The spine’s healthy curves help it function optimally, and there are a number of spinal conditions that involve a loss of one or more of those healthy curves. The term kyphosis can refer both to the thoracic spine’s healthy outward curve, and when that curve-type becomes excessive and problematic. Also known as roundback, because of its visual effects,...
Scoliosis is a complex condition with different severity levels and types. The severity of the unnatural spinal curve, and its level of rotation, are significant condition factors that shape the design of effective treatment plans. When a scoliotic spine has a lot of rotation, this is rotoscoliosis and factors into the types of symptoms it causes, and the...
While scoliosis is a structural spinal condition, its effects can be felt throughout the body. One of the main scoliosis symptoms is postural deviation, caused by the condition’s uneven forces disrupting the body’s overall symmetry. Continue reading to find out how scoliosis can cause shoulder pain. Scoliosis involves the development of an unnatural sideways...
Scoliosis is a complex spinal condition with the potential to cause a number of effects felt throughout the body, particularly if left untreated. If left to progress, a scoliotic curve increases in size, and the uneven forces introduced to the body also increase, and this doesn’t just affect the spine, but also its surrounding muscles and nerves. Although...
The spine’s natural curves make it stronger, more flexible, and better able to absorb and distribute mechanical stress. There are a number of spinal conditions that involve a loss of the spine’s healthy curves. When the spine’s natural curves are compromised, it becomes misaligned, disrupting its overall health, biomechanics, and function, not to mention the...
The end goal of spinal fusion is stopping progression, not correction, and this is an important distinction to understand. While not everyone is guaranteed to experience any permanent restrictions following spinal fusion, the risk is there, particularly in terms of spinal flexibility, range of motion and pain, so should be considered carefully. Spinal fusion...
There is more than one way to treat scoliosis, and fortunately, many cases can be treated non-surgically. While spinal fusion can make a crooked spine straighter, there are no guarantees that it will be successful at stopping progression, and how the spine is straightened can cause some long-term side effects. The traditional scoliosis treatment approach funnels...
Scoliosis ranges widely in severity from mild to severe, and in most cases, the more severe the condition, the more noticeable its symptoms are. When it comes to pain, adults and adolescents experience scoliosis pain very differently. Continue reading to learn more about the nature of scoliosis pain, including symptoms and pain-relief options. Scoliosis pain is...
While most cases of scoliosis can be treated non-surgically, patients who find themselves on the path of traditional treatment are often funneled towards spinal fusion surgery; CLEAR-certified chiropractors can give patients an effective non-surgical treatment option. Finding a doctor who specializes in scoliosis and is trained/certified in multiple treatment...
There was a time when the place of exercise in scoliosis treatment was questioned, but we have since learned that there’s a big difference between general exercise and general physical therapy, when compared to scoliosis-specific exercise and a individually designed therapy program that’s customized to address the many important condition specific characteristics...
When scoliosis is diagnosed, part of the process involves further classifying aspects of the scoliosis based on important patient and condition variables. Factors such as patient age at diagnosis, condition type (cause), curvature location, and curve size help shape the design of effective treatment plans. Continue reading to learn how conditions are classified as...
Scoliosis is a highly-variable condition, which is why the very nature of scoliosis necessitates a customized treatment approach. There are two main scoliosis treatment approaches for patients to choose between, each offering a different potential outcome; follow along on the accompanying scoliosis degrees chart for a visual of how the traditional and functional...