Truths & Myths

In the past the words scoliosis or kyphosis were taboo.

Usually people tried to hide their children who had a problem. For most it was something they had to hide and forget. Something like an ostrich or the garbage under the carpet.

Many times they said in their ignorance that look how much he looks like his grandfather or grandmother. They both walk leaning on the same side.

Slowly they began to understand that it was a disease and like all the diseases can be treated.

But only in the early 80’s scoliosis began to be treated more seriously and with some kind of methodology, which was not the most correct but was in the right direction.

So they began to apply symmetrical guardians, in an attempt to straighten the spine.

In the years that have passed, ignorance and ostrichism still exist and are reinforced daily by thousands of irresponsible responsible opinions such as “make exercises in an horizontal bar and scoliosis will fix” or “let’s see how it develops”.

Irrelevant conversations from people in charge and people sailing in a sea of ignorance.

But let’s see what these myths are and what the truths are.

THE TRUTH IS THAT:

There are few cases of idiopathic adolescent scoliosis, which reach a severe respiratory problem with a decrease in Vital Capacity and FVC1 less than 30%.

Patients with neuromuscular diseases with very large scoliosis (more than 90 ° and reduced normal kyphosis <11 ° *) and other concomitant diseases, which among other things affect their respiratory system, are most affected.

Patients who usually move with wheelchair support and with the necessary help from their parents.

As far as heart problems are concerned, these are congenital abnormalities that coexist with idiopathic scoliosis and not problems created by Scoliosis.

There is no way a scoliosis even 50 ° can create such problems.

THE TRUTH IS THAT:

Internationally no such case of lower extremity neurological problem has been reported, let alone paralysis.

THE TRUTH IS THAT:

Scoliosis continues to grow as the years pass.

The reason is that even the weight of the body presses on the discs, resulting in their wedge-shaped deformity and a further dramatic increase in scoliosis.

Weight gain, weight lifting, and high-weight pregnancies increase the risk of scoliosis.

Maintaining low body weight and avoiding weight lifting, as well as exercise help keep scoliosis at baseline

THE TRUTH IS THAT:

Scoliosis is caused by a gene that is inherited 100% from the parents. The size of the scoliosis is irrelevant and it has not yet been discovered what the factors are for this.

Poor reading posture or the heavy bag he carries at school can make it worse but not create it.

THE TRUTH IS THAT:

When do horizontal bar exercise the muscles that are exercised are those of the hands, shoulders and upper back.

Also all forms of fitness and sports are symmetrical. Only the Schroth method or otherwise asymmetric multi-level gymnastics is appropriate and necessary to correct scoliosis.

THE TRUTH IS THAT:

Old technology braces such as Boston, because of their symmetrical two-dimensional action on the trunk, not correcting a condition as the scoliosis that is three dimensional.

In these guardians the aesthetic correction is minimal, since they can not correct the deviations of the pelvis and do not reverse.

The new technology braces such as SPONDYLOS-Rigo-Cheneau, act three-dimensionally on the disease, resulting in, depending on the scoliosis, to minimize the angle of inclination and turns.

These three-dimensional braces restore the aesthetic image to the patients.

30 years old patient with 40 ° scoliosis, in treatment

THE TRUTH IS THAT:

Certainly when the epiphyses (the sources of bone production) stop producing bone, the correction of scoliosis at the bone level slows down.

However, it has been proven that the ligaments that hold the vertebrae in place are still elastic up to 4 years after the epiphyses close.

And of course the discs, which are soft elements and deformed by the body weight (this is why scoliosis continues to grow in adulthood), have sufficient elasticity to reverse this phenomenon.

So even after the end of growth, scoliosis can be greatly improved by changing the deformity of the discs.

This is achieved by simultaneously exercising on the Schroth system and applying a brace for a few hours after exercise.

Also, the child who completed the treatment in adolescence, should continue the asymmetric exercise throughout his life, so as not to allow the corrections made in adolescence to be lost.