3 Effective Ways to Treat Scoliosis

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. A person with a normally shaped spine should be straight when viewed front to back and when viewed from the side has three distinct curves seen in the neck, mid back and low back. Someone who has a spine that’s curved from side to side (when viewed from the front) or in an “S” or “C” shape might have scoliosis, which can run in families.

What We Look for

To identify scoliosis, we look for various physical structures changes and postural changes. These include uneven shoulders, rib humping, a high hip on one side or another side, the scapula often sticks out backwards. Dr. Hicks will recommend effective, customized scoliosis care based on the degrees of scoliosis. These are three approaches to addressing scoliosis:

• Exercises: Providers specially trained in the management of scoliosis can address the coronal and sagittal balances without having to change the curve. This care can be effective when caught early. Flexibility of the spine and severity of the instability, which is the main driver of the curve, are the key factors in assessing the effectiveness of exercise alone.
• Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP): This type of chiropractic corrective care is essential in treating these patients. CBP specializes in the analysis of the spinal balance, as well as the stability of individual segments. Traditionally managed low back pain with De-Novo scoliosis has poor medium and long-term outcomes, because the underlying cause of the back pain goes unaddressed. CBP’s core treatment model is ideal for this population due to the analysis and treatment model. CBP care stabilizes the spine and unstable joints, as opposed to traditional chiropractic, which can threaten to increase motion at already unstable areas. This is often achieved with stabilizing exercises in the position of greatest stability.
• Bracing: Bracing can be beneficial for advanced degenerative cases, where stabilizing the spine with exercises and appropriate traction is no longer an option. Because the brace is also functional orthosis, it further strengthens the spine, instead of weakening the surrounding musculature.