As we’ve discussed before, there’s a lot of confusion and unrealistic promises that surround many scoliosis correction methods. Bracing and surgery are the two most common methods to treat scoliosis. But they’re not the only options available to you.
Once you have all of the information on the treatment methods available, you’ll be able to make the right decision for you and take control of your spinal health. Let’s dive into some of the misconceptions that often surround scoliosis correction.
Doctors who only recommend bracing and surgery for scoliosis often claim that there isn’t sufficient research on other methods (such as chiropractic) to prove that they’ll work. But before Dr. Paul Harrington introduced the concept of surgically implanting rods into the spine of scoliosis patients in the 1960’s, there wasn’t research proving surgery was effective either. More scientific articles are being published on new, alternative methods of treating scoliosis every month. And more people are recognizing the benefit of natural healthcare approaches that work with the body’s brain and muscles, rather than forcing the spine into position without trying to address why it curved in the first place.
Given what we do, it’s pretty clear you have other options. Physical therapy, yoga and scoliosis-specific chiropractic adjustments are just a few of the alternative options available to you. All of these methods have seen success in restoring natural spinal curves and making overall improvements to a person’s quality of life. Scoliosis braces and surgery are not for everyone, and luckily they are definitely not the only choices you have for scoliosis correction.
Today, sixty years after Dr. Harrington’s work and almost 400 years after the first scoliosis brace was developed by Ambroise Pare, dedicated physiotherapists and chiropractors around the world are working to add to the list of treatment choices available to people just like you or your loved one. We believe that if for any reason bracing and surgery aren’t the right solutions for you, you deserve other options besides “just living with it.”
There is no magic cure for scoliosis. That being said, there are treatment methods that can work to reduce the curve in the spine, relieve pain and improve your body’s ability to function. Surgery is often advertised as the only “cure” for scoliosis, and it’s true that in some cases it can reduce and stabilize the curve. However, it can’t be considered a cure since it doesn’t restore everything to normal. It does nothing to remove the underlying cause of scoliosis, and it introduces new problems into the spine. Dr. Caroline Goldberg, a scoliosis expert in Dublin, Ireland, says, “Surgery does not cure the disease of scoliosis, but rather replaces one deformity (a flexible, curved spine) with another (a straighter, fused spine).”
Fusing a spine together also means removing spinal discs, which exist to cushion your spine from any impact. The jolts of everyday life will have a greater impact on a spine without these built-in, shock-absorbing discs. Many people who have spinal fusion surgery do fairly well… until they get into a car crash or similar accident. Those traumatic forces are transferred through the rods, rather than being absorbed by the missing discs, and can cause severe damage.
It’s also important to recognize that it is possible for scoliosis to continue to get worse even after spinal fusion and instrumentation. In one study, all but eight degrees of correction were lost after 20 years. While this study was conducted on procedures performed 20 years ago, we won’t know for another 20 years how much correction is maintained by the current methods. Surgery may be a treatment option for scoliosis, but it certainly is not a cure, nor is it a permanent fix.
Some people will tell you that you’ll be able to do all the things you did before surgery, aside from high-impact, contact sports. In fact, the effect of a spinal fusion on mobility is one of the most common misunderstandings people have about their lives after scoliosis surgery.
When you mess with one part of the spine (by fusing it together), other parts of the spine are also affected. The muscles and bones in our body are incredibly connected. This means that when a body part is fundamentally altered, all other body parts are affected as well. So, for example, when the upper spine is fused and loses flexibility, the lower spine can end up carrying some extra pressure since it’s being asked to compensate for that lost flexibility. That extra pressure can then lead to accelerated degeneration in the lower spine. By seemingly correcting one problem, you’ve unknowingly created another.
Some people are able to still enjoy the activities they love, but not everyone returns to the same level of function they had before the surgery. One study found that a spinal fusion reduces average overall mobility by 25 percent, and another found that this loss of normal spinal motion still exists after more than 20 years. However, when scoliosis patients without the surgical spinal fusion are compared to scoliosis patients who’ve undergone the surgery, it’s clear that the surgery causes a decrease in overall mobility.
We’ve talked about how scoliosis surgery often fails because it doesn’t correct the underlying problem. Back braces have the same issue. While the brace is on, it pushes the spine into a straighter position. But once the brace comes off, the body can revert back to its previous curve and resume getting worse. Over the long-term, most studies find that there isn’t much difference between the quality of life in patients who wore a brace compared to those who didn’t.
The best evidence suggests that, to be most effective, the brace must be worn for a minimum of about 13 hours a day for at least two years and sometimes longer. This is a long time for the muscles to become weak! The same study shows that kids who wore a brace for only a few hours each day were actually more likely to have surgery than those who did nothing at all.
Aside from some backslide in your Cobb angle after the brace comes off, there is another fundamental issue with how scoliosis braces often work. Braces prevent movement. And, it turns out, movement is great for regenerating spinal discs, which are great for preventing your spinal curve from increasing with age. Studies have shown that when you don’t move as much as you should, your body has trouble sending necessary water and nutrients to your spine and spinal discs.
Eventually, the brace could even cause the spinal muscles to atrophy, meaning your muscles will break down from lack of use. When you break a leg and wear a cast that immobilizes the leg muscles, the muscle fibers lose almost 50% of their strength after just three weeks. Many parents of kids with scoliosis report that their child’s muscles weakened while wearing a brace, or that they developed back pain after taking off their brace. This is perhaps because their spinal muscles had become dependent upon it. So the brace you’ve been wearing to fix your scoliosis could actually be making it worse and setting you back in the long run.
Even though neither treatment method is new, scoliosis bracing and surgery still carry a lot of mystery to patients. The misinformation makes the disappointment that much greater when the results promised aren’t delivered. We hope this post helps dispel a bit of that mysteriousness surrounding scoliosis correction and allows you to make an informed decision about what’s right for you.
Have you tried a traditional treatment for scoliosis correction? What do you wish you’d known before you underwent treatment? Or do you have any questions about treatment options? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
CLEAR provides a unique and innovative way of understanding scoliosis. Sign up to receive facts and information you won’t find anywhere else.
I am completely happy with the service I got from the Spine Institute in Fort Collins. I was surprised though that when I requested the closest center from my zip code I was forwarded to a center in Nebraska when Fort Collins is only 20 miles away from my home. You probably should adjust your locations.
Hello, and thank you for sharing! We're delighted to hear of your positive experience. The reason why the Fort Collins location no longer shows up on the 'Find a CLEAR Doctor" locator is because the doctors at this location chose not to renew their CLEAR certification. As part of our commitment to patient-centered, high-quality care, we have an ongoing, annual re-certification process to ensure that our doctors stay up-to-date on the latest in scoliosis research & treatment, and when they do not keep up with this, they are removed from the list of CLEAR doctors. Our reputation is built upon the results of our doctors, so we only recommend those centers that take the time to share their results with us, and allow us to monitor their patient care protocols.
Hello, since 15 my parents noticed my scoliosis and after getting an x-ray I had a double curvature of 21°. I began getting physiotherapy every week and after a year my curvature had reduced by half and because of studies I unfortunately stopped going to the physio and doing exercises at home and now when I am 18 I noticed that my back had gone back to how it was before getting the treatment. When I now sometimes do back exercises similar to what I had been doing at the physio I notice that my muscle do stretch and cramp and my back does crack during the exercises. I do get mild back pain but it goes away after a day and some exercise. I got my period when I was 14 and I did notice that I got taller since last year. I was wondering that if I start the physio again but more rigorously, would I be able to fix my scoliosis? I cannot afford surgery as I am in my last year of high school and I cannot miss 5 months of school. Are there any possibilities I can consider without any surgical treatment ? Thank you
Hello,
With a scoliosis of less than 35 degrees, surgery is not usually an option one would consider. After the age of 16, bracing becomes much less effective as well. Honestly, a scoliosis-specific physiotherapeutic or exercise-based program (such as CLEAR, Schroth, SEAS, ScolioGold, or similar) would most likely be the best choice for managing the pain and other symptoms, and ensuring optimal spinal function.
It’s important to understand that most cases of scoliosis cannot be fixed or cured, but they can be managed and controlled. Reducing and stabilizing a scoliosis through scoliosis-specific exercise is possible, but most people with scoliosis will always live with some degree of curve in their spines. Exercises are also like proper diet & nutrition, or regular dental hygiene, in that they are about the journey, not a destination. If you want the benefits of a good diet or regular brushing & flossing, you have to continually maintain these practices – they have to become part of your life. It’s very similar with scoliosis exercises. You may start out with an intensive program that takes 1 or 2 hours every day, and gradually decrease the time spend exercising each day once you get the results you want, but you should always count on doing at least 10 or 20 minutes of exercises for your spine every day.
Hello just wanna share: I'm a 52 year old married woman with severe scoliosis. I gave normal births to 2 beautiful and healthy children. Unfortunately my girl has also severe scoliosis like me. But all this did not hinder us in enjoying our lives. I do assorted exercises and stretching daily using my bodyweight and sometimes with lightweight dumbbells. My favorite exercise is planking which I do 3 times a week 2 sets of 30 mins. At my age I feel very good, look sexy and feel no back pains. My daughter who is now 19 and also has severe scoliosis just competed a beauty pageant and she is also a volleyball enthusiast too. All we are doing is exercise for me especially the planking since other options like therapy, braces, surgery, etc. are not options due to financial reasons. We are living our lives to the fullest and our scoliosis is not a hindrance. I hope my story gives inspiration to others.
I am 62 years I suffer from severe scoliosis & in need of surgery About how long would I need to be in the hospital? Overall how long would it take me to heal?
Unfortunately, as a chiropractor, I would not be the best person to answer those questions for you. However, I can point you in the direction of some helpful resources:
http://www.scoliosis.org/shop/product/scoliosis-surgery-the-definitive-patients-reference-third-edition/
http://www.srs.org/patients-and-families/conditions-and-treatments/adults
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5415160/
https://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/scoliosis/how-long-does-it-take-to-recover-from-a-scoliosis-surgery/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFapbTgd99Q
Ideally, you should direct this question to the orthopedic surgeon who will be performing your procedure; they will be able to give you the most accurate and individualized information for your specific case.
I wish you all the best of hope & healing in your scoliosis journey!
My son has severe scoliosis at over 100° what non invasive options do we have.
It is heartbreaking for me to tell you that in cases of severe scoliosis, the options for conservative treatment are extremely limited. While some CLEAR doctors have had some degree of success in helping patients with very severe scoliosis, it's important to be realistic about the expectations & results of care. Even a 20% improvement would still result in a curve over 80 degrees. At this point, the main goal is simply to provide the patient with the best possible quality of life & function, and to manage or reduce the continued worsening of the curve (which is essentially inevitable with a curve of this magnitude).
Very few doctors specializing in non-surgical scoliosis treatment will accept a scoliosis patient with a curve over 100 degrees, and those that do will require a significant investment of time & resources. Treatment could be ongoing for many years. This isn't meant to discourage you, but rather to ensure you have a realistic & informed understanding of what is involved in treating such a large curve. It is a huge risk for a doctor to accept a case of very severe scoliosis, and if the patient demonstrates non-compliance or fails to keep their appointments or follow the doctor's recommendations, ethically the doctor has a responsibility to dismiss the patient & refer them for spinal surgery.
More information can be found on our page for Severe Scoliosis. You can also reach out to us at [email protected] for further information or assistance. If you would like to reach out to a CLEAR doctor and provide them with more detailed information about your son's case, they would be able to provide you with more detailed information regarding what the recommended treatment plan might look like. You can find a list of Certified Doctors here. I wish your son all the best of health & happiness in his scoliosis journey!
That breaks my heart with a curve of 56 degrees and the pain it caused me before correction I can only start to imagine the pain he must have to deal with daily I hope whatever happens he gets some relief.
Hello my daughter is 15 and has a 64 degree curve in her thoracic and lumbar regions, I am wondering if there are any other options besides surgery, how effective these other options will be, and how long the treatment will last for.
With a case of severe scoliosis, I'm afraid your non-surgical options are limited. While a few case reports have been published recently demonstrating some degree of success with a combination of exercises & bracing, these are advanced, scoliosis-specific exercises & specially-designed braces prescribed by professionals with years of training in scoliosis; you should not expect these results with general exercises and a standard brace. The CLEAR protocols have also shown some degree of success in reducing large curves to below surgical thresholds and stabilizing them at this level, but it must be noted that this, too, requires a long-term commitment and a significant investment of time & resources.
The degree of effectiveness depends upon many factors, including your definition of success. The higher your goals & expectations for treatment, the more that patient compliance & commitment will influence the results. The success of active treatments (such as bracing, exercise, & CLEAR) depends upon the patient keeping their appointments and following their doctor's recommendations.
The length of treatment similarly depends upon many factors; it is a simple question with a complex answer. Most cases of severe scoliosis, though, should expect several rounds of treatment spaced over a few years.
To receive more detailed & specific estimates of the success & duration of treatment, you will need to consult with a scoliosis specialist over the phone or preferably in-person, and share your daughter's x-rays & medical records with them. With this information, they will be able to provide better answers to your questions.
To find a CLEAR doctor near you, please visit our Find a Doctor page. If there is not a CLEAR doctor near you, you can learn more about your options in this blog post. If there is any additional assistance we can provide, please feel free to reach out to us at (866) 663-7030 or [email protected].
Hi. I am a 37 year old female and was diagnosed with scoliosis at a 43 degree curvature as a teenager. I did bracing and chiropractic treatments during that time to manage the pain but stopped shortly after. I have been living with chronic pain ever since. I would like to know if chiropractic treatments/ therapy would be beneficial to someone like me in managing and possibly reducing the severity? Thank you.
Hello,
Many people living with scoliosis report some degree of relief with chiropractic care. The degree of success of treatment depends upon the specific therapies & protocols that the chiropractor provides to the patient. Receiving treatment from a chiropractor with advanced training in scoliosis greatly increases the likelihood of positive results. This is particularly important to consider when the scoliosis is severe (over 45 degrees) and has been present for many years.
I would definitely encourage you to consider reaching out to a CLEAR Certified Doctor and sharing more information about your scoliosis with them. They will be able to perform an exam and review your x-rays & medical history to provide you with more detailed answers to your questions.
You can also find the stories of many patients, just like yourself, who experienced relief from their scoliosis-related symptoms through the CLEAR protocols, on our Patient Success Stories page, and video interviews with real patients on our YouTube channel.
Hello!! i have faced Scoliosis disease the past 3 years. i have pain just in backbone. last day doctor advise to me a surgery but i don't want to do a surgery. i think curve bellow 30 degrees. can you tell me treatment will be possible without surgery and it will be possible by brace, exercise and chiropractic treatment .. Thank you
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to post. I hope I can help!
With a Cobb angle below 30 degrees, most surgeons would not recommend scoliosis surgery unless the patient had significant pain and limitations; having pain just in your tail bone does not seem to be a valid reason to have surgery. Considering that the most current orthopedic recommendations for scoliosis surgery strongly discourage fusion of L5 to the tail bone, it is unlikely that scoliosis surgery would affect your tail bone pain.
Besides CLEAR chiropractic scoliosis treatment, you might be able to find practitioners in the Schroth, SEAS, DoboMed, or other scoliosis-specific exercise approaches (click here for more info on these methods). I would definitely recommend trying conservative, non-surgical treatments before undergoing surgery; many people have found the relief & results they have been looking for with these natural approaches.
I wish you all the best of hope & healing in your scoliosis journey!
according to MRI result curve is D12/L1 spine can you tell me about scoliosis Degree? plzzzz
..
You can learn more about Cobb angle on our site, here.
Hey , i'm 21 now , i was 16 when i realize scoliosis bt didnt get treatments , when i was 18 i went to a dctr and after examining me he said that there's no option neither operating nor bracing , now i have a mild backpain and i feel so uncomfortable because of my unusual curve , is there any treatment i can follow to reduce this ??
Many people have scoliosis that is too mild (or outside of the recommended age range) for bracing or surgery, that nevertheless ends up causing them pain & discomfort over time. Just like the alignment in a car, even a small misalignment can cause uneven wear & tear.
Fortunately, CLEAR treatment has helped thousands of people just like you! Please click here to find a CLEAR doctor in your area, or here if there is no doctor near you.
In addition to CLEAR, you can also consider scoliosis-specific exercise programs like Schroth, SEAS, and others.
Hi Dr, I am a 19 asian male have a severe thoracolumbar scoliosis. My T3-T5-T11 Cobb Angle measures 28, while T11-L1-L3 measures 40. I'm also flat feeted. Currently, theres no pain in the back and I can do weight lift, sports, and carry heavy stuff. However the area in the back where theres a hunch gets tired when I sit for a long time if I dont lean my back against something. I do swimming 1-2 a week and occasionally do breathing exercise to improve the spine. They say at this age the curvature wont decrease but exercising can make it not increase. I look fine with clothes on but a hunch can be seen if I take my shirt off. What is the most ideal treatment for me right now?
While I cannot provide specific healthcare advice over the Internet, without having an opportunity to review your x-rays & perform an examination, I can say that a 40 degree curve in the lumbar spine is considered severe, and highly likely to get worse over time. It is possible to decrease scoliosis in an adult, with the right treatment plan; our doctors do it every day! I would encourage you to reach out to a CLEAR doctor near you, and set up a phone or in-person consultation so they can go over your situation in more detail and provide recommendations & advice.
Hello. I am a 13 yr. old girl. I am suffering from Scoliosis. My curvature is S-shaped. My cobb angle is 49° in Thorasic region. I am going for Physiotherapy and Myotherapy. I am doing exercises as well. I have bought Boston brace for myself. Can my Scoliosis be treated without a sugery?
Typically, surgery is recommended when the Cobb angle exceeds 45 degrees in a teenager; since you've already passed this point, your goal should be to reduce your Cobb angle to below 40 degrees. The Boston brace, when worn for the majority of the day, is sometimes effective in preventing the scoliosis from getting worse; however, I am afraid it does not offer much hope in terms of reduction or correction. In regards to physiotherapy, general physiotherapeutic exercises are typically not effective in reducing the severity of a scoliosis. However, scoliosis-specific approaches (such as SEAS, Schroth, and others) offer a much better chance of success. It's the same way with traditional chiropractic, compared to the scoliosis-specific chiropractic protocols developed by CLEAR. For this reason, I would highly recommend that you seek out a scoliosis-specific treatment program. If possible, please consider utilizing a more advanced brace design (such as a SPoRT or Sforzesco brace, or a Cheneau derivative, or a ScoliBrace). You may also want to contact a CLEAR doctor near you to schedule a consultation to find out if CLEAR treatment is right for you; if there isn't a CLEAR doctor near you, please click here for more information on what to do. If there is additional information or assistance we might provide, please feel free to reach out to us at (866) 663-7030 or [email protected]. I wish you all the best of success!
Hello, my 13 year old daughter has C-curve scoliosis at the upper part of the back with a degree of 69. The doctor recommended a surgery to correct the curve. I'm wondering if the CLEAR treatment can work for my daughter. I'm from Oklahoma but I found you through research.
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. I hope I can be of assistance!
First, it is important to recognize that a 69 degree Cobb angle is considered a severe scoliosis; with this types of cases, there are several important factors that come into play and must be considered carefully. Review our page on Severe Scoliosis for more detailed information.
Your next step should be to evaluate potential CLEAR clinics where it would be most convenient for your daughter to receive care. Since there is not a CLEAR clinic in your area within driving distance, you will need to consider Intensive Care (IC) Treatment, which is not offered at every clinic. A complete list of the clinics offering IC care can be found here. You may also find this blog post helpful.
Once you have selected one (or more) locations, give them a call to schedule a consultation. They will request copies of your daughter's x-rays and medical records; once they have reviewed this information, they will be able to provide additional details regarding cost, scheduling, potential effectiveness, and long-term follow-up.
If possible, try to travel to visit a CLEAR clinic in-person. With the additional information from a series of specialized CLEAR x-rays and an in-person patient evaluation/examination, the unique aspects of your daughter's specific case can be better understood, and the accuracy of the doctor's prognosis is greatly enhanced.
If there is any assistance or support we can provide during any step of this process, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at (866) 663-7030, or [email protected]. We wish your daughter all the best of success in her scoliosis journey!
Hello , im a 20 year old male
i found out i had scoliosis just 6 months ago
it is in the lumbar spine only , a C curve of about 26 degrees , the doctor told me that since im almost 20 ( at the time of examination ) my growth has almost stopped and that the curver wont probably get any further as long as it is under 45 degrees
i felt afraid since then , knowing i had no pain at that time i just went to the doctor because i my hips werent alligned so i wondered why is that then i knew , currently , i dont suffer any pain , sometimes mild pain but not that much
i probably have a pelvic tilt because i think there is a leg length discrepancy .. would it be good to wear a shoe lift ? and what about these words that the doctor told me is that true or is he just trying to comfort me ?
knowing that i have been living in hell and so so much depressed for 6 months , thanks in advance
Hello, Ahmed,
If you are indeed skeletally mature, the progression is possibly 1-3 degrees per year. If you are not skeletally mature, it can be much more than that. Leg length inequality would have to be measured by taking x-rays of your legs and measuring each leg's length specifically, which they typically don't do and is not common. If you want to get some type of treatment to help reduce or stabilize the scoliosis, I would suggest going to our website to find a CLEAR Scoliosis doctor closest to you who can help you with that.
Best of luck.
Hello, I have a 2 curve scoliosis with the one curve being 46 degrees and the other 39. I am now 24 years old and the previous years I have done many exercises with the hope of getting better and I have worn more than 4 years the narthex. My back is now hurting a lot and I am very afraid of the idea of surgery. I live in Greece and I was wondering is you can suggest me something for the scoliosis to stabilize or to improve. Thank you in advance
Hello, Silia,
Our CLEAR Scoliosis Doctors focus on working with patients to stabilize and improve their scoliosis without surgery. Our protocols focus on the spine as well as the surrounding soft tissue structures to make the changes long lasting. We do not currently have a CLEAR Scoliosis Doctor in Greece; however, many of the patients we see have traveled to our clinics for care. I would suggest contacting the closest CLEAR Scoliosis Doctor to see if they feel we could help your current situation.
Best of luck.
I'm 25 years old. Four years ago, i had the surgery and my curves was reduced to 9° from 49 °. My question is, can i be fully straightened cos i still have right thoracic..? Uneven shoulders even the chests is capsized.
Hello, Lik,
It is different for each patient; however, patients typically do not continue to lessen their curves after the scoliosis surgery. Scoliosis is rather a progressive condition. Best of luck.
My niece is 12 years old, 63 kg, and have 42° scoliosis. Her periods started since Jan, 2019.
Doctors advised for Surgery soon. Is there any other alternative to cure. Please guide us.
We suggest contacting the CLEAR doctor nearest you for CLEAR treatment as an alternative to surgery. You can find a list of certified doctors on our Find a Doctor page.
Hello my daughter is 10 and half and has a 39 degree curve in her thoracic and lumbar regions, What are the different options available other than surgery, how effective these other options will be, and how long the treatment will last for. Her periods not yet started and she has athlete body with height around 5.1 feet. I am from INDIA.
Hello, Lovely,
Thank you for reaching out. Other than the treatment that we do, there are very limited options besides bracing and surgery. We currently do not have an office in India. However, do have several International clinics. Based on the information you gave, typically one of our CLEAR clinics would recommend a two-week intensive treatment with your daughter that has been shown to have very good outcomes in patients similar to her. I would recommend possibly consulting the clinic closest to you which can be found on our website here. Best of luck.
Though I don't recall precisely what percent the curve in my spine is, it's not really noticable to the general public's eye. My former chiro showed me my x-ray, which didn't surprise me since I vaguely remember being marked for it in a school-wide screening in elementary school (although my parents didn't do anything about it). But it tilts my hips, which causes back pain, uneven leg lengths, tightness on one side of my hip, but worst of all to me - constant activation on one side of my core and none on the other. Aside from hurting, it makes me clumsy because I'm off-balance. I'm generally graceless even when not doing anything special, but especially if I am - it really hinders anything athletic that I attempt. Can this be addressed by exercises, even though I am now in my early 30's?
Hello, Raeya,
Oftentimes scoliosis looks or feels different with each person, depending on the type of curve pattern they have. What our CLEAR Scoliosis Institute doctors do is prescribe each person's exercises on their individual x-rays so exercises are customized per patient. Also, exercises can be beneficial, no matter the age. I would suggest contacting the closest CLEAR doctor to you to have a consultation to find out how severe your scoliosis is and what exercises or things you can do at home to help manage it. This can be found on the CLEAR Scoliosis Institute website under "Find a Doctor". Please let us know if you need further assistance. Thank you and best of luck.
Good morning
i just wanted to know when is surgery recommended ? especially according to curve types does it matter ? because i heard that thoraric curves tend to progress more than lumbar curves
so is there a difference in the angle that we determine surgery is needed for each curve or is it the same and why ?
thanks in advance 🙂
At CLEAR Scoliosis Institute, we focus on treating patients to avoid surgery. Surgery recommendations are based on several factors, such as age of the patient, severity of scoliosis, risk of progression, lung function, etc. Therefore, it would depend upon the discretion of the surgeon when or if they would recommend surgery. Curve progression is also individualized. Scoliosis is not the same for everyone, so it isn't necessarily that one curvature tends to progress more than another. Again, that would depend on the above factors. If you are interested in the possible treatment of your scoliosis to avoid surgery, I suggest contacting the closest CLEAR Scoliosis Institute Doctor to you, which can be found on our website under Find a Doctor. Best of luck and hopefully we can help you avoid scoliosis surgery.
That's indeed good news !
but i have a question that i really want to know , when i went to see a surgeon he told me that it's impossible to stop progression nor correction without surgery he told me physical therapy has 0% impact on scoliosis
though i believe that most surgeons say that just for money ,but how do you make sure that the curve wont return back? even if the goal was stabalization how do you make sure it wont progress ? the thing is i see that if i corrected my spine then after a couple of months or like 2 years or smth and it became the same before treatement then what's the point ? that's all
and thank you so much for all your efforts and hard work
Thank you for reaching out. If you look at any information or research regarding scoliosis, you will see that scoliosis is indeed a progressive condition. Our CLEAR Scoliosis Institute Doctors focus on working with the soft tissue surrounding the spine to maintain/promote stabilization and correction of the spine. The specific spinal isometric exercises are customized per patient. However, each patient is different and would need to have a consultation to determine if the protocols we use would be effective for them. I would suggest visiting our website to find the closest CLEAR Scoliosis Institute Doctor for an evaluation. Best of luck.
I am 86 and the scoliosis has gotten so bad I walk bent over, have constant pain and my hip bones are rubbing my rib bones. I know there's no magic cure and I've tried a lot of things, including physical therapy, fascia release, yoga exercises with an instruction, traction, exercise and a whole lot of chiropractors. My back just gets worse. Is there anything at all I can do to lessen the pain and at least get a little straighter when I'm on my feet?
Hello, Lila.
I am sorry to hear of the issues you are having. These are issues that we have seen many times as patients with scoliosis age. There is, however, hope, as we have successfully worked with patients in their 80's and 90's. To truly address the scoliosis without surgery, you would have to be seen by one of our CLEAR Scoliosis Institute Doctors. We would be unable to give you recommendations for relief without seeing you as a patient. The closest CLEAR Scoliosis Institute Doctor can be found on our website under Find a Doctor. Please let us know if you need assistance with this. Best of luck to you.