Scott J. Luhmann, MD
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
- One of a handful of surgeons nationwide to offer a minimally invasive procedure called “spine stapling” to correct curvatures of the spine. This technique, which uses “staples” to arrest the growth of one side of the spine, offers scoliosis patients an alternative to spine fusion or bracing. Spinal stapling allows movement and flexibility that fusion does not.
- Specializes in complex reconstructive spinal surgery and treatment of various spinal deformities such as scoliosis.
- Assistant Professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine
Notable quotes from Dr. Luhmann
Dr. Luhmann on the benefit of spine stapling over traditional scoliosis therapies such as bracing:
“We're starting to offer this as an alternative to bracing for those individuals who don't see bracing as an acceptable intervention for them. And that really applies to kids who have bracing needs for four years or five years.”
Dr. Luhmann’s advice to parents whose children want to begin weight-lifting:
“Kids don’t have a lot of ability to build muscle mass. To build muscle mass, you have to have the appropriate growth hormones. Pre-adolescent teens don’t have the ability to build muscle mass. Young kids who do weight training can increase the recruitment of muscle fibers to develop strength, but they won’t develop increased muscle mass, per se. It’s always best before starting a weightlifting program to have your pre-teen or teenager see a primary-care physician for a physical.”