A teenager who was terrified of becoming ‘a hunchback’ because of her misshapen spine has achieved her dream of becoming a model.
Leanne Roberts, 18, suffers from severe scoliosis which makes her spine curved.
The schoolgirl would spend hours in front of a mirror attempting to improve her posture.
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Leanne Roberts, 18, has scoliosis which causes her spine to bend in an S-shape. It caused her severe pain when she moved and she feared she would end up in a wheelchair
When she was diagnosed with the condition at 16, doctors told her she would need a 12-hour operation and she feared it would end her dreams of becoming a successful model.
Scoliosis causes the spine to excessively curve sideways. The condition affects around four per cent of the population and if left untreated it can lead to fatal heart and lung problems.
Current treatment techniques centre on having major operations, which are risky procedures involving metal rods being inserted either side of the spine.
Doctors told Leanne that she would need a risky 12-hour operation to correct the curvature in her spine (pictured) but she refused to have the surgery as she thought it would end her chances of being a model
Instead, she turned to a non-surgical treatment to improve her condition, and has stunned medics with her remarkable progress.
Leanne of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said: ‘It was awful how much time I would spend crying and I was terrified of what would happen to me when I was first diagnosed.
‘I was paranoid I would end up looking awful and would end up in a wheelchair.’
Leanne, who often modelled in fashion catalogues, has a double S-shaped curved spine.
Leanne has now found relief from the pain in her back by doing exercises to strengthen the muscles around her spine
She first noticed aching pains when she was 14, but put them down to growing pains.
It was only when she started to suffer agonising sharp pains during photo shoots that she mentioned it to her mother and went to see her GP.
She was told by a consultant she would need surgery but instead discovered a clinic called Scoliosis SOS on the internet. The idea is that various exercises can strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, stabilising the condition.
Leanne said: ‘I was ecstatic and I couldn’t wait to start the treatment. I think everyone should consider exercise before putting themselves through a risky operation.
‘I could feel the difference in my back after the first few days, and I could see the difference.
‘As long as I keep up with the exercises I shouldn’t suffer from pain and my scoliosis should stabilise. I feel like I am back in control again.’
'I lost interest in everything and I had no quality of life at all. I had gone from being really confident in my body to wanting to hide away at every opportunity. As long as I keep up with the exercises I shouldn’t suffer from pain and my scoliosis should stabilise. I feel like I am back in control again'
- Leanne Roberts
The condition is likely to get worse, but Leanne has thrown herself back into modelling regardless.
She said: ‘I am so happy now - it's remarkable how far I have come. I was in constant pain on a daily basis and my whole world had fallen apart.
‘I lost interest in everything and I had no quality of life at all. I had gone from being really confident in my body to wanting to hide away at every opportunity.
‘I feel I can now finally look forward.’
A spokesman for Scoliosis SOS said: ‘Leanne decided our treatment could not do any harm and if it worked it could change her life.
‘Within weeks of being on the course, Leanne’s condition dramatically improved. She was no longer lying awake at night with pain and her confidence soared.
‘Since completing her treatment, Leanne has returned home and has been able to shop and feel confident in her clothes again for the first time in months.
‘She has regained all of her passion for life and has bounced back to her normal, fit and sociable self. She has also re-started her modelling career and is very excited about what the future holds.’
WHAT IS SCOLIOSIS AND WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF THE CONDITION?
Scoliosis is the abnormal curvature of the spine in an S-shape.
Signs include a visible curve in the spine, one shoulder or hip being more prominent than the other, clothes not handing properly and back pain.
Pain usually only affects adults with the condition.
In most cases, the cause of the scoliosis is not known but it can be caused by cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.
In the UK, scoliosis affects three to four children could of every 1,000.
It is also thought that as many as 70 per cent of over 65s have some degree of scoliosis.
It is more common in women than in men.
Most children with the condition do not require treatment as it is mild and corrects itself as the child grows.
However, in severe cases the child may need to wear a back brace until they stop growing.
Occasionally, a child needs surgery to straighten their spine.
In adults, it is usually too late to treat the condition with a back brace or surgery so treatment revolves around reducing pain.
Source: NHS Choices
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