so it's up to you which way and how far you go. I'd still recommend seeing a chiro - they just approach the problem in a different way, looking at the body as a whole and can help you avoid problems that result from your body trying to compensate for the scoliosis.
Good luck whatever you do!