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Ohio-Colin Roberts was a sophomore in high school when he was diagnosed with scoliosis.

After the doctors discovered that his back brace was not working, they decided that Roberts needed spinal fusion surgery to treat his scoliosis. 

This is not a decision taken lightly by Roberts and his family. The recovery time from this operation is about three months. 

Roberts said: "In the first two weeks, I really couldn't sit up, stand up, or even walk long distances alone. I really didn't realize how much this would cost you. I couldn't do it." Turn over or anything. " 

He said that these difficult times gave him a new understanding of life when he was young. 

"The satisfaction of getting better day by day; like it's hard to explain," Roberts said. "It's like walking from cold winter to spring, the first warm day of spring."  

Now 19 years old, he is a decathlete at Ashland University, which means he has participated in 10 different events in track and field competitions. 

"There are two days, there are five events every day," he said. "The first day was 100, long jump, shot put, high jump, then 400. Then the second day was hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500. So it was two long days, but it was fun." 

On average, Roberts spends about 8 to 10 hours a day focusing on his sports. 

"If you told me in my sophomore year that I would do this, I would say you were crazy," he said, "I never thought I would be who I am today." 

Dr. William Schrader is a pediatric plastic surgeon who performed operations on Robert at Akron Children's Hospital. 

Schrader said that due to the development of modern technology, this kind of surgery is now very stable, allowing patients like Roberts to lead a normal life after recovery. 

"So, once you have surgery on their spine, then they will heal, which usually takes three to six months after the operation to heal," Schrader said. "Most patients can resume most activities. I always tell patients that now they have rebars there, which may be the strongest part of their bodies." 

About 5% of school-age children will suffer from scoliosis, and Schrader performs about 120 such operations each year. 

The doctor said that if you can detect the curve early, or if the curve does not become larger, you can live a fairly normal life without surgery, which is why early detection is the key. 

"This is the value of the school screening program developed by school nurses. Basically, they want to find these children early when they can receive treatment, not when the curve is too big and they are now just candidates for surgery," Shira De said. "So the school screening program has been very helpful over the years. The problem now is that some states are still doing this, and some are not. It has become a product of economics."

Although school screening is not as common as it used to be, Schrader said that primary care doctors have been trained and can notice any problems.

He said that many times he would notice any curve in his back when he was in school or in sports, which is why Roberts discovered that he had this disease. 

Roberts has high ambitions for the future and plans to continue to be a decathlon athlete after graduating from college.