SCOLIOSIS: When most patients are referred to us or they drop in to see us, they are generally informed that they have either scoliosis, or are suspected of having one. For most people, this sounds like a terrible distortion that may inevitably require surgery. With advances in medicine, there are now many other options available in the management of scoliosis.
Scoliosis is a deformation and an anomaly of our spine. Seen from behind, our spine should be straight. From the side view, our spine has a natural curve "S". In scoliosis, patients may have a curved "C" (either in the upper or lower body or a curve "C", which runs from the upper part to the lower part of the body), the curve "S" and / or even bending ( "Hyperkyphosis").
normal
There are many different types of scoliosis and surprisingly, most patients with or referred to in our center are completely unaware their condition and in most cases asymptomatic. For those who experience discomfort, symptoms can range from difficulty breathing, heart and digestive problems, mechanical neck and back pain, and self-conscious about their appearance.
More than 80-85% of scoliosis is classified as idiopathic scoliosis. This means that the etiology or cause of this condition is unknown. In 1992, orthopedic surgeons in Canada have conducted research and studies have shown that, among other factors, genetic defects may play a role in the formation of scoliosis.
Depending on the extent or the rate of deterioration of scoliosis, surgery may be indicated. On the other hand, if the curvature of scoliosis is in a certain range, there are various options available, such as rehabilitation, physiotherapy, chiropractic and spinal bracing.
treatment of scoliosis management objectives are different in both pediatrics and adults. Puberty induces rapid growth and opportunities to increase the deterioration of scoliosis in a growing child. For adults, pain management and structural stability of the spine is the main concern.
scoliosis
In children, the main objective of scoliosis treatment is to correct and stabilize scoliosis. For adults, the management of pain, prevention of progression and improvement of postural integrity is targeted. As with all cases and conditions that we manage, the first goal is to try and progress and / or slow deterioration of the spine. The next step is to stabilize and hopefully prevent scoliosis other changes.
When X-rays of patients examination, Cobb angles are able to determine the extent of the scoliosis. If the spinal curve is below 10 °, it is concerned about normal. Anything above 10 ° is classified as scoliosis. If the Cobb angle is 0 ° -30 °, it is manageable with chiropractic, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Please note that chiropractic, physiotherapy and rehabilitation will not and can not reverse the scoliosis well that being said, improvements are observed in clinical practice.
If the spinal curve is between 30 ° to 40 ° or the curve is greater than 15 ° and the patient experiences pain, discomfort, paresthesias or other disorders of the spine related , spinal bracing is recommended. Above 40 °, the spinal surgery indicated number.
The size of the curve, the patient's age, the growth rate of the spinal cord and the stage of skeletal maturity plays an important factor in determining the most appropriate option for the treatment and scoliosis management.
If an urgent or essential surgery is not indicated in patients, bracing may be the most viable option available. There are basically two types of braces. Hard or soft. There are various types of hybrid hard, soft, and even both hard and soft braces. Examples range from Boston brace, brace Milwaukee, Tynor Ash brace, brace Providence, Tria-C hug and much more.
According to recent studies in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics (2007), several accolades were reviewed and SpineCor® has been shown to be more effective in the stabilization and correction of scoliosis in comparison with other current non-surgical procedures such as Boston brace, TLSO (a type of hard corset) and provident braces.
Since both studies were conducted using the SRS criteria (Scoliosis Research Society), it is possible to compare the results. SpineCor® was found to be 3.9 times more effective for the correction or stabilization (59% against 15%). It has also been shown to be 3.7 times more effective at stopping the progression of the scoliosis surgery hug TLSO / Boston (77% vs 21%).
correcting scoliosis obtained by treating SpineCor® has been shown to be at least stable in 95.7% of cases 2 years after treatment 1. 27% of patients actually continued to scale Cobb angles post treatment. Widely Cobb angles obtained hug SpineCor® during treatment were maintained after treatment. Less than 5% of patients demonstrated progression following treatment post SpineCor® the treatment protocol.
SpineCor® is now used in 17 countries and over 100 treatment centers worldwide. Data collected from 52 of these treatment centers show therapeutic success in more than 89% of idiopathic scoliosis patients.
Do you have scoliosis? Do you know anyone who may be suffering from scoliosis? If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 6221 292 00 218.
www .BackUpSpine.com
Dr. Anthony Fong
B.Med.Sc. (Uni.Syd.) M.Chiro. (Macq.)
Accredited SpineCor® scoliosis (Pediatric, Adult, Physiotherapy) Consultant