Scoliosis bracing, as an example, is based upon the Heuter-Volkmann Law, which states (in a nutshell) that pressure on the endplates of the vertebral bodies causes those vertebrae to grow faster (with less pressure) or slower (with more).  Traditional rigid a scoliosis brace, therefore, is performed with the goal of reducing the forces acting upon the vertebral bodies to discourage the vertebrae from becoming more wedged, by reducing the forces of gravity acting upon those vertebrae.
 
This is disheartening, because the main source of pressure & force acting upon the vertebral bodies is not gravity, but the intrinsic core musculature of the spinal column.  A scoliosis brace immobilizes the muscles and the discs, creating a static environment that predisposes the scoliosis spine to maintain its current environment, rather than change the patterns of how these intrinsic muscles fire and thus truly alter the natural course of this spinal condition.
 
Consider: Scoliosis bracing has been around for over 500 years, yet has failed to demonstrate any evidence of corrective benefit.  The goal of scoliosis bracing is stabilization, not correction - and all too often, it even fails at that.
 
The main thrust of research today is into more advanced methods of scoliosis surgery.  Common sense dictates that, if you do not understand the cause of a disease, you can only treat the symptoms of said disease.  Scoliosis surgery does a wonderful job of improving the radiographic aesthetics of people with scoliosis; it fails to correct the driving forces behind the condition, as evidenced by the fact that scoliosis continues to worsen even after metal instrumention is implanted into the spinal column.
 
So what makes CLEAR Institute different?
 
Our basic premise is that it is better to re-train the brain to "learn' how to hold the spine into position than it is to FORCE the spine into position.  Our underlying philosophy is that Cobb Angle is merely a symptom of the disease, not the cause, and if you focus on treating only the symptoms of any condition, you will never provide any real benefit to the patient.
 
By re-programming the righting reflex of the brain to operate in such a manner that the scoliosis no longer provides mechanical advantage, the root cause of scoliosis can be addressed.  A side-effect of this is that the Cobb Angle reduces over time, without being forced into position with external hardware.
 
In the field of scoliosis treatment in the United States today, common sense is no longer common.  Be your own advocate.  Ask the tough questions of your doctor.  Once you find the question that he can't answer, try asking the same question of a CLEAR Institute doctor.

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