MUSC News

After years of physical therapy, pain patches and injections, Laken Crocker of Lexington, South Carolina, decided to revisit surgical options to correct her thoracic lordoscoliosis, a rare disorder in which the middle part of the back curves both inward and sideways, making it difficult for her to move and breathe. 

Crocker began showing signs of scoliosis at age 8 and underwent two surgeries – the first at age 12 and the second at 14. Despite those interventions, she continued to struggle with a significant spinal deformity and the physical challenges that came with it. 

A few years ago, Crocker developed weakness in her legs that ultimately prevented her from walking. As her condition progressed, she began to experience pain behind her shoulder blades and continued to struggle with a rib cage deformity that caused her great pain and trouble breathing. She not only had difficulty caring for her children but also had to turn down a job offer as a medical coder because she could not tolerate sitting for several hours at a time.