My daughter Allison was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was 11 years old. At that time she had a Lumbar curve of less than 20 degrees and "observation" was prescribed. Over the next two years she rapidly developed a double curve and was put in a brace and required to wear it 18 hours a day. At 14 years old and after 6 months in the brace her curves progressed to 29 degrees thoracic and 44 degrees lumbar. The orthopedist told us to discontinue the brace and expect that Allison would some day require surgery.
We had consulted numerous orthopedic surgeons at the top institutions in Philadelphia and were amazed at the lack of treatment options and the cavalier attitude with which the condition was treated. It was insulting, disappointing and quite depressing. No one seemed to care. The surgical options were treated as if they were "no big deal" despite the fact that studies have shown them to be ineffective and often debilitating.
As Allison's scoliosis had progressed, I had searched the internet for any alternative treatment possible. We had been to several chiropractors, tried yoga and other exercises but nothing seemed to work. Then, one day I came across the website for the Clear Institute and was impressed with the information on the site. The thing that impressed me most was that the concept actually made logical sense unlike the archaic techniques pushed by the orthopedic surgeons. I had never understood how placing a child in a rigid brace based on 100+ year old technology could stop the progress of the curve. It seemed silly to think that such a brace could be constructed to accurately address what was actually happening at the level of the spine.
I was happy to find that Dr. Stitzel in Lititz, Pennsylvania was a member of the Clear Institute. His office was only 2 hours away and I quickly made an appointment to assess our options. We signed up for two weeks of intensive therapy which took place in August of 2007. We also purchased a traction chair and continued daily exercises after the initial treatment throughout the next year. In June of 2008 we returned for another week of therapy. The results.... Allison now has only a 10 degree thoracic and 10 degree lumbar curve. The difference in her posture is amazing.
It is clear that this treatment works and I would advise anyone facing a similar situation to try and get into this program. Do not get the surgery! Try this first!
Having said all this, there is one thing you must keep in mind. It is imperitive that the patient keep up with the exercises that are prescribed. This means that several hours a day has to be dedicated to the exercises. It's not easy to convince a child to exercise everyday but it is very much worth it. The alternative of surgery is a much worse alternative! |