Scoliosis - Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy vs Surgical Intervention
The most progressive spinal (scoliotic) curve is the right thoracic curve. Its growth velocity is the fastest at skeletal ages 12-13, but frequently continues moderately after the age of 16 (Yrjones,20006).
Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy has proven to be very effective in reversing scoliotic curves in adolescents.
Case # 1 – Right Thoracic Scoliotic Curve – 13 year old male
The parents of a 13 year old boy brought their son to see their family doctor, concerned over the progressive worsening of the son’s scoliosis. The doctor suggested a back brace. The brace was uncomfortable and difficult for the boy to use in school, so the parents decided to seek the advice of an orthopedist.
The orthopedist took two sets of Xrays (a year apart) of the boy’s spine. The first set of Xrays showed a right thoracic curve of 17 degrees. One year later, when the second set of Xrays was taken; the right thoracic curve had increased to 31 degrees.
The orthopedist explained that right thoracic curves are the most unstable type of scoliotic curves. When patients in their pre-teens and early pubescence have a right thoracic curve, this requires immediate attention. The orthopedist strongly advised surgical intervention (fixation of the thoracic vertebra) before the thoracic curve deteriorated even further.
Before subjecting their son to such an invasive and painful surgery, the parents decided to seek a third opinion and brought their boy to see me at my office in Rome.
After initially examining the boy, I determined that he had a Rothbarts Foot. I then tested him using proprioceptive stimulation under his feet in order to determine if any changes would occur in his thoracic curve. I noted that the boy’s posture looked straighter, his shoulders were more level and his head was more centered over his spine (See Right Thoracic Curve below).
Right Thoracic Curve. Before proprioceptive stimulation vs immediately after proprioceptive stimulation
Based on this immediate improvement in the boy’s posture using proprioceptive stimulation, I determined that his Rothbarts Foot was the cause of his right thoracic curve. Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy was then initiated in order to stabilize the patient’s right thoracic curve.
Results
Using Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy, the progression of the thoracic curve was not only stabilized, but also reversed. There was no longer any need for bracing or surgical intervention.
Reference
Yrjonen T, Ylikoski M 2006. Effect of growth velocity on the progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in boys. Journal Pediatric Orthopaedics; 15(5):311-315.
Case 2 – Right Thoracic/thoracolumbar Scoliotic Curve – 15 year old female
The parents of a 15 year old girl were concerned over the visual appearance of their daughter’s back and that it might be getting worse and brought her to see an orthopedist.
The orthopedist’s initial exam and evaluation revealed a well compensated (stable) right thoracic colubar double curve. Initial Xrays taken at the hospital revealed a right thoracic curve of 32 degrees and a left thoracolumbar curve of 28 degrees (See Xray A below).
The orthopedist diagnosed the girl as having adolescent idiopathic (cause unknown) scoliosis. He told the parents that the right thoracic curves are most unstable around the time of the beginning of menstruation and that these curves are prone to worsening if not surgically stabilized. Based on the orthopedist’s recommendation, the parents consented to the surgery.
Immediately after the surgery was done, Xrays demonstrated that the right thoracic curve had not changed, but that the left thorocolumbar curve had been decreased (by the surgery) from 28 degrees to 22 degrees (See Xray B above).
Six months after the surgery, the parents brought their daughter to see the orthopedist, anxious over the cosmetic appearance of their daughter’s back, which appeared to be worse than it was before the surgery. The orthopedist advised the parents not to be concerned; that the ‘appearance’ of worsening was only a temporary situation and the appearance of the girl’s back would improve as she completed her growth.
One year after the surgery, the appearance of their daughter’s back was still deteriorating. The parent’s concern continued to escalate. They sought another opinion and were referred to a radiologist for another set of Xrays.
The radiology report stated that the right thoracic curve was 52 degrees (a 20 degree increase compared to before the surgery was done). The left thoracolumbar curve had lost its surgical correction and was now measuring 28 degrees (the same as prior to the surgery) (See Xray C above).
Results
Prior to the surgery, the 15 year old female had a stable (not worsening) double curve pattern. One year post surgically, the spinal curves were unbalanced, unstable and getting worse. The girl’s cosmetic appearance had deteriorated (See Photos below).
What these two case studies suggest
- When the cause of the abnormal spinal curve is determined and then correctly treated, as in Case 1, the spine is stabilized.
- When the cause is not determined and not correctly treated, as in Case 2, the spine becomes unstable and the curves further deteriorate.
Reference
Weiss HR 2007. Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis - case report of a patient with clinical deterioration after surgery. Patient Safety in Surgery Journal, 1(7) Online at www.pssjournal.com/content/1/1/7
Professor/Dr.Brian A. Rothbart
Chronic Pain Elimination Specialist
Discovered the Rothbarts Foot and the PreClinical Clubfoot Deformity
Developer of Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy
Inventor and Designer of Rothbart Proprioceptive Insoles
Founder of International Academy of Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy
Author of Forever Free From Chronic Pain
Sign Up Now to get a free chapter from my book, Forever Free From Chronic Pain
Posted by rothbart at 1/4/2010 2:31 PM 
Categories: Scoliosis
Tags: Spine Surgery Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy Right Thoracic Curve Scoliosis
Categories: Scoliosis
Tags: Spine Surgery Rothbart Proprioceptive Therapy Right Thoracic Curve Scoliosis
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