Vertebral Body Tethering: How Soon Do Young Athletes Return to Sport?
Carousel1 min read·Published Oct 2026

Vertebral Body Tethering: How Soon Do Young Athletes Return to Sport?

Interactive quiz slide asking when young athletes return to sport after scoliosis VBT surgery with four time options.
Data slide showing early VBT success rates of 75% at 2 years, 63% at 3.8 years, with 20% revision rate and context note.
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Carousel · Oct 2026 · 1 min read

In brief

In brief

Educational carousel examining return-to-sport timelines for young athletes following vertebral body tethering (VBT) for scoliosis correction. Reviews recovery milestones and activity restrictions specific to this motion-preserving alternative to spinal fusion in the adolescent population.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the carousel.

Slides

4 pages · click to turn to one

A structured comparison chart displaying three treatment modalities side-by-side with colored sections. Each column contains clinical data, success percentages, and outcome metrics. Visual hierarchy uses headers, bullet points, and percentage callouts to organize information about surgical techniques.

Spine — vertebral body tethering. A social-media carousel made possible by Cincinnati Children's.
The text in the image

Pediatric Achalasia: Surgical Approach Comparison | Heller Myotomy | 78% Success Rate | Esophageal Dilatation | 45% Success Rate | POEM (Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy) | 99% Success Rate | 742 Cases Reviewed | Complications | Training Requirements | Long-term Outcomes | Ambulation Rates | Neuroprotection | Clinical Efficacy

The text on each slide
  1. Made possible by | Cincinnati Children's changing the outcome together | After scoliosis surgery, young athletes return to sport in... | Pick the closest for vertebral body tethering (VBT): | 2 weeks | 6 weeks | 3 months | 6 months | Make your call, then swipe. | Swipe right
  2. Made possible by Cincinnati Children's | Return to sport after vertebral body tethering: | ~6 WEEKS | A game-changer for young athletes | Compare that to standard spinal fusion: | FUSION | 3–6 mo | RETURN TO SPORT | VBT | ~6 wk | RETURN TO SPORT | Lorena Floccari, MD | Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, Akron Children's Hospital | Swipe right
  3. Made possible by Cincinnati Children's changing the outcome together | BUT WHAT DOES THE DATA SHOW? | A Mayo study found early VBT outcomes were tougher: | 75% Success rate at 2 years | 63% success rate at 3.8 years | 20% revision rate | ⚠️ IMPORTANT CONTEXT | Early issues were due to poor patient selection. With better selection criteria, newer data is showing better outcomes. | Swipe right
  4. Made possible by Cincinnati Children's changing the outcome together | WHERE THE FIELD IS HEADED: | VBT started in the mid-2000s and has exploded in recent years. | Lorena Floccari, MD | Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, Akron Children's Hospital | Selection is everything. The procedure is here. The discipline has to follow.
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