A 22-year-old Suffolk woman who is living with a debilitating spinal condition has told of her agonising wait for a diagnosis and how the disease’s impact on her body rocked her self-confidence.

East Anglian Daily Times: Sophie Green has had major spinal surgery to straighten her back. Picture: KEITH NISBET AND SIMON TOWNSENDSophie Green has had major spinal surgery to straighten her back. Picture: KEITH NISBET AND SIMON TOWNSEND (Image: Archant)

As a young teenager Sophie Green, of Saxtead Road, Framlingham, started to find it difficult to sit up straight and at the age of 16 she discovered a prominent “hump” in the middle of her back.

Sophie went to the doctor and x-rays confirmed she had an increased kyphotic curve in the upper part of her spine, so she was sent to physiotherapy appointments to help with her posture.

The sessions didn’t work and as Sophie’s condition worsened she became extremely worried about her appearance.

“It affected everything,” Sophie said. “I couldn’t do a full day at work; if I went out with friends I would suffer for several days after.

“It affected my self-confidence quite a lot.

“I hated the way I looked and it was causing me a horrific amount of pain.

East Anglian Daily Times: Two titanium rods were fitted to Sophie's spine with screws to permanently straighten it. Picture: SOPHIE GREENTwo titanium rods were fitted to Sophie's spine with screws to permanently straighten it. Picture: SOPHIE GREEN (Image: Archant)

“I worked in one place and a girl made a remark about being hunchback. Most teenagers are body-conscious anyway, so to have that is hard.”

In late 2015 Sophie, who attended Easton and Otley College, was assessed by orthopaedic surgeons at Ipswich Hospital who she claims measured the degree of curvature in her back as within “normal limits”.

Unsatisfied with the result, Sophie pushed for a second opinion.

Sophie said the x-rays from Ipswich were looked at again at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and experts determined the curve to be at 80 degrees. Forty-five degrees is the top end of ‘normal’.

In June last year she was diagnosed with Scheuermann’s disease, a skeletal disorder which mostly affects teenagers.

Sophie said the condition had been caught too late for most alternative treatments so her only option was spinal fusion surgery.

East Anglian Daily Times: Sophie Green preparing for her surgery. Picture: SOPHIE GREENSophie Green preparing for her surgery. Picture: SOPHIE GREEN (Image: Archant)

It was a bitter pill for Sophie to swallow, as she said earlier intervention could have meant less invasive care.

Last month Sophie underwent the six-hour operation, in which two titanium rods were attached to her spine to straighten it.

Now Sophie, who is on the road to recovery and has her sights set on returning to work as a canine hydrotherapist, wants to raise awareness of Scheuermann’s disease, and encourage parents and young people to get to know the signs.

“If caught early you can avoid surgery, so if you notice your child is slouching more than normal or has one shoulder or hip higher than the other or notice their rib cage sticking out on one side, it is worth getting them checked,” she said. “Don’t leave it too late like I did.”

A spokeswoman for Ipswich Hospital said: “We are sorry to learn of Miss Green’s concerns and we would urge her to get in touch with us so we can discuss them further.”