When there are great alternatives scoliosis surgery like Schroth Scoliosis Exercises or the Spine Cor Dynamic Scoliosis Brace are you REALLY expected to do nothing until surgery is required?

Parents are often told to do is nothing with their child’s scoliosis and instructed to just “watch and wait”. The predicament many find themselves in is that if they wait too long they may find that they missed that window of opportunity to do something to stop the progression in the early stages when it was most correctable. What they don’t find out until it is too late is that what their doctor really meant was “let’s watch and wait for the scoliosis to get worse to the point that surgery is necessary.”

The problem with this way is that during this waiting period nothing is being done to stop the curve progression the scoliosis until the spine finally gets past the “tipping point” that surgery then becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

The long term outcomes for scoliosis surgery are rather shocking. A reviewing study of the long term complications of scoliosis surgery confirmed the issue when it revealed that a full 40 % of patients who underwent scoliosis surgery in their childhood were legally defined as severely handicapped as adults .*

Given the fact that each year approximately 20,000 surgeries are performed to implant Harrington rods in the spines of children to bend their scoliosis straight, that would herald that every year about 8,000 adults, who underwent this equivalent surgery in their youth, their results, health, pain, life after surgery had eroded to the point that they become legally defined as permanently disabled for life.**

Isn’t there something better?

The answer is absolutely, yes!

Non-Surgical Treatments for Scoliosis Should Begin Early

Conventional wisdom has stated that scoliosis curvatures cannot be improved without surgery but that is not the case. A recent study in the Journal of Neurosurgery Pediatrics January 2011 reported the need for orthotic or brace treatment in curvatures of 20 degrees or more regardless of age or curvature location. In other words, the earlier the interruption, the better the chances are of stopping the advancement or even reversing the curve. There are a collection of effective techniques and therapies that can reinforce in this process.

Spine Cor – The Incredible Brace for Scoliosis is the first and only dynamic tension brace for scoliosis. Unlike traditional rigid scoliosis braces, there is no side effect of muscle atrophy when using the Spine Cor dynamic scoliosis brace because the muscles of the spine are being rehabilitated while it is being worn so it’s like having rehabilitative exercises 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

By virtue of Spine Cor brace works to provide corrective movements to the body it requires the provider have a solid knowledge of the science of the brace biomechanics, neurology and biophysics. They must also have a great deal of training in fitting the brace well. Finding doctors that are highly experienced in fitting and adjusting the Spine Cor brace is vital as less experienced doctors tend to make the mistake of “re-adjust” the brace too frequently, rather than fitting it well in the first place, reducing it’s efficacy.

The Spine Cor brace is more advanced then normal rigid braces. The problem with rigid bracing is after it is removed the muscles of the spine have often atrophied because the trunk was restricted, like it was in a body cast.

The Spine Cor in the”un-brace” that solves this problem by providing postural re-education that gives each patient progressive improvement over time that even lasts after the brace has stopped being used. Unlike the old static braces that have often have a return of the curvatures after removal of the brace, patients find with Spine Cor the results are extremely stable.

Patients have better compliance with wearing and cosmetic results because Spine Cor allows them total freedom of dynamism, on the grounds that it is easily concealed under their clothing and is cooler for the patient to wear. Spine Cor brace can now be used for treatment of both adolescent and adult scoliosis. It’s easy to see why compliance might be better with our soft elastic brace than with the old bulky, rigid braces that severely restrict motion and must be worn 23 hours per day.

Any non-surgical treatment approach for scoliosis should be the work towards re-establishing normal functional movement of the spine and utilization of an corrective movement principle brace, like Spine Cor should be a central feature of a scoliosis rehabilitation program.

Although there are many different types of exercise programs used for the treatment of scoliosis most of them take a limited 2-dimensional concept and fail to address the unseen rotational element of scoliosis. A 3-dimensional perspective of the spine is needed to achieve the best results. The Schroth Method is an intensive exercise protocol that is specifically directed to produce such results.

Schroth Method – The Schroth Method is a research supported exercise plan for scoliosis. It was designed to help patients successfully manage their curves without the need for hard braces or scoliosis surgery. These intensive exercises were originally developed by Katharina Schroth in Germany as a guided 3-dimensional treatment help reshape the ribcage and reduce the rotational deformity associated with Scoliosis. It achieves this by helping the patient re-establish correct postural and movement patterns that help reduce curvatures through muscle memory. Stimulation of reflex systems in the body through properly applied exercise programs like the Schroth Method provides a critical part of any scoliosis recovery program.

We’ve found that Schroth is the best overall program to stabilize and even diminish scoliosis curvatures when used in combination with this a flexible brace like Spine Cor. Not only does this give the patient the best odds of stopping the progression of scoliosis but it also provides tools that will be helpful later in life too. These specific scoliosis exercises are beneficial for both children and adults in restoring the appropriate neuromuscular control in scoliosis.This improves both the movement patterns and balance of the spine which reduces pain, improves cardiopulmonary function and vital lung capacity.

Scoliosis Related Conditions

As specialists in scoliosis we look beyond just treating the symptoms of scoliosis, we look at correcting underlying causes when we can. While the exact cause of scoliosis remains unknown, most experts have agreed for years that there is a neurological component in scoliosis but the cause of it has remained somewhat elusive, until now. Scoliosis Research has made huge strides of late the field of pediatric neurology which seem to point to the upper cervical spine as being a possible source.

The Atlas is the top vertebra in the spine and because sits directly underneath the skull it provides it support, but it is a precarious balancing act for this little bone. Even a small amount of misalignment of the Atlas can reduce spinal fluid flow causing increased pressure to the brainstem and cerebellum, which can impair their function and in some cases contribute to the scoliosis.

In order to calculate misalignment of the Atlas precise x-rays are taken of the upper cervical spine and if there appears to be misalignment of the Atlas that may be contributing to your scoliosis a specialized upper cervical treatment may be recommended to reduce misalignment of this segment to reduce the pressure and imbalance contributing to the scoliosis.

Summary

The definition of insanity is when you do the same thing over and over again but then expect to get different results. If doing nothing up to this point has resulted in the scoliosis progressing, then common sense would tell you then continuing to do nothing isn’t a logical choice.

Don’t just sit around and just watch and wait for the scoliosis to get worse while there are great non-surgical solutions that can stop and even reverse your scoliosis symptoms.

Call for a Free phone Consultation with one of our doctors to discuss your case of scoliosis CALL (847)563-5317 TODAY,

Or

Email Your Question to our doctors at Scoliosis Care Foundation on Facebook.

Either way, contact us today and find out if one of our non-surgical treatment options is right for you. You’ll be glad you did!

Dr. Brett Diaz, D.C.
Director of Patient Education

Spine Cor Center of Chicago
2565 Shermer Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 562-5317

*Long-term results of quality of life in patients with idiopathic scoliosis after Harrington instrumentation and their relevance for expert evidence.
** Scoliosis Correction Center – Scoliosis Surgery, The Untold Truth