RALEIGH, North Carolina, (October 6, 2021) – An estimated 80% of the population will suffer from back pain during their lives. Scoliosis, a potentially painful back condition, will affect 3% of the population, or around nine million people. On October 16, 2021, experts at Hey Clinic for Scoliosis & Spine Care in Raleigh will help patients celebrate World Spine Day by encouraging early screening and treatment for scoliosis and teaching patients how to help heal themselves!
“Ben Franklin once said, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ and this is certainly true for scoliosis. Detecting scoliosis early in children and young adolescents can allow for early treatment with special scoliosis exercises and possibly bracing. This type of treatment helps prevent curves from progressing beyond 30 degrees — which helps prevent lifetime curve progression, and suffering with pain and deformity, which might even require major spine surgery later in life,” explains Dr. Lloyd Hey, Director of Hey Clinic for Scoliosis & Spine Care. Dr. Hey believes World Spine Day is a great opportunity to raise awareness of scoliosis, which can be easily identified by using any smartphone with a bubble level!
These hard facts explain why early detection and follow-up is key to successful treatment.
● The National Scoliosis Foundation explains that scoliosis impacts infants, adolescents, and adults and there is no cure.
● A study published by The American Association of Pediatrics concluded that there was “significant success” in preventing spinal curve progressions and surgery in children who were screened, diagnosed and treated with a custom brace.
● 68 percent of curves progress during adulthood, especially curves over 30°. Therefore lifelong follow-up can be helpful for adults with known scoliosis.
● The American Association of Neurological Surgeons recommends confirming a scoliosis diagnosis through an x-ray, spinal radiography, CT scan or MRI, but a screening technique called the Adam’s Forward Bend Test can be done by anyone.
● Guidelines published by The Scientific Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT) stress the importance of early screening and support conservative treatments such as Schroth therapy and bracing.
Hey Clinic providers realize that every life is precious and they are committed to compassionate, conservative, lifelong care for their patients. That’s why experts at Hey Clinic created a Simple Scoliosis Screening Checklist parents can perform at home. If any of the signs below are identified, a pediatrician should be contacted.
Simple Scoliosis Screening Checklist
1. Forward Bend: Standing with the feet together, place your palms together and bend forward as far as you can. Is one side of the back higher than the other? A smartphone
bubble level can help measure that angle of trunk rotation. SOSORT recommends x-ray and scoliosis center follow-up if the ATR is over 5 degrees.
2. Stand Up: Are the shoulders and hips even or is one higher than the other? Is one arm farther away from the body? Is the upper back excessively rounded (kyphosis hump)? 3. Clothing Check: Does one pant leg appear to be longer than the other? Does one shirtsleeve seem longer than the other? Does the bra or tank top tend to shift towards one side of the trunk?
Providers at Hey Clinic recognize that each patient’s needs are unique and offer non-operative treatment paths using a combination of Schroth PT with high tech 3D CADCAM Bracing.
New, Innovative, Conservative Scoliosis Treatments
3D CADCAM Bracing – The 3D CADCAM Cheneau-style brace is a light-weight, custom brace fabricated on-site, that applies pressures to certain areas of the spine while providing opposite void space to shift the curves. “This design offers better correction than other styles of bracing and compliant use of the 3D CADCAM Scoliosis Brace can halt curve progression, help with pain and often provide correction in flexible curves,” says, KC Wheeler, Certified Prosthetist-Orthotist and Hey Clinic provider. The brace is also ultra-thin, ultra-light and less noticable under clothes, more comfortable, and easier to put on than the older off the shelf braces.
Schroth Physical Therapy – Schroth Physical Therapy is a technique designed to strengthen and retrain the muscles of the back and core to hold the spine in better alignment. Jessica Giddings, Hey Clinic Physical Therapist explains, “The goal is to elongate, de-rotate and stabilize the spine, as well as improve postural awareness and teach life-long spine healthy habits.”
“Since we’ve implemented the new scoliosis exercise training, we’ve seen growing interest in these conservative measures for both kids and adults with spinal deformity – and lots of smiles from families who find these techniques are helping to prevent curve progression and decrease symptoms” says Dr. Lloyd Hey. “Our team at Hey Clinic is fully aware of the struggles someone with scoliosis can face if their curve progresses and is not treated. Diagnosing scoliosis early, before a growth spurt, can help a provider set up a treatment plan to prevent a bigger curve from forming,” says Hey. For more information visit us at www.HeyClinic.com
About Hey Clinic for Scoliosis & Spine Care and Dr. Lloyd Hey
Dr. Lloyd Hey has served as a scoliosis surgeon for children, adolescents, and adults for the last 26 years. Dr. Hey earned his undergraduate degree from MIT and received his MD through the Harvard/MIT Health Sciences and Technology (HST) MD program. Dr. Hey held a surgical position at Duke University and was Associate Professor, Division Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University.
In 2005, Dr. Hey started Hey Clinic for Scoliosis & Spine Care and in addition to his Raleigh practice, he has served as Chairman of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) Safety & Value Committee and Chair of the Adult Deformity Committee.
