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CONGENITAL SCOLIOSIS

Congenital forms of scoliosis make up a small subgroup of cases that result from prenatal defects in the formation of the vertebrae.

These defects are of different kinds, may be single or multiple and can occur at different levels of the spine.

Its evolution is quite variable and its treatment options are similar to those available for idiopathic scoliosis, with the exception of exercises...

WHAT'S ON

SEAS: from New York to Moscow

Bracing herself to dance!

A video experience

May is a very busy month on our calendar of courses devoted to the Scientific Exercises-based Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS).
Isico physiotherapist Alessandra Negrini was in New York from June 20 to June 24, where, after teaching a SEAS I course, she participated as a speaker in the Columbia 5th Annual Non-op Management of Childhood Scoliosis CME event. Her talk was focussed on the topic of sport and scoliosis.

Meanwhile, the same week also saw Michele Romano, director of physical therapy at Isico, flying from a SEAS I course in Moscow to his next "venue", namely the Hungarian capital of Budapest. Over the past few years, we have organised a number of courses in both Moscow and New York, whereas this is only our second time in Budapest.

If you are interested in hosting a SEAS course in your country, please send an e-mail to: gaby.engelhorn@isico.it
Visit our website for more information about past and coming courses.

Alessia Mancini, 17, a patient at our centre since she was just 10 years old, has become the star of a brief video recounting her exciting and remarkable journey. Although the video lasts only a few minutes, this is long enough to convey the heartwarming story of this young patient, a dancer who loves nothing more than dancing en pointe!

Despite the uphill battle she faced, Alessia, her head full of dreams and fortunate enough to be able to draw on great strength of character, proved equal to the challenge.

Now, through a collaboration with a young director, Riccardo, and a young director of photography and video operator, Sophia, a video has been made telling Alessia's inspiring story.

"It all began years ago, when my parents noticed that my back, which had three scoliotic curves, the worst one measuring 40 degrees, was getting worse" Alessia begins.

GET YOUR ANSWER

The right way to wear your brace

A brace must be worn for the number of hours prescribed by the doctor: this is essential in order to obtain the desired correction and avoid the risk of compromising the treatment.

It is important always to fasten it tightly. In this way, it will be less visible, will allow the best possible results to be achieved more quickly, and will be less uncomfortable when walking, running or sitting down.

ISICO SCIENCE CORNER

ISYQOL performs better than SRS22

An Isico study entitled The Italian Spine Youth Quality of Life questionnaire measures health-related quality of life of adolescents with spinal deformities better than the reference standard, the Scoliosis Research Society 22 questionnaire, by Antonio Caronni, Sabrina Donzelli, Fabio Zaina and Stefano Negrini, was recently published in Clinical Rehabilitation.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare the validity of the Italian Spine Youth Quality of Life questionnaire (ISYQOL) with that of the SRS22 questionnaire, the criterion standard instrument for health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measurement in adolescents with spinal deformities.

The Scoliosis Research Society-22 questionnaire (SRS22) is the most common measure of quality of life in scoliosis patients...

WORLD SCIENCE CORNER

Every year, the Scoliosis Study Group selects the best published papers on conservative spine treatment from the global scientific literature.

Here is the abstract from one of these papers.

Predicting Factors at Skeletal Maturity for Curve Progression and Low Back Pain in Adult Patients Treated Non-Operatively for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis with Thoracolumbar/Lumbar Curves: A Mean 25-Year Follow-up.

Endo N; Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 2018 May 10.

A long-term follow-up study to clarify the predicting factors at skeletal maturity for future curve progression and low back pain (LBP) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) with thoracolumbar/lumbar (TL/L) curve.

THE ISICO BLOG

Over the past 13 years or more, we have published dozens of posts and received thousands of comments on our blog dedicated to scoliosis that gives our patients a voice.

The Isico blog www.scoliosi.org 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 also engage with patients.

Here is one of our published posts.

I HAVE SURGICAL SCOLIOSIS: SHOULD I HAVE SURGERY OR NOT?

In the presence of a curve measuring more than 50 Cobb degrees, scoliosis is termed surgical; this is because there is a very high chance that it will worsen even in adulthood, causing pain, disability and reduced quality of life.

What should be done when surgical scoliosis occurs in infantile (0-3 years) or juvenile (3-12) cases?

Nowadays we know that there may be some hope of avoiding surgery, providing the affected individual adheres to a lengthy period of conservative treatment.

WHAT'S ON WORLDWIDE

ISSLS: Isico will be in Kyoto, too

Isico will be at the forthcoming ISSLS Annual Meeting in Kyoto (June 3 to 7), a training event of the highest scientific and cultural level aimed at those dealing with spinal disorders.

Founded in 1974, the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS), with just 260 members worldwide, it is an exclusive society in which Isico has been represented, as a member, by Prof. Stefano Negrini since 1997 and by Dr Fabio Zaina since 2010.

WCPT: reports from Alessandra Negrini and Michele Romano

From May 10th to 13th, Alessandra Negrini, physiotherapist, and Michele Romano, director of physical therapy at Isico, were at the WCPT (World Confederation for Physical Therapy) Congress in Geneva, Switzerland.

WCPT is the sole international "voice" for physical therapy, representing more than 450,000 physical therapists worldwide.

Coming up

June 10 - 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) - Bracing for Spine Deformity - SRS&SOSORT Webinar for patients
June 16 - International Phillip Zorab Symposium - Dublin, Leinster
July 17-20 - SRS 26th International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques (IMAST) - Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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