Search

The article cites a research study that examines the scientific literature at the Cochrane Library on chiropractic treatment of scoliosis. Chiropractors specialize in the treatment of the spine using manual therapy, in particular spinal manipulation. These primary health care practitioners are ideally placed to diagnose and treat scoliosis.

Objective The main objective of this study was to explore the issues of treating adult scoliosis and pain by conservative means. We present two case studies of different types of adult scoliosis successfully managed with the SpineCor brace. Background Management of pain in adult scoliosis represents a significant clinical challenge. Both adolescent scoliosis in the adult (ASA) and degenerative de-novo scoliosis (DDS) can cause significant pain. Over recent years, the SpineCor brace has been used by practitioners in the treatment of painful adult scoliosis. To date, SpineCor has been used clinically in adult treatment in hundreds of cases, and the empirical results seem positive. Methods and results Patient A, a 26 year old female with painful ASA, had pain prior to SpineCor treatment that averaged 7/10 (10 being the worst). Using the SpineCor brace daily for 8 to 12 hours for 3 months, she had a gradual improvement of her pain to an average of 1-2/10. The initial x-ray showed a 32° right thoracic scoliosis. In the SpineCor brace 1 month after fitting, the x-rays showed an improvement of 8° to 24°. Her pain relief (1-2/10) and spinal correction have been maintained for over 2 years by using the Spine- Cor brace part-time. Patient B, a 47 year old female with a DDS, had pain prior to treatment that averaged 8/10. In the SpineCor brace, she had an immediate relief of her pain to 3/10. The initial x-ray showed a 40° degenerative lumbar scoliosis curve. In the SpineCor brace, x-rays showed an improvement of 7° to 33° in her curve. Her pain relief (0-3/10) and spinal correction have been maintained for over 2 years by using the SpineCor brace daily. Also of note is the improved left lateral shift showing "spinal off loading". Outcome Both patients achieved significant pain reduction over a 2 year period, demonstrating that in these cases, the Spine- Cor brace has been an effective treatment for pain related to ASA and DDS. Conclusion Prospective research in a large population is required to determine the overall effectiveness of the SpineCor brace, but early results seem positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The recommended treatment for mild to moderate infantile idiopathic scoliosis curves involves serial casting. There are concerns, however, regarding the safety of repeated casting in very young children owing to the requirement for anesthetization during the casting process. Very little research has been conducted on the influence of bracing as an initial treatment for scoliosis in this age group. This report details the successful treatment of a large thoracic curve using a thoracolumbosacral orthosis in an infant diagnosed with infantile idiopathic scoliosis., Case Presentation: The Dutch-Australian patient presented at 11 weeks of age with a 44° thoracic scoliosis and a rib vertebral angle difference of 14°. The history and physical examination failed to reveal a cause of the curvature, and a diagnosis of infantile idiopathic scoliosis was made. The patient was prescribed a thoracolumbosacral orthosis (ScoliBrace) to be worn on a part-time basis for a period of 8 months. At the end of the bracing program, the patient's curve had been reduced to 7° and a rib-vertebral angle difference of 0°. A final follow-up of the patient at 2 years after the cessation of treatment revealed no evidence of scoliosis. The parents were compliant with the bracing protocol and reported that the treatment was tolerated by the infant., Conclusion: The use of an orthosis as a standalone treatment in this patient resulted in significant reduction in a large thoracic scoliosis. Based on the results witnessed in this patient, further investigation into bracing as an alternative to casting is warranted., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: There is a paucity of literature regarding the conservative management of adult scoliosis. The authors review and summarize the literature from 1967 to 2018 on the clinical outcomes of spinal brace/orthosis use in this subgroup of the population., Methods: CINAHL, Embase, CENTRAL, PubMed and PEDro were searched from database inception to the 30th of October, 2018. A combination of medical subject heading terms and keywords pertaining to three core concepts (adult, scoliosis, and braces/orthoses) were used in the search. Studies were included if A) clinical outcomes were collected from B) participants ≥18 years C) receiving spinal brace/orthosis treatment for D) primary degenerative (de novo) scoliosis or progressive idiopathic scoliosis. A step-wise screening process was employed which involved a title and abstract screen for relevancy followed by a full text eligibility appraisal by two authors. Data were extracted, and a risk of bias assessment was performed on the included cohort studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Given the overall level and quality of the available evidence, conclusions were drawn based on a qualitative summary of the evidence., Results: Ten studies (four case reports and six cohort studies) were included which detailed the clinical outcomes of soft (2 studies) or rigid bracing (8 studies), used as a standalone therapy or in combination with physiotherapy/rehabilitation, in 339 adults with various types of scoliosis. Most studies included female participants only. Commonly reported outcomes were pain (7 studies), function (3 studies) and Cobb angles (3 studies), with follow-up times ranging from 2 days to 17 years. Brace wear prescriptions ranged from 2 to 23 h per day, and there was mixed brace-compliance reported. Most studies reported modest or significant reduction in pain and improvement in function at follow-up. There were mixed findings with regards to Cobb angle changes in response to bracing. Participants from one study noted discomfort associated with bracing. Each of the six cohort studies demonstrated a high risk of bias., Conclusion: There is evidence to suggest that spinal brace/orthosis treatment may have a positive short - medium term influence on pain and function in adults with either progressive primary (de novo) degenerative scoliosis or progressive idiopathic scoliosis. At this point in time the evidence is of low quality and has been focused primarily on female patients with thoracolumbar and lumbar curves. More granular statements regarding the efficacy of different brace types or manufacturers, or the effect of this therapy on different curve types cannot be determined based on the current literature. Properly constructed prospective trials are required to better understand the efficacy of bracing in adult scoliosis.