ScoliBalance: Physiotherapy For Scoliosis
Reduce pain and improve your quality of life with the ScoliBalance program.
ScoliBalance: Restoring Balance To The Spine
ScoliCare is a scoliosis treatment clinic that developed the ScoliBalance program to provide a comprehensive 3D approach to treating scoliosis. This approach was developed in accordance with the Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT) guidelines.
ScoliBalance blends techniques from Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP), the Schroth Method, the Scientific Exercises Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS), and bracing to reduce pain, improve posture, and restore balance to the spine. The program is customized to meet each patient’s individual needs so they can achieve optimal results over time.
As such, the ScoliBalance program can help to:
- Decelerate or prevent curvature progression
- Reduce curvatures in some cases
- Support the reduction of curvatures caused by scoliosis
- Enhance coronal and sagittal balance
- Complement braces to help sustain the spinal correction obtained with bracing
- Boost muscular balance
- Improve spinal flexibility
- Promote better posture
- Improve standing balance
- Reduce fall risk in older adults
- Alleviate pain
For Milder Curvatures
Curvatures that measure less than 25 degrees on the Cobb scale are considered mild. ScoliBalance is a safe, non-invasive treatment option for milder curvatures, especially in cases of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).
The program can not only reduce curvature progression but can also correct the curvature in some cases. Part-time bracing may also be recommended.
For Moderate To Severe Curvatures
Curvatures that measure between 25 and 50 degrees are typically considered moderate. ScoliBalance is effective for cases of moderate scoliosis as it can help reduce pain and improve posture.
For curvatures that measure more than 25-50 degrees, bracing is typically recommended along with the ScoliBalance program. This combination helps reduce the degree of curvature while maintaining the spinal correction achieved with bracing.
ScoliBalance can also help patients with more severe curvatures – measuring over 45 degrees – by reducing pain and improving posture. Even if corrective surgery is required, ScoliBalance can help manage postoperative pain and improve quality of life.
For Non-Progressive Curvatures
Non-progressive curvatures refer to curvatures that remain stable over time. Even though there is no need to stop the progression of scoliosis since the curvature is stable, ScoliBalance can still help improve posture, reduce pain, and stabilize the spine in these cases.
Treating Adult Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a condition where the spine is abnormally curved and rotated due to changes in the alignment of the vertebrae. Adult scoliosis occurs when this condition is diagnosed in patients over the age of 18 and is typically caused by scoliosis that was present as an adolescent or degeneration that begins changes in the spine.
The ScoliBalance program can help patients with adult scoliosis manage their pain and improve their posture. With the right combination of therapeutic exercises, manual treatments, bracing (if needed), and patient education, ScoliBalance can improve spinal balance and reduce pain, thereby improving quality of life.
How Our Customized Program Works For Each Patient
At Square One Health, we understand that every patient is unique. That is why every ScoliBalance program is tailored to each patient and the severity of their condition.
We begin with an initial assessment to better understand the patient’s condition and needs, as well as their medical history. The following are the subsequent steps we take to integrate the ScoliBalance program into the treatment plan for each of our patients:
The Introduction Of ScoliCorrection
The first step in the program is introducing ScoliCorrection, which is a 3D spinal correction process that teaches patients how to position their spine in the straightest alignment possible. Teaching patients with scoliosis what the “corrected” posture feels like will help them maintain their spine in the right position.
ScoliCorrection With ScoliBalance
Once the patient understands how to maintain the “corrected” alignment, they will begin exercises that are designed to improve muscular balance and flexibility to maintain their corrected posture.
These scoliosis-based exercises will be taught to the patient in the clinic so they can be practiced at home. The aim is for the patient to maintain their corrected position while they do their exercises.
The Integration Of ScoliCorrection Into Daily Activities
Once the patient becomes familiar with their specific ScoliCorrection and the exercises they’ve been prescribed as part of the ScoliBalance program, they will learn how to integrate them into their activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs are the normal activities of everyday life, such as walking up and down stairs, sitting down, and doing laundry.
By integrating the ScoliBalance exercises into their daily activities, patients learn how to maintain good alignment and posture while performing these tasks. As a result, integrating these exercises into everyday life can help stabilize or even reduce scoliosis curvatures.
Using ScoliRoll Or Denneroll For Enhanced Correction
As part of the ScoliBalance program, we may also teach our patients how to use the ScoliRoll or Denneroll. The ScoliRoll is a specially designed foam roller that helps to promote the corrected posture of scoliosis patients, while the Denneroll is a curved exercise board designed specifically for hyperkyphosis. Both devices can help improve the patient’s posture.
How ScoliBalance Helps With Cases Of Degenerative Scoliosis
Degenerative scoliosis refers to scoliosis that is caused by an injury or age-related changes in the spine. The changes often occur in the facet joints or the intervertebral discs in the form of osteoarthritis or disc degeneration.
Most patients with degenerative scoliosis are over 50, and unlike most adolescent cases, degenerative scoliosis can result in mild to severe pain. This is because the discs act to maintain space between the vertebrae of the spine, so when they begin to degenerate the patient may begin feeling pain in the back and neck (as well as other parts of the body) due to the lack of cushioning.
ScoliBalance can be incredibly effective for patients with degenerative scoliosis because it helps to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine. This in turn improves postural stability, which can help reduce pain and stiffness. In addition to reducing pain, ScoliBalance can also help to slow the progression of scoliosis curvatures.
However, if the condition is progressing, we will often recommend a ScoliBrace along with a customized ScoliBalance treatment program.
ScoliBalance With Bracing
When patients wear a brace, they will typically be prescribed a specific exercise program to ensure their spine can move and function correctly while the brace stabilizes their spine. At Square One Health, we recommend that patients who need a brace get fitted with a ScoliBrace.
ScoliBrace is a 3D custom-made brace that uses an over-corrective approach along with spinal coupling, instead of the three-point pressure system often used with traditional braces (such as the Boston brace).
The ScoliBalance program is effective even when used in conjunction with the ScoliBrace. This is because the ScoliBalance approach is consistent with the corrective approach used by the ScoliBrace. In combination, they strengthen the muscles that support the spine, increase flexibility, and improve range of motion, all of which can help reduce pain and improve posture.
Even if a patient wears a more traditional brace, the ScoliBalance program can still be effective. This is because traditional braces may cause negative effects, such as stiffening of the spine and muscle weakness. ScoliBalance exercises and ScoliCorrection can help to counteract these adverse effects and help to improve posture and reduce pain.
Treatment Provided By Skilled Experts
Treating scoliosis effectively requires a comprehensive understanding of the condition and its underlying causes. Unfortunately, many general practitioners do not have extensive experience treating scoliosis. Therefore, it’s critical to seek help from a scoliosis specialist to receive the best possible treatment.
In fact, only scoliosis specialists that have completed extensive training in the ScoliBalance system can provide a ScoliBalance treatment plan.
At Square One Health, we are proud to be part of the ScoliBalance team. In fact, we have several providers that have been trained and certified in the ScoliBalance program and are certified ScoliBrace providers.
As such, we can provide practical assessments and ongoing patient care using the ScoliBalance program to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Providers currently certified in ScoliBalance are Dr. Chris Gubbels, Dr. James Cowan, and James Brasier.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are a few of the commonly asked questions about our ScoliBalance program that may help provide more information to patients who are considering this treatment:
What is the ideal frequency of ScoliBalance therapy?
The ideal frequency of ScoliBalance therapy depends on the patient’s age and the severity of their scoliosis. Even though every treatment plan is tailored to the individual patient, we recommend around 20 minutes of ScoliBalance exercises daily at home.
If we prescribe either the ScoliRoll or Denneroll, we recommend using the device for an additional 20 to 25 minutes a day. ScoliBalance treatments begin with 1-hour sessions in the clinic (weekly in the beginning and at-home treatments of 20 minutes a day between in-office sessions).
Can I practice ScoliBalance with a brace on?
Yes, it is possible to practice ScoliBalance with a brace on. In fact, if the curvature measures over 20 to 25 degrees, we often recommend that our patients combine a ScoliBrace with the ScoliBalance program for the best results. However, the ScoliCorrections should typically be practiced without a brace on.
Is ScoliBalance effective for hyperkyphosis and Scheuermann’s disease?
Yes, ScoliBalance can be effective for hyperkyphosis and Scheuermann’s disease. Hyperkyphosis occurs when the spine shifts forward and causes the shoulders to round. Scheuermann’s disease occurs when an abnormal curvature develops in the lower back, which can cause a hunched posture.