scoliosis
Correction of juvenile idiopathic scoliosis
after primary upper cervical care: a case study. Eriksen
K. Chiropr Res J, 1996; 3(3):25-33
This is the case of a nine
year old boy with juvenile idiopathic scoliosis and intermittent
back pain. He had fractured his clavicle one month previous
to his initial visit, had complained of pains in his right
foot and had been involved in a motor vehicle accident two
years prior.
The child was currently under the care of a medical
orthopedist that was monitoring his scoliosis. X-ray analysis
measured a right rotatory thoracic scoliosis of 17 ° and
a left lumbar rotatory scoliosis of 12.5 °. Grostic upper
cervical adjusting was performed with 5 adjustments performed
in a little over 5 months. By that time X-rays were taken again
and revealed that the thoracic curve was reduced to 0 ° and
the lumbar curve reduced to 3 °.
Manipulation for the control
of back pain and curve progression in patients with skeletally
mature idiopathic scoliosis: two cases. Tarola GA. J Manipulative
Physiol Ther. 1994;17:253-257.
This paper reports on two patients
suffering from lumbar scoliosis and chronic back pain. The
author writes that “no
attempt was made to straighten the spine” and, along
with adjustments, gentle manual intersegmental mobilization
stretching and muscle massage techniques were also applied.
In both cases back pain was ameliorated and apparently prevented
while curve progression appeared to be retarded.
Anatomical
leg length inequality, scoliosis and lordotic curve in unselected
clinic patients. Specht DL, DeBoer KF. J Manipulative Physiol
Ther. 1991;14:368-375.
The results of this study indicate that
while there is no strong correlation between any one of the
particular postural adaptations to anatomic leg length deficiency
(short leg)…at
least one abnormal spinal adaptation (i.e. scoliosis) occurs
in over half of subjects who have a leg length inequality
of greater than 6 mm.
Adult idiopathic scoliosis—a review
and case study. Arthur B, Nykoliation J, Cassidy J. Eur J Chiropr.
1986;34:46-53.
The three cases mentioned in this paper deal with chiropractic
management of back pain in adults with moderate or severe
idiopathic scoliosis.
Clinical report: reduction
of minor lumbar scoliosis in a 57 year old female. Mawhiney
R. J Chiropr Res. 1989;2:48-51.
This is the case of a 57-year-old
female suffering from chronic lumbosacral pain. Her past history
revealed progressive lumbar scoliosis. Using spinal adjustments,
soft-tissue therapy and heel lifts the patient was kept asymptomatic
and her lateral scoliosis disappeared.
She “continued
to maintain the curvature correction over a period of several
years during follow-up.”
Correction of progressive idiopathic scoliosis utilizing
neuromuscular stimulation and manipulation: a case report.
Aspegren DD, Cox JM. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1987;10:147-156.
This
is the case report of a 14-year-old female diagnosed with adolescent
idiopathic scoliosis whose curvature was progressing at the
rate of 1° per month for the nine
previous months. By the time she had appeared at the clinic
her curvature had worsened to 27 °.
The surgeon reported
that there was no option for her but to have a Harrington rod
implanted into her spine to stop the scoliosis.The girl had
no low back pain, joint swellings or other unusual conditions
or symptoms but she had a marked rib hump in the Adam’s
position.
Bracing was ruled out in light of literature reports
questioning its efficacy with advancing scoliotic curves and
a “warm-up” period
of 26 days was required for the neuromuscular stimulation
of 70 mA to be reached. During the warm-up period the patient
was adjusted 3 times a week and 2 times a week thereafter.
De-rotation of the dextrorotatory curve was performed; gentle
distraction was performed over the entire spine along with
other procedures.
After 5 months of care, the curve progression
had stopped and reduced from 27 ° to 17 °. However, 9 months
later the curve was recorded at 23 °. The child continues
care.
Chiropractic and pilates therapy for the treatment of
adult scoliosis Blum, CL J Manipulative Physiol Ther May
2002, Vol 25, No 4
In her early twenties the patient had spinal
surgery for scoliosis which fused T9 through L4. Twenty years
after her surgery, the patient's condition had continually
worsened, until the fear of being confined to a wheelchair
directed her to pursue active treatment.
About 20 years after
the surgery her orthopedist discussed the possibility of a
complete spinal fusion costing $150,000 (with a good chance
of complications). She began chiropractic care and was beginning
to feel better but would regress between adjustments. In order
to help her recovery she was referred to a Pilates trainer
specializing in exercises for patients with scoliosis.
One year after commencement of chiropractic, she was beginning
to stabilize and increase her physical activity. At present,
she is no longer limited in her physical activity, although
she still exhibits some symptoms from her scoliosis. Her
condition is consistently improving as of the last office
visit.
Chiropractic and scoliosis: a case study. Kaberi B, Blankensip
N. CRJ Vol Vl, No. 2, Fall 1999.
An adjustment at the proper
place and at the proper time may result in structural changes
throughout the entire spine….this
case study supports the hypothesis that reduction of the
upper cervical subluxation may produce changes in spinal
curvature, an hypothesis proposed by BJ Palmer, DC, Ph.C
during the 1940s.
Reduction of a scoliosis in an adult male
utilizing specific chiropractic spinal manipulation: a case
report. Sallahian CA. Chiropractic: The Journal of Chiropractic
Research and Clinical Investigation. Vol 7 No 2, July 1991.
Pp. 42-5.
A 45 year-old Caucasian male’s scoliosis was
discovered by the family physician when he was 20. The scoliotic
curve was initially measured at 22 degrees. Following three
months of active chiropractic care the curve reversed to 16
degrees.
Popular scoliosis test inadequate. Ten-year follow
up evaluation of a school screening program for scoliosis.
Is the forward-bending test an accurate diagnostic criterion
for the screening of scoliosis. Karachalios, T, Sofianos J,
Roidis N et al. Spine 2000; 24(22): 2318-24.
The Adam’s forward-bending test, a popular evaluation
technique used for school scoliosis screenings, “cannot
be considered a safe, diagnostic criterion for the early
detection of scoliosis.” The test failed to detect
a significant number of scoliosis cases in a study of 2,700
students (with a ten-year follow up).
Scoliosis: Biomechanics
and rationale for manipulative treatment. Danbert, RJ. Journal
of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1989; 12(1)
38-45. Scoliosis is a biomechanical problem deserving a biomechanical
treatment, and should be advanced by biomechanical specialists
(i.e. chiropractic).
Scoliosis: biomechanics and rationale for
manipulative treatment. Lenhart LJ. J Manipulative Physiol
Ther 1989;12:405-6.
This is a letter to the editor regarding
the above paper by Danbert. The author suggests that “manipulation
plays a role in improving the modification process or possibly
the correction process of idiopathic scoliosis.”
Adolescent
idiopathic scoliosis and the presence of spinal cord abnormalities.
Preoperative MRI analysis. Maiocco B et al. Spine, Nov. 1997;22(21),
pp.2537-41.
Forty-five patients diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic
scoliosis were given MRIs and two had abnormal findings.
This is much higher than found in the general population.
Comment
by Dr. Koren: Serious spinal abnormalities were seen, yet more
subtle abnormalities such as subluxations were not able to
be viewed by MRI.
Proprioceptive function in children with adolescent
idiopathic scoliosis. Yekutiel M; Robin GC; Yarum R. Spine
1981; 6(6):560-6.
Disturbances of postural equilibrium have
been found in idiopathic scoliosis, and it has been suggested
by several researchers that this is a result of brain stem
disturbances. It has been shown experimentally that stress
on posterior nerve roots can also cause spinal deviation.
A
retrospective consecutive case analysis of pretreatment and
comparative static radiological parameters following chiropractic
adjustments. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
1990; 13(9): 498-506. Plaugher G, Cremata E, Phillips R.
The
data from pre and comparative post measurements of retrolisthesis
showed a significant reduction of approximately 34%. No reduction
was seen in a control group with retrolisthesis
Scoliosis in
a five year old child. International Chiropractic Pediatric
Association newsletter. November 1996
Male child - Age 5 from
a central American country.
Prior diagnosis: malformation of
cervical spine, severe scoliosis, occiput position severely
anterior to cervical spine. Not vocalizing well. Absence of
T-cells, immune dysfunction, has colds all the time. Surgery
had been considered to correct skull positioning.
In the first
series of adjustments, we adjusted the lad in a sitting position
utilizing the infant toggle headpiece. The Atlas was adjusted
ASL. Child was re-evaluated in native country
and medical staff stated that everything was now normal. Child
returned to U.S. for care 6 months later. Vocabulary was now
normal. Head position - normal. No colds evident during these
months. Scoliosis was greatly reduced.
Correction of juvenile
idiopathic scoliosis after primary upper cervical chiropractic
care: a case study. Abstracts from the 13th annual upper cervical
spine conference, Nov 16-17, 1996 Life College, Marietta, Georgia.
Pub in Chiropractic Research Journal, Vol. 1V, No.1, Spring
1997 p.29
From the abstract:
A nine-year-old male presented in our office
with a chief complaint of juvenile idiopathic scoliosis and
intermittent back pain. The patient had fractured his clavicle
one month before his initial visit and complained of intermittent “growing
pains” in his right foot. The case history also revealed
that he had been involved in a motor vehicle accident two
years previously.
The patient was managed with upper cervical
care, utilizing the Grostic Procedure of adjusting by hand.
Over the five months and ten days of care, the patient was
checked on 13 visits and required an upper cervical adjustment
on five of those visits. The leg length inequality, posture,
and palpatory findings balanced immediately after the first
upper cervical adjustment. Post-adjustment paraspinal surface
EMG showed that the paraspinal muscular activity was more
balanced. Post-treatment x-ray taken on the 13th visit revealed
the thoracic and lumbar curves had an 88% overall reduction
in the scoliosis after the five months of chiropractic care.
Scoliosis
and Subluxation. Fortinopoulos V. International Chiropractic
Pediatric Association. July/August 1999.
Following are three
case studies of trauma induced scoliosis. The children below
had been in traumas years before their scoliosis was noticed.
John’s
Story:
I first met John when he was 11 years old. He had developed
a classic Distortion #3 scoliosis. There was a primary left
thoracic curvature of 20 degrees, a secondary lumbar curvature
of 13 degrees, and a tertiary cervical curvature of 12 degrees.
John started under care and for the next 9 months, received
specific chiropractic care to correct his vertebral subluxation
complex (VSC) and the scoliosis. The result was a dramatic
reduction of the three curves and the reduction of his VSC.
Sandy’s
Story:
I met Sandy when she was 9 years old. She was referred
to my office as the result of a school scoliosis-screening
program. X-ray…revealed a Distortion #2 type scoliosis, which
included a left lateral thoracic curve of 23 degrees and
a right lateral compensatory curve in the cervical spine
of 9 degrees. After a six-month care program, Sandy’s
thoracic curvature was down to 4 degrees.
Danielle’s Story:
I first met Danielle when she was 10
years old. The results of the exam revealed Vertebral Subluxation
Complex (VSC) at levels of C1, C5, T11, T12, L4, and L5. I
also found a classic Distortion #3 type scoliosis. There was
a left lateral rotatory curve of 6 degrees from T10 to L3,
a right lateral curve of 15 degrees from T4 through T10, and
a slight compensatory curve in the cervical spine. I made recommendations
for mom to bring Danielle in on a 2x per week. Mom followed
through by bringing Danielle in for care 1x every 6 weeks.
Danielle
entered into puberty just after her 11th birthday. Shortly
after that, I noticed that her scoliosis seemed to be worse
so I took new X-rays. The new X-rays revealed a slight cervical
curve, T4 through T10 was now 26 degrees, and T10 through L3
was now 20 degrees. At that point I started some much more
specific scoliosis care. After 6 months, the curves were: slight
cervical, T4-T10 18 degrees, and T10-L3 20 degrees.
Copyright
2004 Koren Publications, Inc. & Tedd Koren,
D.C.