ScoliBrace® and KyphoBrace®
Our team at Advanced Spine & Posture will work to:
Stabilize progressive scoliosis- Stabilize hunchback postures
- Restore pain-free mobility
Fun Fact
There are more than 200 million visits for spine conditions each year.
At our Advanced Spine & Posture Centers, we do thorough scoliosis rehab using the following:
- Scoliosis specific exercises
- Scoliosis traction
- Other rehabilitative methods
However, some curves are already very large or are at very high risk of rapid worsening. In these cases, we may recommend wearing a scoliosis brace.
There are several different approaches to bracing for scoliosis.
- Boston Brace:The most common “brand” of scoliosis brace prescribed in North America is called the Boston Brace. This brace is fitted to the child’s body and molded from plastic. It works by applying three-point pressure (works primarily in one-dimension only) to the curvature to prevent its progression. The original Boston braces were designed to prevent progression basically by squeezing the patient and holding the curve.
- Charleston Bending Brace:This brace is different in that it is only worn while sleeping. This brace is molded to the patient while they are bent to the side, and thus applies more pressure and bends the child against the curve. This pressure improves the corrective action of the brace. This type of brace is worn only at night while the child is asleep. Many studies have shown that the Charleston Nighttime brace may be as effective as the above-described 23-hour-a-day brace wear, but only for certain types (locations) of curves.
- The Modern “ScoliBrace®”:The new ScoliBrace® is unique and different from the old-fashioned traditional braces. Very few of these types of braces were intended to be “corrective”. A modern ScoliBrace® is designed to position the patient in an over-corrected position that is essentially the “mirror-image” of the patient’s original deformity. Traditional braces were successful if they minimized the worsening of the curve. With a properly applied ScoliBrace®, the outcome is usually a reduction of the scoliosis, in addition to decreasing rib humping, shoulder unleveling, and other postural distortions that are common with scoliosis.
The ScoliBrace® is also patient friendly. It opens and closes at the front making it easy to wear and remove without assistance. This is in contrast to the inconvenience of the Boston Brace which opens in the rear of the brace. The brace is a lower profile that allows freedom of movement and concealment under clothing.
Scoliosis is a 3-dimensional condition. Effective treatments need to be 3 dimensional too. Each ScoliBrace® is truly custom made by using 3D body scans in conjunction with X-rays and posture photos. Each brace is then designed using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and custom fabricated. Most other types of braces do not go through the process of custom production for each case. Our providers can also modify the brace in-office, allowing the doctor to “personalize” the brace even further for both comfort and effectiveness.
Bracing is most beneficial for curves between 20 and 50 degrees. However, we have experience bracing curves over 70 degrees for those patients who could not or would not have surgery. ScoliBrace® is effective in bracing infants and adolescents, as well as young and older adults.
Bracing for Kyphosis… The KyphoBrace:
Many people suffer with a greatly increased rounding of the back, or what we call hyperkyphosis. This produces a “hunchback” appearance. While most patients despise how this rounding of the back looks, research has shown that it is also correlated with poorer health and even shorter lifespan. So, there are very good reasons to try to improve the rounded back (hyperkyphosis) problem. In mild and moderate cases, we work to improve hyperkyphosis with the uses of corrective exercises and hyperkyphosis traction. However, some problems are already very severe, or perhaps too stiff and rigid for in-office treatment alone. This is where bracing for hyperkyphosis becomes a fantastic option to help try to reduce those rounded back postures. Unlike other hyperkyphosis braces which are merely ordered in different sizes, the KyphoBrace® is truly a customized brace made from the same process as the ScoliBrace® described above.
You can call our office to schedule a consultation to see if in-office rehabilitation and/or the ScoliBrace® may work for you and your specific scoliosis curvature. We even see patients from out of the area by arranging a convenient schedule for scanning and fitting of the ScoliBrace®. Call us today to see if you may qualify as an out-of-town patient.
Did you know that ScoliBrace and KyphoBrace can help with:
- Stabilize progressive scoliosis in teens
- Stabilize hunchback postures at any age
- Increase mobility and activities
- Improve painful scoliosis in elderly
Contact Us Today!
Our comprehensive evaluation and custom treatment plans are designed to deliver results.
Don't wait. Schedule today!