Scoliosis Treatment | Scoliosis Physio

Unfortunately, many people suffer from scoliosis and experience a decrease in quality of life. Physiotherapy can help strengthen your core muscles and improve your posture and flexibility.

If you have scoliosis, you have an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. It’s incredibly important to receive an early diagnosis so you can begin physical therapy for scoliosis and manage your symptoms. At Align Health Collective, we understand the stress and pain involved in dealing with scoliosis. Our physiotherapy services are designed to improve your quality of life and reduce your pain with ease.

So, can physiotherapy help scoliosis? Yes, which is why we’ve put together this guide to help you understand more about scoliosis physiotherapy.

Key Takeaways

Scoliosis is a condition where you have an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.
The most common symptoms of scoliosis are uneven hips or shoulders.
Scoliosis can be treated with observation, braces, physiotherapy, or surgery.
Scoliosis exercises in physiotherapy can help manage symptoms and improve spinal curvature.

Understanding Scoliosis

Scoliosis is essentially a side-to-side curve of your spine, where you would usually have a front-to-back curve. Scoliosis is typically mild, so many patients don’t experience pain or require scoliosis surgery.

However, some people with scoliosis experience back pain and an abnormal posture. There are various types of scoliosis.

Types of Scoliosis

Idiopathic Scoliosis: This is the most common type of scoliosis. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is often seen in children from 10 to 18 years old. For example, this can be thoracic scoliosis in the middle of your spine. It has no known cause.
Congenital Scoliosis: This kind of scoliosis is caused by spinal deformities seen at birth due to abnormal vertebral development. It means that you could have either an incomplete vertebra formation or vertebrae that aren’t correctly separated.
Neuromuscular Scoliosis: This is when neuromuscular conditions affect your muscle control or coordination. For example, cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.
Degenerative Scoliosis: This usually develops in older adults due to spine degeneration. It’s typically caused by the ageing process or arthritis.
Structural Scoliosis: This is when your spinal curve is fixed and does not change when you change positions. The cause can be due to other underlying conditions like an infection or tumour.
Non-Structural Scoliosis: This is a temporary curvature of your spine that’s flexible, typically due to a muscle spasm or inflammation.
Syndromic Scoliosis: This is when you have scoliosis as a symptom of another syndrome or genetic condition, e.g., Marfan syndrome.
Thoracogenic Scoliosis: This is a type of scoliosis which forms due to chest surgery or related conditions that can affect your thoracic spine.

Symptoms of Scoliosis

Here are a few scoliosis clinical features to look out for:

Uneven shoulders or hips
One shoulder blade in the upper back is more visible than the other
Visible curvature of the spine
One side of the rib cage appears higher than the other when bending forward
Lower back pain or discomfort in severe cases
Difficulty breathing in children

Diagnosis of Scoliosis

Scoliosis may be diagnosed in a simple process, beginning with your GP. If your GP suspects you have the condition, they can refer you to an orthopaedic surgeon for a scoliosis diagnosis. For children, a paediatrician usually diagnoses scoliosis or refers the child to a specialist.

This is the process to get your scoliosis diagnosed:

Physical examination: A healthcare provider will assess your posture and alignment.
Imaging tests: Most of the time, you will get an X-ray to measure the degree of your spine curvature to determine if you have mild or severe scoliosis. In some cases, an MRI can be used to evaluate any underlying conditions.

Treatment Options for Scoliosis

There are various options for the diagnosis and treatment of scoliosis. An appropriate treatment plan can be something as simple as a brace or physiotherapy, while in some cases, spinal surgery may be necessary. Here are the different treatment options for scoliosis:

Observation

Mild scoliosis may just require observation over time. If the curves are less than 20 degrees, you have a mild condition and simply require regular monitoring.

Bracing

Moderate scoliosis (20 to 40 degrees of curvature) can be treated with a brace in growing children. This can help prevent the progression of your child’s scoliosis. There are two types of braces: a Thoraco-Lumbo-Sacral Orthosis (TLSO) brace and a Boston brace.

Physical Therapy

Physiotherapy is a great treatment for scoliosis. This treatment focuses on strengthening your core muscles and improving your posture and flexibility. Generally, treatment includes specific exercises for scoliosis and manual therapy.

The Schroth method for scoliosis, developed by Katharina Schroth, is quite common in physio. It uses exercises customised specifically for you. The goal of Schroth exercises is to manage symptoms, enhance mobility and functioning, and improve posture.

Surgical Treatment

If your scoliosis leads to more than mild back pain, you might have severe scoliosis and will require surgery, depending on various factors, including curve progression and overall health. Severe curves are more than 40 degrees. Spinal fusion and the insertion of rods to stabilise your spine are common surgeries. Risks involved include infection, nerve damage, and anaesthesia complications.

Costs Associated with Scoliosis Treatment

Every case of scoliosis is different and will require various financial obligations. Most initial consultation fees range from $150 to $300, depending on the healthcare professional. Follow-up visits are much more affordable, between $60 and $150 per physio session.

For custom brace treatment methods, you can expect to pay between $1,500 to $3,000, depending on the kind of brace and the manufacturer. Surgical costs vary between $30,000 and $100,000, which includes hospitalisation and rehabilitation.

Financial Assistance for Scoliosis

As scoliosis involves quite a few expensive costs, you should know that there are options available to lessen your financial burden! Here are a few ways to lower the price tag:

Medicare: If your scoliosis is severe and considered a chronic condition, a GP might be able to refer you for a chronic disease management plan. This could cover up to five allied health services per year, including physiotherapy. These sessions can be partially covered by Medicare.
Insurance: Many private health insurance plans in Australia cover scoliosis treatment, from consultation to surgery. Check your healthcare plan to find out!
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): If your scoliosis becomes severe and significantly impacts your daily life, you could get your physiotherapy covered by the NDIS.
Payment Plans: At Align HC, we offer a wide variety of payment plans to make your sessions more affordable.

Common Complications and Considerations

There are a variety of common complications if you have scoliosis, where it’s been recently discovered or was present at birth. Complications and considerations to keep in mind include:

Non-Treatment Complications: If you do not receive any treatment for your scoliosis, you may experience chronic pain, curve progression, reduced quality of life, and respiratory issues.
Post-Surgery Issues: Some risks after surgery can be rod displacement, the failure of bones to fuse, and infection.
Psychosocial Considerations: Scoliosis results in a variety of emotional effects, such as a negative body image and low self-esteem.

Align HC: Treating Scoliosis Patients with Comprehensive Care

Early diagnosis of adult or adolescent scoliosis is the key to an effective treatment. Scoliosis is often mild, but a curved spine still requires treatment to improve your quality of life and reduce discomfort. It’s important to seek the right treatment for scoliosis right away to prevent scoliosis development.

Align HC offers a wide variety of treatments to help with scoliosis. With our approach to scoliosis, we will gradually improve your strength and flexibility with ease. Make a booking to begin physical therapy and improve your spine curvature!

Scoliosis Treatment | Scoliosis Physio FAQs

Is physio or chiro better for scoliosis?

It’s best to see a physiotherapist for scoliosis, rather than a chiro. Physiotherapy for scoliosis is a standard treatment, where a physio will help you manage your spinal curvature and muscle imbalance. If you have these imbalances, it can negatively impact your mobility, posture, and physical function. Depending on your treatment plan, a chiropractor may only offer temporary relief for back pain and the spasticity of your muscles.

What exercises should be avoided with scoliosis?

Your physio will give you a personalised exercise plan, detailing which exercises you can and cannot do. Every case is different, but your physio may suggest avoiding standard core-strengthening exercises. Speak to your physio before you do sit-ups, push-ups, or pull-ups. These exercises put pressure on your spine and can involve unnatural arching and straining of your back.

What makes scoliosis worse?

Putting pressure on your back makes scoliosis worse. You should not carry anything heavy on the side of your body that curves. For example, you should not be carrying heavy backpacks, lifting heavy weights, or moving boxes.