Abby Lee Miller uses a wheelchair primarily due to complications from emergency spinal surgery in 2018, which addressed a spinal infection later diagnosed as Burkitt lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Medical History

She underwent the life-saving procedure shortly before her release from prison in May 2018, where she had served time for bankruptcy fraud. Following surgery and 10 rounds of chemotherapy, she entered remission but required extensive physical therapy to relearn walking; the cancer treatments also weakened her bones, leading to multiple fractures in her right leg, including a shattered tibia and fibula from a wheelchair accident.

Prison Claims

Miller attributes her condition partly to prison, claiming she was punished by being abruptly taken off medications "cold turkey," which she says contributed to her wheelchair use. She has expressed frustration over setbacks to her mobility goals despite therapy. As of recent reports, she remains wheelchair- bound while continuing dance instruction.