The orthopedic “Gold Standard” for the assessment of scoliosis is the Cobb angle, which is measured by determining the most-tilted spinal bones (vertebrae) in each curve. Lines are drawn along the top of the superior tilted vertebra and the bottom of the inferior tilted vertebra. Two more lines are drawn at an angle of 90 degrees to these lines, perpendicular...
Scoliosis is an incurable and progressive condition characterized by an abnormally curved spine. When it comes to understanding what’s happening with a patient’s spine, there are a variety of assessment systems in place. The Scoliometer test, Cobb angle, and Risser-Ferguson Method are the most widely used and accepted. Basic Anatomy of the Spine Before we...
A Harrington rod for scoliosis is instrumentation used in spinal fusion; it's attached to the spine with the goal of holding it in a straighter position so its vertebrae can't become more tilted over time. Harrington rods implanted are permanent, and if one fails or malfunctions in some way, there is no reversing the procedure. Surgical intervention for scoliosis...
No two cases of scoliosis are the same, which is why treatment plans need to be 100-percent shaped around a patient’s individual condition characteristics. When scoliosis is diagnosed, classifying conditions further based on specific patient and condition variables is part of the process, and different curvature types and locations are important. As a...
There are a number of spinal conditions that cause the development of unhealthy curves, but structural spinal conditions involve abnormalities within the spine itself, and this involves its vertebrae (bones). Continue reading to learn why scoliosis can’t simply correct itself, along with what progression means. As a progressive structural spinal condition, the...
For people recently diagnosed with scoliosis, they have a lot of questions, one of which is how best to treat the condition. Reversing scoliosis means reducing the size of the unnatural spinal curve as this is addressing the condition’s underlying structural nature. The two main scoliosis treatment approaches offer a surgical, or non-surgical response. For those...
Scoliosis is a highly-prevalent spinal condition that’s been around for hundreds of years. As our understanding of the condition has grown over those years, so too has our experience with different types of treatment. We also understand what a right- versus a left-bending scoliotic curve indicates; continue reading to learn why the difference is important. A...
There are only three instances in life where one is not subject to gravity: in the womb, in water, and in space. Inversion tables simulate an anti-gravitational effect by holding the body upside down, opening up the space within the spine, taking pressure off of it, its individual structures, and its surrounding muscles and nerves. By holding the body upside down,...
There are different scoliosis brace options available, and it’s important to understand the difference between traditional bracing and corrective bracing. The former only addresses the condition as 2-dimensional, which is problematic, because scoliosis is a complex 3-dimensional spinal condition; corrective bracing addresses it as such so can help work towards...
There is more than one way to treat scoliosis, and different treatment approaches offer patients different types of results. The way in which a scoliotic spine is treated shapes its overall health, strength, and function in the future, which is why the type of treatment chosen can have far-reaching effects. As a progressive condition, the nature of scoliosis is to...
Although scoliosis is a spinal condition, its effects can be felt throughout the body. Not only does the spine facilitate healthy posture, the ability to stand upright, and engage in a wide range of flexible motions, it also works with the brain to form the central nervous system (CNS). If scoliosis is severe and/or is left untreated, it can progress to the point of...
When patients ask how to straighten their spines naturally, this can mean different things to different people. Ranging from DIY home-treatment to holistic methods, most questions involve whether nonoperative treatment is an option. When it comes to scoliosis, there are two main treatment approaches, each offering patients a different potential outcome; continue...