April 18, 2018

How Early Should My Child Start Scoliosis Treatment?

erika Our Scoliosis Courses

Children's scoliosis treatment

Here’s what we always tell the parents of children with scoliosis: the sooner we are able to start your child’s scoliosis exercises, the better our chance of preventing further progression and avoiding the need for spinal fusion surgery. However, in order for the exercises to be effective, the patient must be old enough to follow simple instructions and actively work on certain muscle groups. We have successfully treated many young children from the age of 4 upwards. Younger children may benefit from some hands-on manipulation and massage therapy, but they cannot reap all the benefits of our ScolioGold programme because they are less able to follow our therapists’ instructions and carry out all of the necessary exercises.

Keep a close eye on your child’s back as they go through their teenage years

In most cases, the question of whether or not the patient is old enough to undergo scoliosis treatment never arises. Scoliosis normally doesn’t become apparent until a child goes through puberty; the appearance of a spinal curve usually coincides with the major growth spurt that tends to occur at this stage of a person’s life. Still, while it is far less common, scoliosis can also be present from birth. This is known as either congenital scoliosis or neuromuscular scoliosis. In these cases, patients are often braced from a very young age to prevent progression as much as possible.

Key signs and symptoms

Back pain is a common complaint in both children and adults with scoliosis. The NHS outlines several other signs to look out for:
  • A visibly curved spine
  • Leaning to one side
  • Uneven shoulders
  • One shoulder or hip sticking out
  • Ribs sticking out on one side
  • Clothes not fitting well

Compliance is important

The results achieved through our ScolioGold exercises are strongly dependent on the patient’s commitment and compliance. This is something that varies based on the child’s personality; if you’re wondering whether or not your child is old enough for a Scoliosis SOS treatment course, you should also consider whether or not they would be happy to follow our instructions. ScolioGold exercises are repetitive and easy enough for children to follow. Shorter, specially-tailored exercise programmes are available for younger patients based on their maturity level. These programmes aim to turn treatment into play to help engage little ones during their therapy. If you have any concerns regarding your son/daughter’s spine, please contact Scoliosis SOS online or call 0207 488 4428 to arrange a radiation-free spinal scan.
January 2, 2018

New Scoliosis Surgery Techniques: Alternatives to Spinal Fusion

erika Scoliosis & Other Back Problems
Surgery is often recommended once a scoliosis patient’s spinal curve has progressed beyond a certain point, and in the vast majority of cases, ‘surgery’ means spinal fusion surgery. This procedure involves joining two or more vertebrae together to prevent the patient’s curvature from growing; nowadays, this is usually achieved by fastening small metal screws called pedicle screws to the spine, then using a bone graft to ‘fuse’ the vertebrae together However, while this procedure is still the standard surgical scoliosis treatment method in most parts of the world, there are a number of risks associated with spinal fusion. Though rare, the potential complications include:
  • Screws placed in the wrong positions
  • Screws breaking or coming loose
  • Dural lesion
  • Infection
  • Various neurological, pulmonary, and vascular complications
In response to the risks sometimes associated with spinal fusion, a number of other surgical scoliosis treatments have been developed, and some of these new techniques seem to becoming increasingly popular. Today, we’d like to look at three relatively new surgical procedures and why they’re potentially preferable to spinal fusion surgery.

Magnetically-controlled growing rods (MCGR)

Magnetically Controlled Growing Rods

Magnetically-controlled growing rods are already being used in more than 20 countries (including the UK and the USA) to treat scoliosis in children under the age of seven. During the MCGR procedure, the surgeon fastens titanium rods to the patient’s spine; these rods have a lengthening mechanism that can be operated magnetically, and after the operation itself, the patient attends a series of minimally-invasive ‘distraction’ procedures where a remote controller is used to lengthen the rods and correct the spinal curvature. This effectively puts the doctor in control of the child’s scoliosis until they have finished growing.

 

Stapling and tethering

Spinal Tethering Operation

Vertebral body stapling (VBS) and vertebral body tethering (VBT) are two minimally-invasive procedures that are usually performed on scoliosis patients who are still growing (e.g. teenagers and pre-teens). VBS uses malleable metal staples to join two or more vertebrae together, while VBT uses pedicle screws attached to a flexible cable at the site of the curvature. VBS is recommended for thoracic curves of 25-35 degrees and lumbar curves under 45 degrees; VBT can be used to treat thoracic curves between 35-70 degrees. Currently available only in the UK, the USA, India, Canada and New Zealand, the tethering and stapling procedures have no major reported complications and are generally less invasive than the more commonly-seen spinal fusion procedure.

Apifix

Apifix for Scoliosis

Apifix is a small implant that is attached to the spine using just two screws. No fusion is performed, and the procedure is not very invasive, leaving a far less visible scar than spinal fusion surgery.

Apifix Scar

This procedure is ideal for adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis, especially where the curve measures 40-60 degrees. Apifix is currently available in the USA, Israel, and across Europe. Any surgery carries risks and complications, depending on the procedure and patient presentation. If you are looking for a non-surgical alternative to spinal fusion, please contact the Scoliosis SOS Clinic today. We use an exercise-based regime called ScolioGold to correct scoliosis without any surgical intervention whatsoever. We can also assist with recovery after undergoing scoliosis surgery.
December 19, 2017

Rolfing Scoliosis Treatment: What You Need to Know

erika Scoliosis & Other Back Problems

Rolfing

From surgery to stretches, there are a number of ways to treat scoliosis, some of which are more effective than others. One technique that is sometimes used to treat scoliosis is Rolfing (also known as Structural Integration); today, we’d like to take a closer look at this approach.

What is Rolfing?

Rolfing is a form of physical manipulation that has been used to treat a variety of conditions, including scoliosis and other curvatures of the spine. Rather than directly treating the spine itself, Rolfing practitioners instead focus on the tissues that surround the spine. Rolfers massage and manipulate the body’s soft tissues, and this supposedly helps to improve the alignment of the person’s spine.

Is Rolfing effective?

In theory, Rolfing treats scoliosis by improving the muscular structure of the body. ‘Rolfers’ purport to de-rotate the connective tissues that have shortened and tightened around your muscles, thus balancing out the muscles either side of your spine and pulling everything back into place. In practice, however, there is little to no evidence that Rolfing is an effective method for the treatment of scoliosis. The practice of Rolfing is based on founder Ida Rolf’s ideas about energy fields and the Earth’s gravitational pull, but there is no proof that these things have any bearing on the curvature of one’s spine. Muscular imbalance is a genuine issue that must be considered when treating scoliosis, but there is no reason to believe that Rolfing is the best way to address this or any other aspect of the condition.

Alternatives to Rolfing

Here at the Scoliosis SOS Clinic, we treat our patients using a combination of scientifically proven exercise-based techniques such as the FITS method, SEAS method and PNF technique. Our ScolioGold treatment programme blends a number of different approaches in order to address every part of each patient’s condition. This includes strengthening the back muscles and reversing the muscular imbalance that a curved spine can cause. Contact Scolios SOS today to book an initial consultation or find out more about our treatment method.
December 14, 2017

Can Scoliosis Be Reversed?

erika Scoliosis & Other Back Problems

Can Scoliosis Be Reversed

If you’ve been diagnosed with scoliosis, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible because the condition very often progresses (gets worse) as time goes by. Left untreated, the curve in your spine will become more and more pronounced, potentially taking a greater and greater toll on your daily life as it does so.  Wearing a scoliosis brace can arrest the progression of scoliosis while your body is still growing, but is it possible to actually reverse the progression of your scoliosis? Is it possible to make the curve shrink over time instead of growing larger? Happily, the answer is yes – given the right type of treatment, scoliosis can be reversed. Surgery is one option; if you choose to undergo spinal fusion surgery, your surgeon will straighten your spine using a series of rods before performing a bone graft to hold the spine in place. Click here to read more about the spinal fusion procedure and what to expect if you go in for surgery.

Reversing scoliosis with the ScolioGold method

If you don’t wish to undergo spinal fusion surgery, you’ll be pleased to learn that there other ways to reverse scoliosis effectively. Here at the Scoliosis SOS Clinic, we treat scoliosis patients using our own carefully-chosen combination of techniques called the ScolioGold method. This programme includes the following non-surgical treatments: Using these and other methods, our highly-trained physiotherapists work with scoliosis patients to relieve pain, increase flexibility, improve muscle balance, and boost overall quality of life while reversing the progression of scoliosis. If you’d like to see some examples of the results our ScolioGold courses can deliver, please click here to visit our Before & After gallery. Contact Scoliosis SOS today to arrange a consultation for yourself or a loved one. Consultations can be conducted via Skype or over the phone if you cannot attend an appointment at our clinic in London.
November 22, 2017

What are Magnetic Growth Rods?

erika Scoliosis & Other Back Problems

Magnetic Growth Rods

Spinal fusion is the most commonly-used surgical treatment for scoliosis, but there are other procedures that can be used to combat a curvature of the spine. The use of magnetic growth rods is becoming more widespread – but exactly what does this procedure entail?

What are magnetic growth rods?

The magnetic growth rods procedure is relatively new, and it has been developed to improve the traditional growing rod procedures. Usually recommended only for young patients, the procedure is performed in an outpatient clinic under the control of an externally-applied magnet control device. It has shown itself to be a relatively safe and effective procedure, and only requires a short-term follow-up. Magnetic growth rods aim to control the patient’s spinal curve during the growth and development stage, until the patient nears skeletal maturity (after 11-13 years of age). The procedure itself consists of single or dual titanium spinal rods that contain a magnetically drivable lengthening mechanism. These rods are inserted at the two most cranial levels and the two most caudal vertebral levels for distal fusion segments. Pedicle screws are used as anchors before passing the rods subcutaneous/submuscular to connect to each fusion segment. Patients are required to undergo a post-op procedure (distraction) after the initial surgery is complete.

What happens during the post-op procedure?

The post-op procedure is not very invasive, and patients are required to undergo follow-ups for 6 weeks for distraction. An external remote controller is placed over the internal magnet, and once applied, the rotating mechanism causes the rods to lengthen, thus distracting the spine. During each distraction visit, the aim is to lengthen the spine by 1.5 to 2mm. If the patient is experiencing any pain or discomfort, the device can retract. The procedure is pretty quick, and tends to last around 30 secs to a minute. This procedure is usually performed on children under the age of 7 that have been diagnosed with early onset scoliosis.

What complications can arise?

There are fewer complications associated with magnetic growth rods than with other scoliosis surgeries, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks involved. There is a small chance that the rod may break and cause some damage to your spinal cord. There is also a risk that the pedicle screws may come loose and pull out, and on rare occasions, the device may also fail to construct a distraction. MAGEC rods are expected to last for approximately 24 to 36 months before they have to be replaced, at which point you will have to undergo surgery again.

How can we help?

If you don’t want your child to undergo this type of scoliosis surgery, or if you’re looking for something to help with the rehab process, the Scoliosis SOS Clinic can help! We treat all of our patients non-surgically, treating their conditions using an exercise-based treatment method that provides unrivalled treatment success. Please feel free to contact us to find out more about our unique treatment method, or to book an initial consultation.

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