Tereza: from 42° to 27°
without surgery
We don't see a change like this every year. Tereza's case brought together honest daily work, a brace from other specialists and enormous perseverance. Her story shows what is possible – not what can be promised to everyone. Every scoliosis is different.
- Autumn 201542°, the hospital offers only surgery
- First visit“He took me on as a challenge.”
- Six monthsShe grew stronger – and not just physically
- TeamworkA brace from other specialists, regular exercise
- A year and a half27° – without surgery
“I learned to respect my limits. When you grit your teeth and persevere, it helps you more than unnecessary surgery.”
Read Tereza's whole story
My scoliosis was diagnosed in autumn 2015. It was severe – they measured 42 degrees, and for them the only solution was surgery. I didn’t know what could be done. Later my mum came up with something that might help. The first thing she told me was that I had to persevere. She had found someone online who specialises in scoliosis.
When I first came to Mr Debowski, I wasn’t afraid. He took me on as a challenge – he really wanted to help me. I had to accept that I would never be straight, but I became sure that having surgery is foolish if my spine doesn’t threaten my normal life. I learned to respect my limits. After every session I fell asleep in the car.
Mr Debowski honestly exercised with me for a whole hour. At the very beginning I felt so weak, but within six months I had become stronger, and not just physically. Everyone around me who saw me exercise said it was crazy. They couldn’t understand how I got into all those tricky positions.
Whenever I brought X-rays from the hospital, he always went through them with us, measured them and compared them with the hospital reports. Mr Debowski also put me in touch with other specialists, who provided me with a plastic brace that I wear with pride.
Later we tried a 3D scan of the spine. After a year and a half I went from 42 degrees to 27 degrees. All thanks to the exercise, the brace and Mr Debowski. You just have to believe in yourself and not let go of that forearm…
Tereza's own words, slightly shortened and translated.
