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In most cases it is possible to achieve scoliosis cure with appropriate treatment, however, the form of treatment and the chances of cure vary greatly according to the person's age:
- Babies and children: it is usually considered a severe scoliosis and, therefore, in addition to the orthopedic vest that is often used, spine surgery, in addition to physical therapy, may also be indicated.
- Adolescents and adults: physiotherapy is usually indicated, which may be able to completely cure scoliosis.
In addition to age, it is also important to assess the degree of scoliosis. When it is higher than 10 degrees, scoliosis is considered more problematic and usually takes longer to treat, requiring more specific treatments such as wearing a vest and physiotherapy. When the degree is lower, scoliosis tends to be easier to cure and can be done only with exercises to strengthen all the muscles and help in the position of the spine.
What are the treatment options
The main forms of treatment that can be used for scoliosis are:
1. Physiotherapy
Klapp exercise for scoliosis
Physiotherapy with exercises and electrostimulation devices is indicated for people with 10 to 35 degrees of scoliosis.
In physiotherapy several exercises can be performed with the objective of realigning the spine and for that it is necessary to know which side of the scoliosis is so that the side that is more shortened, is stretched and so that the side that is more elongated can be strengthened . However, both sides of the trunk must be worked on at the same time.
Physiotherapy should be performed daily, and can be done 2-3 times a week at the clinic and every other day at home, performing the exercises personally indicated by the physiotherapist.
A good technique for curing scoliosis is postural correction exercises using RPG, which is Global Postural Reeducation. This technique uses various postures and isometric exercises that aim to realign the spine bringing great benefits for the reduction of scoliosis and back pain. Other exercises indicated are those of Isostretching and those of Clinical Pilates. Find out what it is and examples of Isostretching.
Watch the following video and check out a series of exercises for scoliosis that you can do at home:
Vertebral manipulations through the chiropractic method can also help to reduce spine pressure and realignment and can be used once a week after a physiotherapy session.
2. Orthopedic vest
Examples of scoliosis vests
The use of the orthopedic vest is indicated for when scoliosis is between 20 and 40 degrees. In this case, the vest should be worn at all times, and should be removed only for bathing and physiotherapy.
It is usually placed on children over 4 years of age or teenagers and it may be necessary to spend years with it for the curvature of the spine to be normalized. It is not recommended to wear a vest when the curvature is greater than 60 degrees and between 40 and 60 degrees it is only indicated when it is not possible to perform the surgery.
The use of the vest forces the spine to be centralized and avoids surgery, being effective in most cases, but in order to have the expected effect, the vest must be worn for at least 23 hours a day, until the adolescent reaches the height final, around 18 years of age.
The vest can support only the lumbar spine; the lumbar and thoracic spine, or the lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine, depending on the needs of each person.
3. Spine surgery
Surgery is indicated when there is more than 30 degrees of scoliosis in young people and 50 degrees in adults, and consists of placing some orthopedic screws to position the spine as upright as possible, but in most cases it is still not possible to leave the spine completely centralized, but it is possible to improve many deformities. Before and after surgery it is recommended to do physiotherapy sessions to improve movements, increase amplitude, elasticity, and combat back pain.
Possible complications
If the individual does not treat scoliosis, it can evolve and cause a lot of pain in the back, neck or at the end of the spine, in addition to muscle contractures. When the inclination is large there may be other complications such as herniated disc, spondylolisthesis, which is when a vertebra slips forward or backwards, pressing on important structures of the spine and there may also be shortness of breath because the lung cannot expand sufficiently .
Signs of improvement and worsening
Signs of worsening scoliosis include increased spinal tilt, back pain, contractures and when scoliosis affects the end of the spine, there may be symptoms of sciatic nerve involvement such as pain radiating to the legs, burning sensation or tingling in the glutes or legs. When it affects the middle part of the spine more, it can even compromise breathing, because the lung may have more difficulty expanding and filling with air.
The signs of improvement arrive when treatment is started and include a decrease in all these signs and symptoms.