Journal of - Spinal Research Foundation

FALL 2012Bill Scott during a professionalMixed Martial Arts fight. Photocourtesy of Keith D. Mills.FALL 2012 VOL. 7 No. 2is,” says Dr. McLaughlin.“I had some concernsabout the levels of thespine above and belowthe surgery. In 2008 weinserted more screws togive more stability to thelower vertebra, but allthese years later, everythingis holding up verywell.”At the end of therecovery period, Dr.McLaughlin reviewed anX-ray of Scott’s spine andgave him the OK to startexercising again. But hedidn’t approve a return to fighting. “Dr. McLaughlin isa former champion wrestler himself,” says Scott, “andas much as I respect his medical opinion, I had otherplans.”Scott, a 1 st Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Beltand a former All-American wrestler at MiddlesexCollege, didn’t follow a formal rehab program. Afterspinal fusion, patients are advised to stay active withbrief, gentle exercise and stretching which promotesblood flow and healing. But when Scott returned to hismartial arts training center (Bill Scott BJJ- BrazilianJiu-Jitsu Shore Academy) in his hometown of PointPleasant, NJ, he picked up right where he left off.“For my rehab, I just returned to my usual trainingfor Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and instructing martial arts students.I wanted to get right back in the swing of things,and I went at full speed right away. I believe that aperson’s mind-set is extremely important in this typeof situation. I’ve seen people who have had this typeof injury become depressed and feel sorry for themselves,and I could have easily gone that route. But Ididn’t allow myself to think that way. I worked hard,and I was determined not to let the situation damagemy life. I wanted to get back to being active and doingwhat I love to do.”These days, in addition to a rigorous schedule ofteaching martial arts, including self-defense training forlocal and state police officers in New Jersey, Scott competesin and has won several mixed martial arts bouts.He is currently training for the 2012 Pan Jiu-Jitsu No GiChampionship which takes place this fall.“I’m a fighter; it’s what I do for a living, and it’s alsomy attitude,” says Scott. “When you participate in mysport, you’re going to have injuries now and then. Whenone happens, I get fixed up, move on, and keep fighting.”Working with the unstoppable Scott taught Dr.McLaughlin a great lesson: “I learned that you have tolisten to your patient very closely, not only to understandhow they feel physically, but also where they areemotionally. When I did Bill’s surgery and told himhe really shouldn’t fight anymore, that was like tellinghim not to breathe. Instructing and competing in martialarts are in his DNA, and it was absolutely impossiblefor him to giveit up. When workingwith an elite athletelike Bill, a spine surgeon’sjob is to providethe stability he needsto compete again thebest he can. Scott returnedto fighting andwon matches, which isremarkable consideringthe major surgeryhe had. His energy,enthusiasm, and positiveattitude helpedhim pull through and Bill Scott, Spinal Champion!inspire me.”Mark R. McLaughlin,MD, FACSDr. McLaughlin practices neurologicalsurgery with a focus on spine disordersand specific cranial conditions atPrinceton Brain and Spine Care in Princeton,NJ. He served as the President ofthe Young Neurosurgeons’ Committee,a national section of the American Association of NeurologicalSurgeons. He is the Scientific Program Chairman of the AANS/CNS Joint Spine Section, and also an editor of Spineuniverse.com, a website dedicated to patient and physician educationof spinal disorders. He has published more than 65 articles onneurosurgery and spine surgery, and has authored two textbooksabout spine surgery. He has been an invited speaker, presenter,and course director at numerous scientific meetings, andteaches complex spine surgery nationally and internationally. Dr.McLaughlin was recently elected Member-at-Large of the JointSpine Section of the Congress of Neurosurgeons.Journal of The Spinal Research Foundation 8