Scoliosis? It can be treated in adulthood, too

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The young scoliosis patients who come to us for conservative treatment often have parents (one or both) affected by scoliosis. Some of these parents received exercise-based and/or bracing treatment in adolescence; some never got any treatment at all, while others even discovered the condition late on, after reaching adulthood. Often, they are completely convinced that there is nothing more to be done for their scoliosis! But nothing could be further from the truth!

For these adults, the first obstacle to overcome is precisely this unwillingness to do something about their condition: some are reluctant to face up to a problem that has caused them suffering in the past, some believe there are no solutions, and others give priority, above all, to their child’s care needs.

These attitudes are entirely understandable, but unfortunately burying one’s head in the sand simply has the effect of increasing the risks as time goes by. It must be understood that if scoliosis is getting worse, this is not a momentary problem — it is a situation that could lead to more marked symptoms in the future, such as pain and back problems.

When scoliosis worsens, the spine may start to bend laterally following the curve direction, creating a so-called Tower of Pisa effect. What is more, this can be accompanied by forward bending of the upper body. As well as having negative aesthetic consequences, all this can seriously impair the individual’s quality of life.  

Specific self-correction exercises are an excellent way of dealing with a worsening situation like this. It is worth remembering that a worsening of scoliosis in adulthood is not necessarily accompanied by pain; however, if pain does occur, the exercises should target both problems. We often come across adults who say they realised there was “something wrong” when looking at themselves in the mirror.
There are a number of possible signs to look out for: asymmetry of the hips, skirts or trousers that don’t hang right, asymmetry of the shoulders, a more pronounced hump, the perception of having lost a few centimetres in height. All these are red flags that should prompt you to seek the advice of a spine specialist.

Because, when it comes to scoliosis, it is definitely best to act in a timely fashion, taking steps to find out whether something is changing or if everything is stable.

Various studies have shown that scoliosis measuring under 30° at the end of growth normally remains stable over time, even during adulthood, while curves greater than 50° almost always tend to worsen [1]. Obviously, there are exceptions to both these “rules”. 

We do not know for sure exactly what happens in the case of curves measuring between 30° and 50°; we only know that, in general, the risk of deterioration increases as curves become more prominent.

In adult cases, it is important to have the medical and radiographic check-ups prescribed by the doctor. At ISICO we follow protocols that are based mainly on the severity of the curve, recommending the following:

– for curves with a Cobb angle of less than 20 degrees that have been treated during adolescence, a medical check-up every 4-5 years;

– for curves with a Cobb angle of between 20 and 29 degrees, a medical check-up every 2-3 years;

– for curves with a Cobb angle of between 30 and 44 degrees, a medical check-up every 1-2 years;

– for curves with a Cobb angle greater than 45 degrees, an annual check-up.

These recommendations aside, the doctor can give different indications, based other factors, such as the patient’s age and how stable the curve has proved to be in the past.

As for X-rays, the antero-posterior view is recommended if there has been a worsening of the hump.

When spine specialists measure X-rays of adult patients with scoliosis, they know that what they are seeing represents the sum of two components: the structural deformity of the spine and the patient’s posture.

In adults, there is little that can be done to alter the bone component (structural deformity), given that the individual has finished growing. However, we can certainly intervene on the postural part, teaching our patients how to support the weight of their trunk under the effect of gravity.

One of the main aims of the specific exercises we prescribe at ISICO is to help patients learn the technique of ACTIVE SELF-CORRECTION. This refers to a series of movements that patients are taught as a means of realigning their spine as much as possible, so as to counteract its tendency to collapse on the side of the curve; they are also encouraged to try and maintain much of this correction in their everyday activities. In this way, patients have a means of reducing, albeit temporarily, their curve by a few degrees, and possibly also the imbalance of the trunk that it causes.

In short, given the risk of a slow deterioration of the condition, it is important to have regular check-ups, for preventive purposes [2].

Finally, one last crucial piece of advice.  Always make sure you get regular physical exercise, appropriate for your age and physical condition. There is no one sport or activity that is better than  others: the choice depends entirely on the individual patient’s situation.  

If, in addition to doing sport and physical exercise, you also need to do targeted exercises for the spine, contact a spine specialist, who will draw up an ad hoc exercise plan for you.

[1 ] 2016 SOSORT guidelines: orthopaedic and rehabilitation treatment of idiopathic scoliosis during growth. Negrini et al. Scoliosis Spinal Disord 2018  

[2]  Natural history of progressive adult scoliosis. Marty-Poumarat et al. Spine 2007

Scoliosis: why appearance matters

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To treat scoliosis solely on the basis of radiological images, assessing only the patient’s skeletal conditions, would be a huge mistake.

The evolution of scoliosis typically leads to spinal changes in the three planes of space, and it therefore causes a modification of the ribcage. Indeed, as scoliosis progresses, it also changes the appearance of the torso, and this, depending on the severity of the curve, can impact more or less markedly the patient’s appearance.
According to the international guidelines on the conservative approach to scoliosis drawn up by Sosort, improving the patient’s appearance is the second most important goal of treatment.
If the condition is not adequately treated, or the treatment is ineffective, the above-mentioned changes will become more and more marked, even to the point of severely impairing the patient’s quality of life.

The way we see our body is highly subjective. People with asymmetries of the hips or shoulder blades, or a hump, react differently to the problem, in the sense that a defect that one person hardly thinks about, may be quite unbearable to another.
“In treating scoliosis, we must be careful not to overlook this question of aesthetics, precisely because we can never assume that our patients see things the same way as we do: any asymmetry, be it major or minor, can have a considerable psychological impact – says dr Irene Ferrario, Isico Psychologist – It is also important to remember that these changes occur in a period – adolescence – that is already full of challenges, and can sometimes see youngsters struggling to build, and accept, their own body image”.

For all these reasons, addressing patients’ aesthetic concerns should not be seen as indulging them; indeed, correcting aesthetic defects is not of secondary importance compared with correcting the curve: it is a therapeutic necessity. When a patient has, for example, one flank straighter than the other, a misaligned shoulder blade, or a hump that alters the line of the upper body, these changes may be perceived as more or less visible, depending both on the individual’s relationship with his/her body, and on his/her own (entirely subjective) aesthetic parameters. Over time, however, if the disease progresses, these changes can become objectively visible and psychologically damaging.
Obviously, we are referring here to the most severe cases, but these remarks nevertheless serve to illustrate that a scoliosis treatment plan cannot exclude the issue of aesthetics. Addressing this aspect is a necessary part of the treatment.

In short, good conservative practice absolutely must take into account aesthetic considerations. Regardless of whether or not the patient highlights this aspect, considering it to be of primary importance, the physician should in any case include it as a key objective of the treatment, which may contribute to its success.
In our care pathway, it is often the parents who first “raise the alarm”, alerting the therapeutic team to these concerns. This is because they are often the first to notice changes in the child’s body, especially if he or she is still too young to have a real awareness of his/her body and body shape.
Sometimes, these “alarm bells” are justified, and sometimes not, given that mild bodily asymmetries are normal, and do not always indicate an underlying problem. Purely aesthetic concerns, especially when raised by our young patients, should never be dismissed. Identifying and acknowledging a patient’s experiences and feelings is crucial to their all-round care. 

“Another aspect that should be underlined is brace wearing, as this treatment (when required) also has aesthetic implications –explains Lorenza Vallini, Isico PT – Many patients worry that their brace can be seen under their clothing, and addressing this concern is an important part of increasing the acceptability of the treatment: fitting patients with increasingly thin braces, moulded to their shape and therefore “almost invisible” to the onlooker, has proved to be a key factor in reducing and containing the deformity. Moreover, a good brace produces a truly remarkable aesthetic correction, not only immediately but also in the long term“.
Indeed, the brace wearer is rewarded with an improvement that lasts into adulthood. But arguments based on the long-term advantages are often lost on youngsters, and therefore an “invisible” brace is still crucial.
The main objective of the treatment will always be a well-balanced and harmonious body, which is as symmetrical as possible. After all, no one is perfect, not even Botticelli’s Venus. Indeed, her imperfections are part of her beauty!

Scoliosis: what positions to sleep in?

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The determination of parents, and patients, to find ways of counteracting the progression of scoliosis often leads them to come up with questions, and to look for as many new strategies as they can.

One of the issues they raise concerns the awkward and “twisted” positions that children and adolescents tend to adopt when relaxing on the sofa or bed, or when they are writing, and so on. 
Do these positions affect scoliosis in any way, and can they even cause it?  

To answer these questions, let’s start by making a few key points clear. First of all, scoliosis is a disorder that causes deviation of the spine in the three dimensions of space, and it shows a natural progression; in most cases, it first appears in the early phases of growth. Posture, like the positions a person assumes in daily life, may affect the condition, but only to an extent, and they do not trigger or cause it.

This deviation of the spine, which throws it out of line, results in non-uniform loading of the spine and can therefore drive what is known as Stokes’s vicious cycle (asymmetrical loading causes asymmetrical growth leading to progression of the deformity…).

Conservative therapeutic approaches, consisting of specific self-correction exercises or brace wearing, aim to reduce this misalignment of the spine, counteracting the natural worsening of scoliosis and allowing more physiological growth of the anatomical structures of the spine.

When we are seated or standing, spinal loading is an important issue: in these positions, the force of gravity acts vertically on the whole of the spine, causing it to be more compressed and therefore more susceptible to developing an asymmetry.
Instead, when we are lying down, be it on our back, on our front or on our side, there is much less loading of the back, as the force of gravity is no longer pushing down on the spine, but distributed horizontally over the entire body. 

During the night, precisely because we spend a number of hours lying in bed, with our backs unloaded and no longer subject to the stresses generated by loading and movements, our spine is able to “recover”: the discs situated between the vertebrae are rehydrated, and the entire spine lengthens.   

You may well remember your parents remarking of a morning, “Goodness, you’re so tall! You seem to have grown overnight!” .
Well, as it happens, there is a physiological reason for this. Some studies suggest that we can gain up to 1-2 cm in height as an effect of these nocturnal regenerative phenomena. However, this extra height is lost in the course of the day, and with the passing of the years.   

In conclusion, in the light of what has been said above, and also bearing in mind that we have no control over the positions we adopt when sleeping, our advice to patients is to carry on sleeping in the positions they find most comfortable, because there is no such thing as more or less correct positions during sleep.
Just make sure that the surface supporting your mattress (usually slats, metal bedsprings or a flat platform) ensures that it remains parallel with the ground, and that the central part does not sag. If you sleep in a brace, this isn’t even an issue, as your spine will remain correctly aligned whatever position you sleep in.

It is important to have an active lifestyle, do sport and, for those doing rehabilitation treatment, to follow the prescribed programme of physiotherapy exercises and/or brace wearing.
A final piece of advice: try not to spend too much time lying on your bed or on the sofa, unless it is to rest or watch something on TV! 

Flat feet and Scoliosis

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Scoliosis is a complex structural deformity of the dorsal spine in all three planes of space. Frontally, scoliosis is identified as a lateral bending of the spine, from the side (sagittal view) as an alteration of the spine’s physiological kyphosis and lordosis (i.e. natural curves, which can appear reversed), and axially as a rotation of the spine.

A flat foot, on the other hand, is a dysmorphism where the anatomy of the foot is altered: the plantar arch is less prominent than it should be, and increases the weight-bearing surface of the foot.

In babies and toddlers, flat feet are physiological (perfectly normal), being observed in nearly all children aged from 0 to 2 years (97%), before becoming progressively less frequent as they grow. Around 50% of children still have flat feet at three years of age and 25% at six years, whereas by the age of 10, very few children still have it.
Basically, it takes some time to form the plantar arch and the heel to begin to turn outwards rather than inwards. If flat feet persist in adolescence, it is a good idea to consult a specialist in disorders of the foot.
There are two “alarm signals” that should be brought to the attention of the family doctor, namely, if the youngster has difficulty walking, or if you notice that the plantar arch is not evident when he/she rises on tiptoes. In the literature, it is agreed that walking barefoot (particularly on an uneven surface like ground, grass or sand) stimulates the formation of the plantar arch, by training the different muscle groups involved.  

To date, there are no articles in the literature that actually link the problem of flat feet to the development of scoliosis: some articles just point out that flat feet and scoliosis are problems that can coexist in growing subjects; that said, the majority of the few articles that do mention both conditions refer to subjects with neurological disorders.

Therefore, although a spine specialist may as well ask a patient to stand on a podoscope (in order to carefully assess the pressure areas under the feet), beware of thinking that flat feet can affect the spine or cause it to deviate.

SEAS in adults

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Over the past 13 years or more, we have published dozens of posts and thousands of comments on our blog dedicated to scoliosis.
The Isico blog is a dedicated space where patients can ask questions and swap experiences, but it is also a place where those involved in treating scoliosis can take a more in-depth look at a series of topics and engage with patients.


SEAS in adults

“You’re too old now”, “Your scoliosis has stopped now that you’ve finished growing”, “If you want to, do some exercise”… How often do adults with vertebral deformities like scoliosis or hyperkyphosis hear things like this?
Our patients often tell us that on reaching adulthood they become aware of physical changes, in their back, balance and height, and they therefore start looking for answers and treatments.
The natural ageing process does not spare our back and changes are quite normal and to be expected: when they occur, it is important to get active in order to restore elasticity and strength to joints and muscles. But ageing is an entirely different situation compared with the occurrence of spine deviations in young people, in whom we seek to modify the bone structures and consequently reduce the degrees of curvature.
 
Scientific studies in recent years have clarified several aspects, that are worth bearing in mind:

1. Scoliosis exceeding 30 degrees at bone maturity, generally reached between 17 and 19 years of age, is at risk of progressing over the years, resulting in a worsening of the existing curves: and the higher the measurement, the greater the risk of worsening.
2. Will scoliosis inevitably lead to back pain? Absolutely NOT!
3. Does having a correct lateral spinal profile (lordosis-kyphosis) protect us against the reduction of our quality of life due to disability and pain? YES, it does.

In light of all this, it is important to know that in adults, too, it is possible to intervene to correct postural abnormalities and prevent and/or slow down the worsening of scoliosis over time: our approach (SEAS) aims to do just this.
As an effect of the force of gravity, and also the curves that are already present, a scoliotic back will tend to drop down in the direction of the curve, and in many cases, there will also be a forward shift of the trunk. Simple physical activity alone, however useful and beneficial, is insufficient to counteract this phenomenon.
This can only be achieved through specific exercises designed to provide support for the structures of the spine in the opposite direction, and these reinforcement exercises must have precise and individual characteristics, in other words, they must be tailored to the individual patient.

The movements to be carried out must be chosen according to very specific priorities, and this is why it is necessary to turn to qualified professionals who have expertise in dealing with these conditions in adults, using effective approaches.
The SEAS method requires constant collaboration on the part of the patient and seeks to make him “responsible for himself”.
The exercises are carefully worked out for each patient. They are initially performed under the therapist’s guidance and then performed independently, with the patient doing daily repetitions, at home.
Sessions with the therapist are initially scheduled monthly, although this frequency is subsequently reduced, possibly even to only once every three months, and patients are given exercise sheets to follow at home.
It takes at least six months to obtain appreciable results, sufficient to motivate patients to continue and thereby ensure they remain fit well into old age.

Back pain and scoliosis

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What causes back pain? Well, having a back and two legs to begin with! That’s right! As humans, we have one particular body part that is always going to be more exposed than the others to the risk of discomfort and overloading. And that body part is the spine.

You have probably sometimes wondered why certain people who do heavy jobs and spend their entire lives “mistreating their spine” don’t even know what it means to have back pain.

It is well established that “good” or “bad” loading of the spine is a result of its conformation in the sagittal (lateral) plane, in other words, on the distribution of its curves.
Unfortunately, the lateral profile of the spine, meaning the particular way in which the spine’s natural curves, called lordosis and kyphosis, are distributed, does not depend on the will of the individual, but on a genetic predisposition to one pattern or another.

Basically, whether or not we are predisposed to back problems is a matter of luck.

So, what should we do? Simply resign ourselves to the fact that, morphologically speaking, we are among the less fortunate? Simply accept that we are prone to back pain and put up with it, since there’s nothing that can be done?

No, absolutely not! Because back pain, affecting our work, mood and social activities, can really condition our lives!

Things to know

– You have to take care of your back because, for better or worse, it’s yours and it’s the only one you’re ever going to have.

– Taking care of your back means keeping it fit and knowing how to use it properly. So, make sure you do regular physical activity to keep your spinal muscles in shape, but also your leg and arm muscles. What kind of activity? There’s no “best” kind of physical activity; the important thing is to choose something you enjoy and do it at least twice a week, or better still three times. 

– Knowing how to use your back means making sure that you do not spend too long sitting down. You need to alternate sitting with spells of movement. Also learn to sit correctly, and if your work means you have to spend hours sitting at a desk, look at how to set everything (computer, seat, etc.) at the right height. Also, you need to think about how to correctly manage your body under stress, in other words when it is subjected to loads and also during physical effort.

– It is important to learn about the shape of your own spine and how forces are distributed over the body, and then to assess your particular limits and strengths. It can be helpful to do all this with the support of a specialist who can help to familiarise you with your own specific ergonomic and training needs.

What if I have scoliosis?

Even though there is still a lot to be discovered and learned in this field, we know that scoliosis, as it progresses, creates an abnormal alignment of the vertebrae, which is seen both in the frontal plane (as scoliotic curves) and in the sagittal plane (as changes in physiological lordosis and kyphosis).

Indeed, treatment of scoliosis aims to curb this progression and remodel the spine so that, by the time the individual finishes growing, it is as well aligned as possible.

According to scientific studies, if we can achieve good spinal balance in the sagittal plane (in particular, this means maintaining good lumbar lordosis), and if we can keep the scoliotic curves under 25-30°, the scoliosis outcome will not affect the proper functioning of the spine.

In such cases, the risk of back pain will be the same as that seen in people without scoliosis.

In the presence of more severe curves, it is necessary to be even more aware of the need to safeguard the spine. In the knowledge that it is a delicate and vulnerable part of the body, you must take good care of it and do physical activity to keep your back fit.

Can scoliosis be treated with exercises?

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The answer is yes, and they are indeed fundamental, but sometimes exercises alone are not enough. Whether or not an exercise-based treatment is sufficient depends, above all, on the severity of the curves and the evolutionary potential of the scoliosis itself, which is partly determined by growth.
Therefore, exercises sometimes need to be combined with another treatment, such as bracing. Rigid  brace wearers always need to do specific exercises in order to minimse the side effects of the brace and maximise its corrective impact.
Patients prescribed the Spinecor wrapping system, a dynamic brace, do not need to do any specific exercises since this device allows movement and therefore guarantees the natural trunk muscle strengthening  that favours correction of the spine. 

Scoliosis treatment can be likened to climbing a mountain; a true climber is well aware that the path ahead of him will present obstacles, but he  is confident he will be able to overcome them in order to reach the top.
That is his goal and he is determined to achieve it, whatever it takes and however long it takes him, because he already anticipates the enormous satisfaction he will feel on finally reaching the summit .

The various treatment options can be seen as different steps on a ladder, where the lowest is the one that has the least impact on the individual, but is also the least effective; instead, the highest step represents the very most that can be done in terms of treatment, and the treatment that will have the greatest impact on the youngster’s daily life. 

The ideal therapy is one that allows the best possible results with the least possible impact.

The first step on the treatment ladder is simple observation; at this level the patient needs to attend frequent medical check-ups in order to keep the scoliosis monitored, and the physician needs to be ready to intervene if the need arises.
The next step involves exercises alone, which are sufficient to control scoliosis of mild and mild-medium severity.
At the next level, patients are offered braces consisting of soft bands, and then, if the condition warrants it, braces made of more or less rigid materials.

Sometimes parents immediately want a therapy that, in their view, gives greater guarantees of success, regardless of the impact on their child.
This attitude is generated by the mistaken belief that opting for  the most aggressive therapy will allow the worst outcome to be avoided, and also by the idea that bracing is more convenient .
To return to the metaphor of the mountain, this amounts to starting the ascent running, in the hope of getting to the top more quickly, but it is an approach that may see the climber paying a very high price in terms of his health and even ending up having to end his career early.

Since scoliosis is an evolving disorder, the treatment, too, needs to be constantly evolving: the best strategy is to be ready  to introduce timely changes in response to emerging needs.

It is important to see the treatment from a global perspective: a patient who starts off simply doing exercises, and does them well for a certain number of months, before then being obliged to wear a brace  will at least have avoided some months of brace wearing, which is certainly a good thing.
Changing treatment does not mean that the previous one was unsuccessful, it simply means that it has become apparent that a  stronger method is needed order to win the struggle (like an arm wrestling contest!) with the scoliosis.