Scoliosis is the bending of the spine more than 10 degrees in the right-left plane. This curvature is also accompanied by rotation in the vertebrae. Sometimes kyphosis (hunchback) and lordosis (increased waistline) may be added to this. In other words, scoliosis occurs with deviation from normal in three planes. This deviation may occur in a single spinal segment or may affect more than one spinal segment.
The most important determining factor in the treatment of scoliosis is the current age of the patient when scoliosis is diagnosed. Early-onset scoliosis has a more serious course. In other words, there will be a big difference between the course and severity of a 12-degree scoliosis detected in a 9-year-old girl and the same angle scoliosis detected in a 60-year-old patient. The earlier scoliosis begins, the greater the curvature when diagnosed, the higher the torsion angle in the vertebrae, the more parts of the spine the curvature affects (waist, back, neck), the more serious it becomes.
If scoliosis begins in adolescence. If it is detected first, corset treatments and exercise therapy are the most appropriate approach. The corsets used in scoliosis are custom-made corsets that are measured to best correct the patient's curvature. Although it can be extremely effective when used properly, the difficulty of using the corset continuously and for a long time affects patients negatively physically, psychologically and socially. Exercise is extremely useful during this period. But adaptation to exercise can sometimes be difficult in pediatric patients.
Corseting has no place in treatment after adolescence. Our most important treatment weapon during this period is scoliosis exercises, just like before adolescence. Although there are many different exercise programs, one of the best exercise programs with proven effectiveness in this regard is the three-dimensional exercise program developed by Katherina Schroth, who is also a scoliosis patient. This program is carried out by positioning the patient's spine correctly and using breathing exercises specific to the person's scoliosis. The person is given posture training in front of the mirror and is taught how to maintain this neatness in his daily life. Changing daily living habits, correcting additional spinal disorders such as kyphosis and lordosis, mobilization techniques (a special exercise technique applied manually by a physiotherapist) and strengthening exercises. are the basic parts of this technique. Special exercise programs modified with clinical pilates specific to scoliosis are also used very effectively. The patient's age, physical condition, and degree of curvature are important in choosing the exercise program to be used.
In general, these exercises are taught to patients very well with a program of 15 sessions, 3 days a week. Afterwards, the patient continues to do these exercises on his own. The patient is seen at 6-month intervals and necessary adjustments are made to the exercises. With these methods, much more successful results are achieved compared to traditional scoliosis exercises, especially when patient compliance is good.
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