CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment

CLEAR scoliosis treatment is different from traditional chiropractic care for scoliosis. Our approach was designed specifically to help people with scoliosis. Our methods have been in clinical use since 2000 in chiropractic offices around the world, and our treatment protocols are taught in the postgraduate curriculum of accredited chiropractic universities. To ensure patient safety and optimal outcomes from care, CLEAR scoliosis treatment can only be provided by CLEAR certified chiropractors.

CLEAR scoliosis treatment does not involve drugs, surgery, or injections, nor does it involve maneuvers that twist or turn the patient’s head. Since scoliosis is a multifactorial condition, the CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment Protocol is designed to address many different factors simultaneously. It includes scoliosis-specific physical therapy exercises, specialized chiropractic adjustments, and balance training exercises.

CLEAR recognizes that scoliosis is a complex spinal disorder, and the evaluation and treatment protocols we have developed reflect this fact. The CLEAR process for evaluating a scoliosis patient is based around 76 different objective radiographic measurements and a detailed, scoliosis-specific physical exam. We utilize an advanced system of three-dimensional x-ray analysis to customize each treatment plan according to the exact needs of the individual. All chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy exercises, and other therapies are prescribed according to each patient’s unique spinal configuration.

Before CLEAR scoliosis treatment, the chiropractor performs a detailed physical examination that is designed to assess every aspect of the patient’s health. It includes tests such as spirometry to measure lung function, scoliometry and specialized photography to evaluate posture and appearance, clinical tests to measure balance and proprioception, and questionnaires and other indices to measure health-related quality of life. Every aspect of the person with scoliosis is important to us - not just the Cobb angle. Re-examinations are scheduled at least every 12 visits or six months (whichever comes first), and regular x-rays are taken to monitor the scoliosis and the results of care.

CLEAR scoliosis treatment is not painful. It can be challenging in the same way that a good workout is challenging, because we are activating specific muscles that may be weak or underused, and using massage and other therapies to stretch and relax muscles that are overworked. The adjustments are very safe and precise. The safety of the CLEAR scoliosis treatment protocols is very important to us, and we have conducted research specifically on this topic. In a survey of 3,198 patient visits, over 95% of the time, patients reported feeling the same or better after treatment. Over 70% of the time, there were no side effects as a result of care. The most common side effect was muscle soreness, which occurred after roughly one out of every five visits, and no severe side effects were reported at any participating clinic by any patient over the entire year that the study was conducted.

The average length of a typical CLEAR scoliosis treatment visit is between 90 and 120 minutes. Therapies such as massage, stretching, and traction are performed first, to help loosen up the spine and prepare it for the chiropractic adjustments. After the adjustments, additional therapies such as strengthening exercises and balance training exercises are performed to help stabilize and hold the correction. Also, exercises and therapies are prescribed to be performed by the patient at home on a regular basis.

The CLEAR Scoliosis Institute and its doctors take scoliosis very seriously. Each patient undergoes informed consent procedures to ensure they understand that they are choosing to receive care that is outside of the published guidelines for scoliosis treatment. Patients whose scoliosis is at surgical levels are required to consult with an orthopedic surgeon before they may begin CLEAR treatment. Active commitment and participation is a requirement, and patients who are non-compliant or fail to show improvement within the pre-established time frame are immediately referred to an orthopedic surgeon or other scoliosis specialist. Patients are pre-screened, and not every patient is eligible to receive care. Conditions which are outside the scope of chiropractic care are handled with due diligence, and appropriate co-management with an orthopedic scoliosis specialist is encouraged with every case.

For more information about exactly what CLEAR scoliosis treatment involves, and what a typical treatment visit looks like, please click here.