Patient Stories
Sutter Spine Services
Jaime - Surgery to Marathon
Jaime has been jumping and tumbling since she started gymnastics in the "Mommy and Me" class at age 2. But about seven years ago she started having severe pain. "The pain began in my hips, and then I started having pain and numbness in my lower back and shooting pain down my legs," says Jaime, now 22. "I had trouble sitting for longer than 10 minutes, and it was really hard to concentrate during school."
After competing across the country and internationally, in 2002 the level-10 gymnast had to quit because of the pain. When her condition didn't get better, Jaime's dad referred her to Sutter Neuroscience Institute spine surgeon Kavian Shahi, M.D., a specialist he saw after a car crash caused trauma to his back. Dr. Shahi diagnosed Jaime with pars defect, a congenital condition that becomes symptomatic with increased activity. Also know as spondylolysis, the condition occurs when one vertebra slips forward on the adjacent vertebrae, causing gradual deformity of the lower spine and a narrowing of the vertebral canal. Pars defect is very common in young athletes, especially gymnasts, because of the repetitive hyperextension of the spine.
"I had always been really active, and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to continue to do the things I loved," says Jaime. "I was really excited when Dr. Shahi said he could fix my back and that I could probably return to my normal activity level."
In December, Dr. Shahi performed a L5 S1 fusion on Jaime to fuse together the two abnormal vertebra to prevent further slippage. Jaime spent five days at Sutter Roseville Medical Center and took two months to recover from surgery.
Jaime, a Sacramento native, is now back at St. Mary's College. She has joined the crew rowing team and participates in the strenuous workouts that include running and weight training. "For me to be part of the team, it is important that I am able to keep up during the workouts," says Jaime. "I am the coxswain and responsible for steering and navigating our boat, and leading our team."
Three months after surgery, Jaime is more active than she could have dreamed. In addition to her crew practice, Jaime is training for a marathon - 26.2 miles - in less than one year after surgery.
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