Pay attention to the 7 mistakes believed to be true in the treatment of scoliosis
Pear bullying plays an important role in rejecting the use of corsets, which is an important method of treatment, in scoliosis, which is defined as the curvature of the spine to the right or left, which affects 3 out of 100 children today! According to surveys; Regular use of corsets can cut the need for surgery in half, but both the problems of using corsets and some misinformation that is considered correct can prevent the chances of getting treatment.
Specialists in orthopedics and traumatology Prof. Dr. Ahmet Alanay and Assoc. Dr. Çağlar Yılgör made a statement in the context of June Scoliosis Awareness Month; He told 7 false information that is believed to be true in the treatment of scoliosis and therefore reduces the chances of treatment, and made important warnings and recommendations.
Corset treatment does not work for scoliosis: FALSE
FACT: Correct and regular use of a scoliosis brace increases the chances of success in treatment! Assoc. states that corset treatment is generally applied to children with growth potential. Dr. Çağlar Yılgör says that this way the need to go to surgery can be reduced by 50 percent. associate Dr Çağlar Yılgör said: “While braces treatment, one of the oldest methods of treating scoliosis, does not bring a full recovery, it helps the child gain time until he or she is the right age for surgery. Although less common, a reduction in curvature can also be observed. It is possible to get better results with corsets that are custom made and checked by your doctor.
Recovery is not possible without fusion surgery: WRONG!
FACT: Stating that it is possible to control the curvatures with non-surgical treatments if scoliosis is diagnosed early and treatment started early, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Alanay stated “For example; Physical therapy exercises specific to scoliosis, along with regular use of corsets, can be a final treatment method. In addition, methods of non-fusion spinal surgery, such as the tape stretching technique, applied to the right patient at the right time, have become increasingly common in recent years. This allows growth to continue without restriction of movement. In young people who have completed their growth, treatment is possible with the fusion (fixation) method without completely destroying the movement.
It is enough to wear the corset whenever possible: WRONG!
FACT: Claiming that the reward of successful corset treatment will be great, Assoc. Dr. Çağlar Yılgör said: “For this reason, it is important to make the corset as effective and comfortable as possible and to prepare it so that the child can use it easily. created works; When the duration of use of successful corsets is examined, it is revealed that treatment success remains 40 percent in those who use an average of 6 hours a day or less, and that the progression of curvature is similar to that in those who have never worn a corset used. When the average daily corset use is between 6 and 13 hours, the success rate rises to 70 percent. If the corset is used for an average of 19-21 hours a day, the success rate reaches 90 percent or more.”
Curvature can only be corrected by swimming or exercising: WRONG!
FACT: Regular exercise is known to strengthen postural muscles and is beneficial for spinal health; However, there is insufficient evidence that regular exercise alone is effective in treating scoliosis in people who do not wear a corset and do not perform scoliosis-specific physical therapy exercises. Despite; Stating that there are scientific data on regular sports and physiotherapy exercises specific to scoliosis, especially with regular and correct use of corsets, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Alanay said: “A recent study conducted on more than 500 growing individuals with scoliosis showed that not exercising increases the risk of curvature progression by 1.6 times and the risk of treatment failure by 1.8 times.”
Any corset will do: WRONG!
FACT: The corset to be used in the treatment of scoliosis should be taken and put on according to the doctor’s decision. There are many corsets known as “scoliosis corsets” or “corrective corsets” on the market, but corsets used outside of the doctor’s control and recommendation can cause poor results. Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Çağlar Yılgör states that there can be confusion about the choice of corset and says: “The most important thing is to use a corset that can correct the curvature in the most effective way. Your doctor will decide on the choice of corset based on the shape of the curvature and the place of placement. While the type of corset is important, it is also important to have a corset that is comfortable for the child to use, that is visually invisible under the dress, and that the child can easily accept.
“It’s important that we make the corset decision, no need to ask the child”: WRONG!
FACT: Emphasizing that the most important criterion for the use of corsets to be effective is that the family, child, physician, physiotherapist and orthotist (corsetter) work together, Assoc. Dr. Çağlar Yılgör said: “The decision on the corset should be made with the cooperation of the child, with the support of the family. Since the use of corsets is a laborious, difficult, patient and labor-intensive method for the child, it should be properly explained to the child and the benefits of using the corset should be mentioned. If the doctor decides on the necessity and suitability of the corset, the family and child should adopt the corset idea and the orthotist should show his art. After the corset is prepared, the prosthetist should go to the doctor with the family, and the corset should be inspected by the doctor in the scoliosis center, the suitability of the compression points of the corset and the thickness of the pressure pads should be checked with the to be made x-rays. After the brace is delivered, while the scoliosis-specific physical therapy exercises continue, the physical therapist will monitor the course of treatment and provide exercises in the brace if necessary.
Surgery inhibits growth: WRONG!
FACT: Emphasizing that it is very important to start treatment without wasting time after the diagnosis of scoliosis, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Alanay said otherwise the curvature of the spine can increase and the problem can become much more complicated. Claiming that, thanks to the rapid developments in technology and medicine in our country, especially in recent years, and the experience of doctors, full recovery can be achieved even in babies 1-1.5 years old thanks to successful surgery. Dr Ahmet Alanay said: “The 4 most commonly used methods in the follow-up and treatment of scoliosis are controlled observation, scoliosis-specific physiotherapy exercises, corset and surgery. Any treatment can be applied at any age. The key to success is the application of the right amount of treatment, initiated individually by avoiding overtreatment or undertreatment, regulated at each check based on follow-up data, and maintained throughout growth, in collaboration with the physician, physiotherapist and instrument maker.