A 22-year-old woman has told how pole dancing ‘saved her’ after major spine surgery left her house-bound for two years and severely depressed.
Daniella Smith, from Great Barr, Birmingham, was born with spinal scoliosis – a curvature of the spine that meant it was bent 50 degrees out of shape – and had two metal rods bolted into her back to correct it.
The operation left her in a wheelchair for two months, unable to leave her home and out of work for two years, and – having lost her friends and independence – spiralling into depression.
A 22-year-old woman has told how pole dancing ‘saved her’ after major spine surgery left her house-bound for two years and severely depressed
Two years ago Daniella discovered a novel way to aid her recovery – through pole-dancing classes
Daniella born with spinal scoliosis – a curvature of the spine that meant it was bent 50 degrees out of shape – and caused her shoulder blades to jut out (above)
But two years ago Daniella discovered a novel way to aid her recovery – through pole-dancing classes.
Now, software analyst Daniella pole-dances three times a week and credits it for her strengthening her muscles, improving her flexibility and giving her confidence.
Daniella, who’s in a relationship, said: ‘In my darkest days after the operation I could barely even walk and I was too frail to leave the house.
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‘But the pole dancing made me bend in different ways – in a way it was like physio.
‘Now I feel sexy again and can do the splits, high kicks, and even do the occasional performance – nobody would ever guess I have two huge metal rods in my back.’
Daniella was 15 when she was told she had 30-degree curvature of the spine in 2009, meaning her right shoulder blade stuck out and she was ‘hunched and in constant pain’.
Daniella said: ‘The pole dancing made me bend in different ways – in a way it was like physio’
Daniella was 15 when she was told she had 30-degree curvature of the spine in 2009
Three months after the surgery she attended a dance class against doctors’ recommendation and the strain on her body left her in agonising pain for a further three months
The pain forced her to quit her twice-weekly Salsa classes – a hobby she’d had for five years.
Over the next two years the pain worsened but medics told her they would not operate until her spine was curved at 50 degrees.
She said: ‘I wanted to be like other teenage girls, but I was plagued with horrendous pain and some days I could barely walk it was so bad.
‘I remember going to my prom and spending the night feeling self-conscious about being hunched, and couldn’t dance because my back was sore.’
She said: ‘I wanted to be like other teenage girls, but I was plagued with horrendous pain and some days I could barely walk it was so bad’
In February 2010 Daniella dropped out of hairdressing college because standing up for long hours was painful.
The following May the curvature hit 50 degrees and she was finally eligible for an operation on the NHS.
She recalls: ‘Though I was in incredible pain, in some ways it was a relief.
‘I knew it was going to be gruelling op and that it would take a couple of years to fully recover but I felt like I didn’t have a choice.’
That month she underwent seven-hour surgery at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham.
She spent six days in hospital where she learned to breathe again and took gentle steps
During the surgery, medics deflated her lungs and bolted two metal rods to her spine.
She spent six days in hospital where she learned to breathe again and took gentle steps.
She said: ‘It was agony. I needed the support of doctors and a frame to walk.
‘I felt like I had a long, gruelling recovery ahead.’
For a month she was mostly wheelchair-bound, relying on regular physio to learn to walk again.
For a month she was mostly wheelchair-bound, relying on regular physio to learn to walk again
Three months after the surgery she attended a dance class against doctors’ recommendation and the strain on her body left her in agonising pain for a further three months.
She said: ‘Unable to work or go out with friends, I started to lose touch with pals from before surgery.
‘My reality was worlds away from their fun, carefree lives so I couldn’t blame them, but it still hurt.’
Though her boyfriend of two years was supportive, Daniella admits she felt unattractive and miserable.
Though her boyfriend of two years was supportive, Daniella admits she felt unattractive and miserable
In May 2012 she was diagnosed with depression and prescribed antidepressants.
She said: ‘I was at rock bottom, I felt like I’d never lead the active life I wanted.’
In 2013, as her mobility improved, and Daniella got a job working in software.
A year later, keen to start exercising again, she enrolled in a local pole dancing class.
She said: ‘My sister offered to go with me, I was really nervous but had read about the benefits of pole dancing on your body and thought that it would help me bend in ways physio wouldn’t.
Daniela’s scar two years after her surgery and five years after
‘But my first session was amazing – I was stiff and not very flexible but it felt great using muscles I hadn’t used in months.
‘The following day I ached, but couldn’t wait to go back for more.’
Soon, she was attending classes three times a week at £5 a pop – two fitness classes and one lyrical one, which focuses more on performance.
She said: ‘My flexibility gradually improved and soon I could do the splits and bend backwards – things I had never thought possible with rods in my spine.
Soon, she was attending classes three times a week at £5 a pop – two fitness classes and one lyrical one, which focuses more on performance
‘When I told other people in my class that I’d been bed-bound so recently they couldn’t believe it.
‘As my agility and fitness improved through the classes, my happiness improved with it.
‘People think pole dancing is all about being racy and showing off your body, but for me it became a kind of physio and a way to get my body back to where it used to be.
‘With every lift, spin and grab of the pole, I could feel my body becoming stronger.
‘It felt amazing, and slowly became a real passion.’
She says the activity helped her ditch the antidepressants last year.
Incredibly, she now stands an inch taller than she was before surgery, taking her from 5ft 5in to 5ft 6in.
Incredibly, she now stands an inch taller than she was before surgery, taking her from 5ft.5 to 5ft.6
What’s more, Daniella, who’s a size ten adds that the classes have helped her feel attractive for the first time in years.
She said: ‘After my op I felt so unattractive, but we do the odd performance for friends, family and partners and that’s improved my confidence, I feel sexy again at last.’
Now, Daniella says that she wants to show other women they can be fit and feel attractive again following surgery – despite how daunting an operation can seem.
She adds: ‘I want other people to see how I was terrified of having surgery and that there will be dark moments.
‘But finding an activity that made my life busy again put me back on track, and in my case that was pole dancing.
‘I will have metal rods in my back forever, but I’m not going to let them hold me back any more.’