Scoliosis Management

The traditional medical treatment of scoliosis is complex and is determined by the severity of the curvature and skeletal maturity, which together help predict the likelihood of progression.

The conventional options are, in order:
Observation;
Physiotherapy;
Bracing;
Surgery.
A growing body of scientific research demonstrates the effectiveness of specialized treatment programs of physical therapy.  The debate in the scientific community about whether chiropractic and physical therapy can influence the curvature of scoliosis is partly complicated by the variety of proposed methods and employees: some are supported by more research than others.

Methods of physiotherapy

The Schroth method is a non-invasive physical therapy treatment for scoliosis that has been used successfully in Europe since the early 1920s.  Originally developed in Germany by a victim of scoliosis Katharina Schroth, this method is taught to patients in clinics specifically devoted to Schroth scoliosis treatment in Germany, Spain, England and more recently, the United States.

The method is based on the concept of scoliosis as a result of a complex of muscle imbalances (especially the power imbalances in the back) that can be at least partially corrected by exercise).  Small curvatures between 15 and 20 ° during growth can be treated with the physio-logic of the program and between 5 and 20, a 30 ° spurt with “3D-Made-Easy.”

This program has been tested in the environment of hospital treatment and in the curves above 30° a combination of these methods, along with the Schroth program can be useful.

A specialized center with trained and certified personnel must be taken into account.  As for the rehabilitation treatment of patients today one can achieve the same result as in the programs of the patients.  Also, outside patient programs can succeed if given the specific pattern programs.

A certain intensity is certainly necessary to enable better compliance with conservative treatment in order to acquire coping strategies to enable one to live with the deformity and with conservative treatment.

The indications for treatment are dependant on the size of the curve, the maturity of the patient and the individual curve pattern.  However current conservative management of scoliosis can be regarded as evidence based, while there is not enough long term data available for the treatment.