Early Education on Scoliosis needed

Kim Seller’s found out at school that she had a slight curve, but she was not given an explanation or educated on what scoliosis was. She knew if someone explained it to her, she could have done more to prevent her curve progression.

“I would have done something, but I thought my only option was surgery,” she said.

She didn’t have pain, but didn’t participate in any activities that made her wear a fitted t-shirt. She wore loose fitting tops for fear of her back being exposed.

“We never talked about it as I was getting older,” Kim said.

Years later, she thought about how she wished she had the opportunity to brace because of how it would have helped her to correct her spine from further curvature. However, even though the window of opportunity for bracing had passed, other conservative treatment options such as Schroth physical therapy were available.

Schroth Physical Therapy

Unlike bracing, Schroth physical therapy can be very effective on adults with scoliosis. Schroth physical therapy is a type of scoliosis-specific physical therapy designed to strengthen and retrain the muscles of the back and core to hold the spine in improved alignment.

The goal is to elongate, de-rotate, and stabilize the spine. The Schroth method consists of stretches, strengthening exercises, breathing techniques, and postural training exercises. These are designed to address each individual curve type.

Surgery as an option

Equally important, if surgery becomes an option despite conservative treatments, Dr. Hey will walk you through a “Shared Decision-Making” dialogue. This discussion will thoroughly explain the short- and long-term benefits versus the risks. Once you understand the surgical options, you and your family can make your own decision on what is best for you.

Furthermore, Dr. Hey and his team perform a variety of surgeries from minimally invasive procedures to highly complex fusions. Dr. Hey has been perfecting his surgical techniques for scoliosis and other spine surgeries for over 25 years with his clinical and surgical teams.