Frequently Asked Questions
Expand the sections bellow to read the answers.
My daughter was recently diagnosed with scoliosis. She has a thoracic and lumbar curves that are 25 degrees and 35 degrees respectively. Can she benefit from the Schroth Method?
Yes, your daughter can benefit from the Schroth Method. Utilizing this exercise program can potentially reduce her curve and improve her posture by teaching her proper alignment and exercising the areas that are weak.
I am 75 year old female with osteoporosis and kypho-scoliosis. Can this treatment benefit me?
Yes, it can. By teaching proper posturing and exercising the areas that are weak in proper alignment, you can improve your curve and halt the progression that is associated with aging and osteoporosis.
My daughter’s orthopedist is pushing for surgery. She has 45 degree thoracic curve and 25 degree lumbar curve. Can she be helped by the Schroth Method?
Yes, your daughter can be helped. There are certain parameters that will influence the decision on whether your daughter should or should not have surgery. The Cobb Angle is one of these parameters. Other parameters include skeletal maturity and rotational component of the curve. If your daughter is skeletally mature, she might be able to push off surgery. Utilizing the Schroth specific scoliosis exercise, she might be able to reduce her curves. Additionally, even if she were indicated for surgery, she would benefit from doing these exercises in the hope that her curve would reduce or that the extent of her fusion to be reduced.
I am a 60 year old man with kyphosis. I feel very “hunched” over. Recently, I feel that walking and stair climbing have become increasingly more challenging. Can you help?
Yes, the Schroth Method will help facilitate improved posture and breathing pattern, and that will reflect on your stamina.
I am in a lot of pain with severe arthritic changes in my back. Can you help?
Yes. Gentle range of motion exercises coupled with targeted abdominal and back strengthening program can help reduce your pain and improve the quality of life.
I have pain traveling from my buttock to the bottom of my right leg when I sit. The pain comes and goes, but has now become more prevalent. Can you help?
Yes. Utilizing the McKenzie MDT technique a proper assessment and treatment will be tailored to your needs. Additionally, being a manual therapist, I can help guide your body into proper muscle firing sequences and alignment.
My son was diagnosed with scoliosis and was prescribed a Boston Brace. Would the Schroth Method be helpful to him in addition to the brace?
Yes. Studies show that wearing a brace for 16 hours or longer a day in conjunction with the Schroth exercises, can halt the progression of the curve and even reduce the curve.
Resources
1. Weiss H-R. The method of Katharina Schroth – history, principles and current development. Scoliosis. 2011;6:17. doi:10.1186/1748-7161-6-17.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3180431/
2. Bezalel T, Kalichman L. Improvement of clinical and radiographical presentation of Scheuermann disease after Schroth therapy treatment. Journal Of Bodywork & Movement Therapies [serial online]. April 2015;19(2):232-237 6p.
3. Schreiber S, Parent EC, Moez EK, et al. The effect of Schroth exercises added to the standard of care on the quality of life and muscle endurance in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis—an assessor and statistician blinded randomized controlled trial: “SOSORT 2015 Award Winner.” Scoliosis. 2015;10:24. doi:10.1186/s13013-015-0048-5.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4582716/
4. Kuru T, Yeldan İ, Dereli E, Özdinçler A, Dikici F, Çolak İ. The efficacy of three-dimensional Schroth exercises in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a randomised controlled clinical trial. Clinical Rehabilitation [serial online]. February 2016;30(2):181-190 10p.
5. Weiss, H.R. & Goodall, D. The treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) according to present evidence. A systematic review. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2008 Jun;44(2):177-93.
6. Weiss, H.R. Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) – an indication for surgery? A systematic review of the literature. Disability and Rehabilitation Vol. 30, Issue 10, 2008.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09638280801889717
7. Weiss H-R. Is there a body of evidence for the treatment of patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)? Scoliosis. 2007;2:19. doi:10.1186/1748-7161-2-19.
8. Kotwicki T, Durmała J, Czaprowski D, Głowacki M, Kołban M, Snela S, Sliwiński Z, Kowalski IM; SOSORT. Conservative management of idiopathic scoliosis–guidelines based on SOSORT 2006 Consensus. Ortop Traumatol Rehabil. 2009 Sep-Oct;11(5):379-95.
9. Negrini S, Donzelli S, Lusini M, Minnella S, Zaina F. The effectiveness of combined bracing and exercise in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis based on SRS and SOSORT criteria: a prospective study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2014;15:263. doi:10.1186/1471-2474-15-263.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4132192/