Treating scoliosis with chiropractic care

Has your child recently been diagnosed with scoliosis? Many parents faced with this unknown seek answers to their questions, like whether or not she/he will need a back brace or can continue to play sports. But did you know that research suggests that chiropractic can effectively treat scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a lateral, or sideways, curve in the spine. Most cases start out mild but can turn severe over time, reducing space within the chest, limiting breathing and decreasing mobility. There are a number of causes of scoliosis, including bone abnormalities, cerebral palsy, or traumatic back injury, but researches don’t know what causes the scoliosis commonly found in girls reaching puberty.

Treatments for scoliosis can include wearing a brace, fusion of the spine, or chiropractic. Braces do not cure scoliosis or reverse a curve that’s already present, but they are intended to prevent the curve from progressing. Braces are often uncomfortable and embarrassing to school age children. Fusion of the spine is reserved for severe cases where the curve is more than 40 degrees.

Most medical doctors will not treat scoliosis unless the curve is more than 20 degrees. Consequently, many mild forms of scoliosis are not treated, even though children with scoliosis are more likely to develop chronic back pain as adults or to experience arthritis of the spine.

Chiropractic care for scoliosis includes spinal manipulation and physiotherapy. These treatments help to relax, strengthen, and stretch the muscles and ligaments around the spine. A chiropractor can safely treat less serious curves so that the condition can be monitored before it progresses.

In numerous case studies, spinal manipulation has moderated the curve of scoliosis patients. Additional research suggests that chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to reduce curvature and increase the patient’s function. One study found that after 4-6 weeks of treatment, spinal manipulation helped reduce patients’ Cobb angle (the measure of scoliosis curvature).

If your child has a mild case of scoliosis and you would like to prevent future problems, seek treatment from a licensed Montgomery chiropractor. Montgomery chiropractic care, such as that provided by Health Star Chiropractic, may be able to help you or your child with treating and managing pain.

Rowe DE, Feise RJ, Crowther ER, Grod JP, Menke JM, Goldsmith CH, Stoline MR, Souza TA, Kambach B. Chiropractic Manipulation in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Pilot Study. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2006;14:15.

Morningstar MW, Joy T. Scoliosis Treatment Using Spinal Manipulation and the Pettibon Weighting System: A Summary of 3 Atypical Presentations. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2006; 14:1

Morningstar MW, Woggon D, Lawrence G. Scoliosis Treatment Using a Combination of Manipulative and Rehabilitative Therapy: A Retrospective Case Series. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2004; 5:32