CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment & Research Center Now Open!
The CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment and Research Center (CLEAR STAR) is up and running, and already the schedule for October is filling up with new patients! If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, please do so immediately before our waiting list gets any longer.
The phone number is (214) 350-7708, and the fax line is (214) 350-2855. The e-mail address of the CLEAR Scoliosis Center is star@clear-institute.com, and the street address is 2618 Electronic Lane, Dallas, TX, 75220. The Scoliosis Center is located in the northwest corner of the Parker Student Clinic building, right across from the Parker Research Department. The office hours are 9:00 am until 1:00pm, and 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
The director of the CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment & Research Center is Dr. Glenn Robinson. Dr. Robinson was present at the first Scoliosis Correction Seminar held at Parker College, and has attended every seminar held there since. He contributes over 20 years of professional, clinical experience, and has been a member in good standing of the CLEAR Board of Directors for over four years. Cathy Hess is the office manager; she was employed previously as the office manager at the Parker Student Clinic for over 15 years, and is also an accomplished massage therapist. Josh Woggon, the CEO of CLEAR Institute, adds his experience as a Spinal Technician to the CLEAR Scoliosis Center as well, in between attending classes at Parker College to receive his doctorate in chiropractic.
Our first collaborative research effort with the Research Department of Parker College will be a study on Whole-Body Vibration therapy utilizing the Vibe. The aim of this study will be to build upon previous research confirming the bone remodeling effects of WBV therapy by investigating the relationship between the degree by which the bone density improves, to the duration of treatment. We will be recruiting volunteers for this study shortly, so if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis, currently resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and may be interested in participating, please contact us at star@clear-institute.com for more information!
Connecticut Seminar Series
The Connecticut Chiropractic Association is sponsoring CLEAR Institute's first-ever Scoliosis Correction Seminar series in the Northeastern states! The dates are listed below. For more information such as location, registration fees, etcetera, please contact the CCA.
Connecticut Chiropractic Association
2257 Silas Deane Highway
Rocky Hill, Connecticut 06067
Tel: (860) 257-0404 | Toll Free: (800) 966-2225 | FAX: (860) 257-0406 | Email:
Info@ctchiro.com
Part 1 - January 12 & 13, 2008
Part 2 - February 2 & 3, 2008
Workshop - February 16
More information & updates to the seminar schedule can be found at:
Scoliosis & Gymnastics
It has been commonly observed that many patients with scoliosis participate in gymnastics. A recent study explored this phenomenon to determine if there was a connection between gymnastics and scoliosis. Roughly two-hundred patients with scoliosis were compared to a control group of similar size; it was found that there were indeed more gymnastic participants in the group with scoliosis. Regarding this observation, the authors stated that this "could be linked to a common factor that both increases the likelihood of IS and favors the practice of gymnastics." One such common factor could possibly be Joint Laxity (the flexibility and range of motion present in an individual's joints). People living with scoliosis did indeed demonstrate greater Joint Laxity than people who do not have scoliosis. However, on average, gymnasts do not typically demonstrate greater Joint Laxity than non-gymnasts. The conclusion of the authors was, "Children with a high JL could be drawn toward gymnastics because of their ability to adapt to the constraints of this sport. Girls with a high JL may therefore be prone to developing IS. The fact that most teenagers with IS practice gymnastics could be related to a higher JL." (Why do idiopathic scoliosis patients participate more in gymnastics, Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2006 Aug;16(4):231- 6)
The vibration therapy equipment patented by CLEAR Institute was designed to rehabilitate & strengthen the joints of the human body. Unlike muscles, which stretch & contract much like rubber bands, ligaments & tendons coil and uncoil like springs. As might be expected, it takes a great deal more energy to stretch a spring than a rubber band. In addition, if a spring is stretched past a certain point, it deforms and loses its coiled characteristics (much like a Slinky, pulled too far, will never return to its original shape). If this happens, healing the damage can take years, if it ever heals at all - many times, the damage is permanent, and specific muscles must be trained to take the place of the deformed ligaments.
What does this mean in regards to scoliosis treatment? In scoliosis, the ligaments inside the curve (in the concavity) become excessively tight, and overly stretched on the outside (the convexity of the curve). Vibration therapy performed while the patient is lying down can help relax the tight ligaments; similarily, vibration therapy can be utilized in a standing position to induce forces that will re-model soft tissues such as muscles & ligaments (this is referred to as Davis' Law). Before CLEAR Institute began using vibration therapy as a method of rehabilitating the ligaments of the body, it was very common to encounter a "plateau" in treatment as the ligaments slowly re-modeled on their own. Vibration therapy has eliminated this delay, greatly reducing the duration of treatment time and expediting reduction of the Cobb's angle, especially in patients who have lived with scoliosis for decades.
New Study Confirms an INCREASE in the Risk of Re-Operation after Spinal Fusion Surgery
A research article published this year in Spine has illuminated a disturbing fact: despite new technology & techniques in spinal fusion, re-operation rates following lumbar spine surgery increased during the 1990's, reports the lead author of the study, Brook Martin. Twenty-five thousand patients who had undergone spinal fusion surgery from 1990 to 1993 were compared to another group of 25,000 patients who underwent this type of surgery between 1997 and 2000. Between the study periods, the incidence of spinal fusions more than doubled. It was also found that patients who underwent spinal fusions from 1997 to 2000 were 40% more likely to undergo a second operation within the first year after the surgery.
The reason for this is obvious to doctors trained in the biomechanics of the spine, such as CLEAR-certified chiropractors. Motion is essential for proper functioning of the spine. When the spine is fused, the discs in between the bones can no longer absorb water & nutrients or release wastes; this process, referred to as osmosis & imbibition, cannot occur unless motion is present to stimulate the natural "pumping" action of the discs. As the discs begin to deteriorate, the spine loses its ability to absorb shocks & stresses, and soon other areas of the spine begin to break down as well. The only way to truly repair the spine and restore its integrity and strength is by encouraging motion, not limiting it! Chiropractic adjustments achieve exactly this. CLEAR-certified doctors go one step further, as well, by restoring the natural curves of the neck & low back (which doctors refer to as a "lordosis"). These curves are extremely important in reinforcing the body's ability to maintain stability and flexibility.
What is the longest-standing structure in the world? What is the hardest material in existence? And what do these two things
have in common? The answers to the first two questions are, the Pyramids of Egypt, and a diamond. What they have in common is their geometric shape; the Pyramids, as well as the carbon molecules that comprise a diamond, are tetrahedrons built with angles of 30, 60, and 90 degrees. These angles can also be observed in engineering & construction; just look at the San Franciso Bridge, or the Eiffel Tower, and you will see hundreds of these angles!
The reason this is important is because these angles are the most structurally-sound shapes in the universe. Believe it or not, these angles are also present in the natural shape of the spine! For a detailed explanation of this concept, click on the link below, and scroll down to the "Spinal Model Video." This video, although designed to educate Doctors of Chiropractic, contains a great deal of information which laypersons may find interesting, and helps to explain why restoring the natural curves of the spine is mandatory in rehabiliating scoliosis. The video is over 20 minutes long, but is well worth your time & attention!
If you would prefer an abbreviated version of this information, please e-mail
care@clear-institute.com with the words "Spinal Model" in the subject heading, and an Adobe Acrobat .pdf document will be sent to you automatically!
New Scoliosis Mentorship Forum
The Scoliosis Mentoring Program has created an online forum to better communicate with the patients they mentor. We hope that the forum will bring these young patients together to communicate their treatment experiences with their peers. It is a place for them to share their day to day experiences and create friendships with other scoliosis patients.
The site requires registration, which is free, but ensures that participants will not be subjected to misuse of the site by spammers or other non-applicable users. In addition, the site is closely monitored by a moderator to ensure safety and appropriateness for its users.
Patients, mentors, as well as doctors are all encouraged to register and start talking on the boards. All suggestions are welcomed. Please visit our new forum through our website at www.scoliosismentors.org.
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."
- Thomas Edison