The Scoliosis Boot Camp™ Experience

As you may have already figured out, scoliosis is a very complicated condition to understand, evaluate and treat. Every patient's case will begin with a recent case history, physical examination and precision x-rays. Scoliscore genetic testing will be available, if your child has a spinal curve below 30 degrees. This information allows us to determine the most effective course of treatment for that particular patient, not only during the boot camp phase, but also for home care success. The treatment plan will be a combination of in-office procedures and at- home rehab, including exercise for scoliosis that keeps the patient's spine working towards improvement between in-office treatment sessions.

The patient's progress is monitored and determined throughout the treatment process, through interval x-ray examinations, generally every 3 to 6 months, depending on the severity

and progression risk calculations. The doctor will develop a maintenance and monitoring plan to ensure success, during the post-boot-camp-at-home stabilization phase.

 Mix – Fix – Set

"MIX" Unlocking the Spine

The soft tissue (spinal discs, ligaments, muscles, etc.) slowly begin to adapt to the abnormal position, essentially "locking" the condition in place. It becomes necessary to "unlock" the spinal position from the maladapted soft tissue, so the spine can be repositioned and finally the soft tissue can be re-trained to hold the spine in the new straighter position. These soft tissue adaptations cause spinal rigidity (stiffness) and will often be more noticeable in later stages of curvature and, especially, after skeletal maturity.

A specialized treatment protocol for scoliosis is utilized to decrease the soft tissue resistance that often creates this spinal rigidity. Specific equipment is utilized for exercises for scoliosis that produce stretch and vibration to these tissues, in order to "unlock" them and create a more flexible spine.

This process is generally painless and, often, relaxing for the patient. Occasionally a patient may experience mild stretching discomfort, during the initial onset of treatment, as the body adapts and heals in its newly corrected position. Some patients have reported mild muscle soreness the day after treatment, but it's extremely rare that a patient is unable to complete treatment, due to physical discomfort.

The scoliotic spine has tight muscles, ligaments and tendons that have evolved over time with the scoliosis. The first step to correcting scoliosis is to "loosen them up," through specific exercises for scoliosis, cyclical passive motion and vibration, which increases spinal flexibility. This is one of the key factors in scoliosis reduction. We use specialized equipment that has been designed solely for providing physical therapy for scoliosis.

The Wobble Chair

With scoliosis, the discs in the spine become wedged and immobile. Adding to the problem, discs no longer receive blood supply, after the start of puberty. Therefore, the only way fluid and nutrients can get into the discs to keep them healthy, is through motion. The specific movement created by using our wobble chair pumps nutrients into the discs and increases spinal flexibility. The wobble chair heats up those tissues, making everything pliable and preparing your spine for the other MIX procedures.

Core Stim

The core stim creates two different vibratory frequencies that are applied to targeted areas, to relax overactive muscles, and loosen tight ligaments and tendons directly supporting the spine.

Scoliosis Continuous Passive Motion Table

The use of continuous passive motion (CPM) to assist in removing adhesive qualities contributing to joint stiffness, following the repair phase in post-operative joint replacement, has been well documented. The results of these published studies also suggest a potential therapeutic effect, of short bouts of cyclical, passive manipulation, on otherwise inactive skeletal muscles.

Scoliosis rehabilitation can often produce limited results, due to the spinal rigidity inherent to apical regions, as demonstrated on scoliosis motion studies. In order to effectively rehabilitate muscle, proper range of motion is needed to activate muscle firing, in order to rebuild the proper contractile properties needed for spinal stability to be achieved. The use of continuous passive motion on the apical regions of the scoliosis patient is applied, in order to unlock the spinal rigidity and allow for substantial gains in range of motion. This gain then allows for muscle activation to occur through proper application of scoliosis neuromuscular training.

The scoliosis CPM table uses motorized flexion distraction, in combination with de-rotation brackets, which influence where the forces are applied during motion. By challenging the inside of the spinal curvature during continuous motion, biochemical changes occur within the collagenous regions, allowing for the expansion of wedged discs and shortened ligamentous bands, specific to apical regions of the scoliosis. Patients utilize the scoliosis CPM table, on average for 20 minutes, depending on the severity of spinal rigidity.

Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1989 May;(242):12-25. The biologic concept of continuous passive motion of synovial joints. The first 18 years of basic research and its clinical application. Salter RB. Continuous passive motion (CPM): Theory and principles of clinical application Shawn W. O'Driscoll, MD, PhD and Nicholas J. Giori, MD, PhD Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN

Physical Therapy for Scoliosis
Scoliosis Traction Chair™

These x-rays were taken while the patients were in the scoliosis traction chair. The chair is extremely effective at reducing the scoliosis, on average between 60-90%. The doctor spends additional time, one-on-one with each patient, to make sure the scoliosis traction chair is performing optimally.

Combined with active resisted exercises, the scoliosis traction vibration chair enables the patient to work the core muscles in a scoliosis-free environment.

For moderate scoliosis or severe scoliosis curves, measuring above 30 degrees, the scoliosis traction chair is prescribed for home use; generally a couple of thirty minute sessions, daily, will be very effective at reducing and stabilizing the scoliosis. Patients of all ages can utilize the chair, and often are allowed to watch movies or listen to music.

"SET"

Locking the Spine

Neuromuscular re-education NMR is a game changer for scoliosis rehabilitation. After the spine has been unlocked and repositioned, it needs to recruit muscle tone, in order to sustain the new position. By challenging the spine, using new innovative physics, we can cause the body to shift, simply by adding weight in a very specific way. The body's own righting reflexes will activate new muscle firing, in order to stabilize the body while on the balance disc. This is done with very little effort from the patient, consciously, but challenges the subconscious muscles to adapt, in time and in need to their increased demand. Training x-rays are taken to precisely pinpoint the exact reflex control that effectively corrects the scoliosis.

Specialized scoliosis cantilever systems have been developed to create subconscious reaction to the forces created from the cantilever. This reaction by the body to the cantilever is controlled by the brain's righting reflexes. These neurological reflexes cause the torso, pelvis and head to realign in a straighter position. With continued exposure to these innovative exercises for scoliosis that challenge deep intrinsic spinal muscles, the muscles will learn and become more active, due to increases in demand eventually causing the body to hold itself in a straighter position.

The Scoliosis Boot Camp experience is about empowering a patient with moderate to severe scoliosis. We will provide them with knowledge about their condition. Patients are given self-care guidance and a plan of action that can alter the natural course of the condition. Children and adults are welcome, year round, and can often make new friends and have fun. The procedures are challenging, but not painful. All boot camp patients will be instructed on homecare procedures and will receive complimentary monitoring, via email. Just because the program only lasts a week or two, doesn't mean you are alone after the camp is done: our doctors are always involved with monitoring home care and follow up x-rays, in addition to additional boot camp weeks to further reduce and stabilize your scoliosis.