June 2009

CLEAR Institute Monthly Newsletter



Chiropractic Leadership, Educational Advancement, & Research

June 2009 Newsletter Content

Electric Muscle Stimulation for Scoliosis

Vision Loss after Spinal Surgery
Dr. Dennis Woggon Speaks to Parker about Scoliosis





Electric Muscle Stimulation for Scoliosis




In the 1980's, innovative medical doctors began using electrodes to stimulate the muscles in patients with scoliosis in an attempt to reduce or eliminate the need for bracing. Many articles heralding this treatment as a new age in scoliosis treatment were published in newspapers & periodicals, including an article in TIME magazine. Early case reports were favorable, and many people with scoliosis who were born in the 1970's may remember undergoing electrical muscle stimulation in their teenage years.

However, as time went on, the long term results of this treatment did not hold up, and new research began to come out which suggested that electrical stimulation was ineffective at halting or reversing the progression of the curvature.

"Non-compliant patients and those treated by the ineffective electrical stimulation program did not differ in curve progression."
Orthopedics 2001, Bowen et al.

"There was no apparent difference in the outcome between the patients who were managed with observation only and those who were given electrical muscle stimulation."
JBJS 1995, Peterson LE, Nachemson AL


It is unfortunate, then (to say the least), that many doctors continue to utilize electrical muscle stimulation in the management of their scoliotic patients. In a recent survey published in JMPT in 2001, 30% of the respondents stated that they would treat scoliosis with electrical muscle stimulation - a terrifying statistic that is only compounded by the fact that, despite the published research illustrating its ineffectiveness, many insurance companies continue to cover electrical therapy for the treatment of scoliosis, and so provide doctors with a financial incentive to do so.


When used for short periods of time, electrical stimulation can be very helpful in breaking muscle spasm and enhancing muscle contraction (those who are familiar with the 1972 Olympics will remember that the Russian athletes credited their impressive number of medals to the use of a form of electrical stimulation designed just for this purpose). However, long-term use of electrical muscle stimulation will actually destroy the junction between the nerves & the muscles, causing muscle atrophy (weakening).




Vision Loss after Spinal Surgery


From an article in the November 2007 Journal of Neuroscience comes powerful new information that the risks of spinal surgery can be more serious and more common than previously believed. The authors reviewed the published literature in the archives of the National Library of Medicine, and found 166 cases of vision loss in 21 different reports. They found that spinal surgery is the leading cause of post-operative vision loss, with an incidence as high as one in every 500 patients, and complications involving the eye occur in as many as 1 in 100 surgeries performed upon the spine.

Patients who are prone (stomach-lying) throughout the operation - which is the most common method of performing scoliosis surgery - are particularly vulnerable, due to the fact that the arteries which supply the posterior optic nerve are small and the pressure in the veins can be very high.

The study in JNS also references an article published in 1997 by Myers et al., which looks specifically at 28 cases of visual deficits developing after spinal fusion surgery for scoliosis. They found that the amount of blood loss & the duration of the procedure were significant risk factors for vision loss; the more blood lost & the longer the operation lasted, the higher the risk of damage to the eye.

The conclusion of the authors of the study was, "The radical increase in spinal surgeries performed in the U.S. and the developed world and the significant relationship between spinal surgery and postoperative vision loss underscore the need for further research on this topic."




FixScoliosis.com - a New Kind of Scoliosis Forum!


If you've ever explored the Internet to learn more about people's individual opinions & thoughts about scoliosis, you may have noticed that there is a shortage of forums which focus upon alternative methods of scoliosis treatment; the majority are dominated by discussions regarding bracing & surgery. To provide an opportunity for people to share their thoughts & experiences, CLEAR Institute founded the CLEAR Forum, and we are especially pleased to announce the formation of another excellent, open-access resource for people seeking to hear more about natural methods of scoliosis correction: FixScoliosis.com.

Founded by Dr. Will Kalla & supported by expert doctors who work with scoliosis on a daily basis, FixScoliosis invites all those who are working to change the current paradigm of "wait, brace, & cut" to join in and post on this international forum, which highlights new articles on scoliosis published in scientific journals, newspapers, & periodicals from around the world.