scoliosis

Adults

Whether you’ve had scoliosis most of your life, or have been diagnosed more recently, your spine deserves special care! Scoliosis can show up differently depending on the severity of the curve and your overall health.

Working with me will give you insight into your unique curve(s) and how to take care of your spine and maintain your height, strength and posture as you age.

Does this sound like you?

I’m afraid to exercise because I don’t want to hurt myself.
I don’t want my posture to get worse!
I’m starting to experience pain and don’t want to become disabled. (Catastrophizing is common with a new diagnosis).
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or what not to do.
I don’t want to have surgery!

Don’t worry! I’ll teach you tools and strategies to protect your spine and improve your posture.

Children and adolescents

Most kids find out they have scoliosis from an MD or you, their parent. Depending on your kid, their age, sex, and the severity of their curve, how they respond could go a number of ways. Some kids are unfazed, but for others it can feel devastating! These kids will need a team of support.

Early management is key! Many doctors, even some spinal docs, don’t fully understand scoliosis and best practices for conservative management. Research is evolving.

Getting your kid into see me could be the best decision you make. I’m not trying to toot my horn, I simply want to provide you with the tools to give your child the best possible outcomes.

What to expect during your visit:

An initial evaluation is quite thorough and includes the following:

An assessment of a full spine x-ray to measure Cobb Angle and classify curve pattern
Musculoskeletal testing
Spirometry as appropriate if any issue with breathing or diaphragmatic excursion
Scoliometer measurements
Postural digital photographs to document progress and review findings with family members
Lots of time for Q and A

Follow up visits work to teach your kid how to exercise and have fun doing it, while also addressing their scoliosis.

I know! It’s a lot. If you have any questions, just reach out to me! I’m here to help.

To learn more about one of the techniques I use, Read more below

the schroth method

I am certified through the Schroth-Barcelona Institute to implement the Schroth Method in treating and managing spinal deformities (scoliosis and kyphosis). Yes, I treat kyphosis too!

The Schroth Method is a three-dimensional non-surgical treatment using scoliosis-specific exercises based on your curve pattern. This method also addresses sagittal plane disorders such as kyphosis. The Schroth Method includes manual and auto correction of spinal curves through elongation of the spine and expansion of the trunk from the inside out. The emphasis in treatment is to teach you how to expand your concavities (“weak side” or “weak point”) and reduce your prominences through breath, body awareness and stabilization strategies. The goal is for you to learn how to integrate your optimal corrected posture into your daily life.

While adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and adult-onset scoliosis are entirely different, this approach can help to manage both conditions. The Schroth Method uses props and scoliosis specific exercises to activate and engage muscles that may have become inefficient through deformity. I am trained in the SEAS method. SEAS stands for The Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis. The SEAS method does not rely on props, but teaches you how to optimize your posture through self correction strategies in various positions. Both approaches can be quite effective in managing pain, reducing dysfunction, and preventing surgery in many cases.