Links

For many people, scoliosis is a ‘new’ problem – you may not even have heard of it before. The amount of information available on the internet is bewildering, and finding facts which are relevant and comprehensible can often lead to confusion and misunderstanding.

Firstly, regardless of what you read on the internet, scoliosis is NOT curable. The curve can often be controlled, and in a small number of cases, improvements have been recorded.

There are a number of organisations in the UK which offer support and guidance:

The Scoliosis Association UK

Scoliosis Research Society

There are also local groups such as SWS-Cymru which are regional – we can add yours here if you let us know

A useful source of scientific information is The Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders Journal

RSC braces are made by Ortholutions  and there is plenty of information and guidance on their website

Specialist Therapy can be provided by:

Peter Roberts

We are currently updating our therapy contacts – please call to discuss your needs

 

Research and case studies
– We have picked out a few readable pieces here – the emphasis is on studies involving RSC braces but there are some which are more general too

Great work in South Africa with some excellent results

The Rigo System of Classification

The early evolution of the RSC brace

The RSC brace in a clinical situation

A useful comparative study

Good evidence from 2012, and the braces have improved since then

Treatment of adults is possible too

Useful study about quality of life when bracing is used

SOSORT (Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment) Guidelines for a practical approach to management.

IMPORTANT!!! Wearing your brace full time really works – here’s the evidence

And more about the effects of full-time wear

The table below is a summary of when and how to treat AIS. It looks somewhat intimidating, and has been extracted from a paper published by SOSORT, and this is a somewhat simplified version to give an overview of the treatment.

Click here to download a PDF: SOSORT-guidelines

Key:Ob = Observe (frequency in months), SSB = Soft Shell Bracing, PTRB = Part Time Rigid Bracing, FTRB = Full Time Rigid Bracing, PSE = Physiotherapeutic Specific Exercises, Su = Surgery

		Cobb degrees	0-10 + hump	11-15	16-20	21-25	26-30	31-35	36-40	41-45	46-50	Over 50
Infantile		Min	Ob6	Ob6	Ob3	SSB	SSB	SSB	SSB	SSB	PTRB	FTRB
		Max	Ob3	Ob3	PTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	Su	Su
Juvenile		Min	Ob3	Ob3	Ob3	SSB	SSB	SSB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	FTRB
		Max	PSE	PSE	PTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	Su	Su
Adolescent	Risser 0	Min	Ob6	Ob6	Ob3	PSE	PSE	SSB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	FTRB
		Max	Ob3	PSE	PTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	Su	Su
	Risser 1	Min	Ob6	Ob6	Ob3	PSE	PSE	SSB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	FTRB
		Max	Ob3	PSE	PTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	Su	Su
	Risser 2	Min	Ob8	Ob6	Ob3	PSE	PSE	SSB	SSB	SSB	SSB	FTRB
		Max	Ob6	PSE	PTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	Su	Su
	Risser 3	Min	Ob12	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	PSE	SSB	SSB	SSB	SSB	FTRB
		Max	Ob6	PSE	PTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	Su	Su
	Risser 4	Min	No	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	SSB	FTRB
		Max	Ob12	PSE	PTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	Su	Su
	Risser 4-5	Min	No	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	Ob6	SSB	FTRB
		Max	Ob12	PSE	PTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	FTRB	Su	Su
Adult	No pain	Min	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Ob12	Ob12
		Max	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob6	Ob6
	Chronic Pain	Min	No	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE
		Max	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	Su	Su	Su	Su	Su
Elderly	No pain	Min	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Ob12	Ob12
		Max	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob12	Ob6	Ob6
	Chronic Pain	Min	No	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE
		Max	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	Su	Su
	Decompensation	Min	No	No	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE	PSE
		Max	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	PTRB	Su	Su