Ruby Rose, popular actress and model best known for her roles in Orange is the New Black and Pitch Perfect 3, doesn’t stay still for long. Recently, she’s been working on filming Batwoman, a series premiering on The CW Sunday, October 6. Unfortunately, in the middle of filming, she began experiencing constant pain and numbness in her arms. Not wanting to take time away from filming, she looked for a solution that would allow her to get right back to being Batwoman.
Ruby consulted with Dr. Robert S. Bray Jr. at DISC Sports & Spine Center in Newport Beach, California. After a thorough examination, Dr. Bray discovered that Ruby had two discs that were badly ruptured and were compressing her spinal cord. She was experiencing loss of balance and numbness down her arms, and her reflexes were off. Dr. Bray and Ruby decided that the best solution for her was to get an artificial disc replacement.
“We gave her two artificial discs [in her neck] that will bend, move, twist, and turn just like regular discs to give her full range of motion so that she could get back to the stunts and the workouts,” said Dr. Bray after the surgery. “But most importantly, now she is safe, because continued compression [on her spinal cord] would have meant a loss in function.”
Watch Ruby Rose’s story here: WARNING THIS VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT
At DISC, surgeries like Ruby’s are considered minimally invasive spine surgery. This kind of surgery is quite short, and patients are up and moving around a few hours later. There is almost no visible scarring, and most patients experience relief from symptoms immediately following the surgery.
Ruby was mobile shortly after the surgery and reported an immediate decrease in the numbness in her arms. “It will take a few months to get [Ruby] back to 100 percent,” says Dr. Bray, “but she’s doing really well.”
Whether you are an actress performing superhero stunts or a father looking to give your child a ride on your shoulders, a minimally invasive surgery for an injured disc means that you can get right back to your active lifestyle. Whether you are an actress performing superhero stunts or a father looking to give your child a ride on your shoulders, a minimally invasive surgery for an injured disc means that you can get right back to your active lifestyle.
