Scoliosis isn't Scary!
Updated: Jun 18, 2022
Chiropractic and Physiotherapy treatments have shown a very significant result in restoring or maintaining the curvature of the spine.
What is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a chronic condition where the curvature of your spine goes sideways. On X-rays, the human spine with scoliosis may look more like an “S” or “C” than a straight line when viewed from the back.
Scoliosis does not due to heavy backpacks, sleeping sideways, sports, injury, or poor posture. In fact, more than 80% of scoliosis cases have unknown causes/hereditary. Such cases are normally known as Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) which is the most common form of pediatric scoliosis occurring in teenage between the ages of 10 to 18.
As for functional scoliosis which is often due to a temporary cause (no spinal rotation), it could be caused by the pelvis and spinal misalignment, bad posture, slipped disc, nerve impingement, muscle strains, foot pain, functional leg length difference and etc.
This can be corrected and reversed by identifying and addressing the cause.
Do my kids have Scoliosis?
Below are some basic guidelines but further professional and specific diagnostic imaging and examination needed to be conducted to confirm the presence of scoliosis.
§ Uneven Shoulders
§ One shoulder blade more prominent than the others
§ Uneven waist
§ Rib hump shown on one side of the back when bending forward (Adam’s test)
Classification of Scoliosis – based on COBBs Angle
Definition | Spinal Curve | Mild | Moderate | Severe |
Cobbs Angle | 0-10 | 10-19 | 20-40 | >40 |
>10 degrees considered as scoliosis
Does Scoliosis Get WORSE Over Time?
Approximately 68% of scoliotic curvatures greater than 30 degrees at skeletal maturity tend to progress at a linear rate, regardless of the type of scoliosis curvature pattern.
Benefits of Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Care on Scoliosis Conditions
§ Increase your spinal range of motion
§ Alleviate back pain
§ Loosen tight muscles
§ Decrease pressure on the nervous system
§ Reducing discomfort
The key is to understanding and managing scoliosis is staying ahead of its natural tendency to worsen.
SCHROTH METHOD FOR SCOLIOSIS
The Schroth Method is a scoliosis-specific exercise approach. It focuses primarily on the 3D correction of spinal curve patterns. It is conducted through combinations of specific and customized stretching, strengthening, and breathing in reverse directions according to each patient’s unique spinal scoliosis deformation.
SPINAL FLEXION-DISTRACTION THERAPY
Provide gentle and intermittent traction to the spine which is designed specifically for scoliosis rehabilitation.
Depending on the severity of your scoliotic curvature and a series of evaluations, braces may be prescribed to wear as additional prevention for curve progression.
Full spine X-rays normally will be taken to measure the Cobbs’s angle to determine the curvature and conditions of your scoliosis conditions.
In working with Chiropractors and Physiotherapists in BP CHiRO and following your treatment care plan, you are taking an important step toward your long-term health and wellbeing!
Reference
1. Marty-Poumarat C., Scattin L., Marpeau M., Garreau de Loubresse C., Aegerter P. Natural history of progressive adult scoliosis. Spine. 2007;32:1227–1234.
2. Weinstein S.L., Dolan L.A., Spratt K.F., Peterson K.K., Spoonamore M.J., Ponseti I.V. Health and function of patients with untreated idiopathic scoliosis: a 50-year natural history study. JAMA. 2003;289:559–567.
3. Everett C.R., Patel R.K. A systematic literature review of nonsurgical treatment in adult scoliosis. Spine. 2007;32:S130–S134.
4. Farzaneh G, Yahya S, Reza S. The effect of Schroth training course on certain postural and biomechanical parameters of the spine among students with idiopathic scoliosis. Biol Forum. 2015; 7(1): 1885-1889.
5. Schreiber S, Parent EC, Khodayari Moez E, et al. Schroth physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises added to the standard of care lead to better Cobb angle outcomes in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis – an assessor and statistician blinded randomized controlled trial. Baur H, ed. PLoS ONE. 2016; 11(12): 1-17.
6. Lehnert-Schroth C. Three-Dimensional Treatment for Scoliosis- A Physiotherapeutic Method for Deformities of the Spine. Palo Alto, CA: Martindale Press; 2007.
7. Schreiber S, Parent EC, Hill DL, Hedden DM, Moreau MJ, Southon SC. Patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis perceive positive improvements regardless of change in the Cobb angle –BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2019; 20: 1-10.
8.Farooqui SI, Siddiqui PQR, Ansari B, Farhad A. Effects of spinal mobilization techniques in the management of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis - A meta-analysis. Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2018 Nov-Dec;12(6):44-49.
DC Jermaine Tay
Doctor of Chiropractic
Certified Paediatric Neurology