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wallchartFor MILD scoliosis under 25º

Monitor your child’s scoliosis progression from home.

Kit includes: Scoliosis wall grid, tracking chart and easy instructions.

5 Steps to Early Stage Scoliosis Intervention

Become informed, take action, follow the path to a better way.

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Risks, signs, and symptoms of scoliosis
The "typical" early stage scoliosis patient fits into the following profile:
• Female
• Between the ages of 8-14
• Pre-menses
• Thin or lanky body shape
Risks of scoliosis progression
While even mild cases of early stage scoliosis (0-19 degrees) carry a significant risk of further curve progression (up to 22%) once the spinal curvature reach the 20 degree mark in patients with developing spines (skeletally immature) the risk more than triples to 68%.
0-19° = 14-22% 20-29° = ~ 68% 30+° = 68-90%


Find your ScoliScore™
scoliScoreLogoScoliScore™ is a clinically validated, multi-gene test that provides a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the likelihood of spinal curve progression for patients who have been diagnosed with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). ScoliScore™ is available at our clinics. Learn more about this breakthrough technology.


Discover the health risks associated with idiopathic adolescent scoliosis
Aside from the more apparent affects scoliosis has on those who suffer from it there are many additional risks. Click here to learn more.
Recognizing the signs
Knowing what signs to look for can give you the upper hand in preventing the progression of scoliosis. (hover over points)

 

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Scoliosis 101
Will spinal bracing prevent irreversible body disfigurement from scoliosis?
No. The use of rigid or soft bracing for the treatment of mild or moderate scoliosis has been demonstrated to have little to no effect on the curvature itself and may even make the permanent body disfigurement worse than doing nothing at all. The image below clearly shows a dramatic increase in the rib hump development and body disfigurement while the patient is in the brace than out of the brace.
3dbracing

 

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Do I need to visit an Orthopedic doctor?
The short answer is…..Maybe. Both of the Early Stage Scoliosis Intervention treatment centers (located in Lancaster, Pa and Green Bay, Wi) offer the Scoliscore™ AIS prognostic test. This saliva collection test can compare the patient’s genetic predisposition against 53 known genetic markers to produce a high, intermediate, or low risk determination of the curvature progressing to the point where surgical intervention is necessary. This information is an invaluable tool in determining the level and intensity of treatment plan the patient requires. Find out more about the ScoliScore™ AIS prognostic test.

Creating a "village of experts"
Developing a working relationship and consistent treatment plan with the patient’s orthopedist and an early stage scoliosis intervention specialist may provide the patient with the best opportunity to reduce, stabilize, and minimize the risk of further progression.

Find out what to expect from your visit to the Orthopedic specialist, as well as the 5 most important questions to ask about you or your child's scoliosis condition.
Treatment Schedule Comparison
Traditional Scoliosis Treatments treatmentgraph1 Early Stage Scoliosis Intervention treatmentgraph2

 

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The ESSI Treatment Experience
Can I combine spinal bracing with the early stage scoliosis intervention program?
While the brace cannot be worn during the actual treatment, patients may chose to wear the brace at night or during no treatment time.  The use of “forced correction” is generally not recommended due to its general ineffectiveness, potential to increase body disfigurement, and its tendency to cause muscle atrophy (weakness) in long term users. Learn more.

 

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"20/25 vision" – The ongoing post treatment plan until skeletal maturity
"The treatment goals for an early stage scoliosis intervention program should be to hold the curvature under 20 degrees during the growing years and have the curvature measure no more than 25 degrees by the time the patient reaches skeletal maturity"While there is still no cure for adolescent idiopathic (unknown cause) scoliosis, theories abstracted from current research suggests the natural course of the condition can be altered with an active rehabilitation program that targets the involuntary postural control centers in the patient's brain.

For many early stage scoliosis patients, treatment will be a necessary and ongoing process until they reach skeletal maturity (16-17 for females and 18-20 for males). And some patients will require ongoing treatment throughout life.    However, the risk of progression significant curve progression in skeletally immature patients and skeletally mature patients can greatly reduced by developing a "20/25 vision" ongoing treatment plan during their "growing years" and before skeletal maturity.  

Learn more about the Early Stage Scoliosis Intervention treatment goals.
Sample home rehabilitation schedule
Morning or immediately after school:
Wear posture re-training weights for 15-20 min and perform customized spinal exercise program:  25-30 min (total) in morning or after school
Evening before going to bed:
Wear posture re-training weights for 15-20 min and perform customized spinal exercise program

Spinal molding program in bed 15-20 min: 30-40 min (total) in evening

Generally this routine is required for at least 90-120 days before scoliosis stability is achieved; At that point, a re-evaluation can determine further recommendations.

 

Early Stage Scoliosis Intervention and Treatment

How is Early Stage Scoliosis Intervention different?

It is the only program that is specifically targeted for treating scoliosis patients who have spinal curvatures from 0-25 degrees who want a pro-active, non-invasive treatment option to the “watch & wait” treatment option recommendation. Unlike soft or rigid braces, the early stage scoliosis intervention program can achieve actual reduction and stabilization of the spinal curvature, while reducing the risk of future scoliotic curve progression at the same time.

Traditional Scoliosis Treatments
Early Stage Scoliosis Intervention
treatmentgraph1 treatmentgraph2

This is primarily accomplished by utilizing advanced neuro-muscular rehabilitation techniques that not only result in curve reduction/stabilization, but actually re-trains the patient’s brain to learn how to hold the spine in a straighter position. This brain re-education process can result in long-term treatment outcomes that spinal bracing doesn’t even attempt to offer.

  • Early stage scoliosis intervention is an pro-active scoliosis treatment alternative to the “watch & wait” recommendation.

  • Unlike spinal braces, advanced neuro-muscular rehabilitation methods actually re-train the brain to hold the new “straighter” spinal position and allow for long-term treatment outcomes

Early Stage Scoliosis vs Early On-set Scoliosis

Early stage scoliosis is not the same as early on-set scoliosis. The term “early on-set scoliosis” is primarily used to describe scoliosis that begins its on-set in children under the age of 5 years old and would be considered infantile or juvenile scoliosis. Early stage scoliosis, often referred to as “mild” scoliosis, is considered to be the beginning stages of adolescent idiopathic (meaning unknown cause) scoliosis (AIS); which makes up over 80% of all cases of scoliosis.

National Scoliosis Foundation Supports the Early Intervention of Scoliosis The early detection and treatment of scoliosis is essential to minimize the affects of this condition and provide patients with healthcare options that are less expensive, less August 10, 2010 painful and less invasive. Most scoliosis spine specialists agree that surgery should be a last resort and efforts should be taken to keep the curve from reaching 45 degrees.