For Professionals
At Scoliosis Rehab, we believe that the patient benefits when dedicated, well-trained healthcare professionals work together. We strive to be part of the traditional medical model working closely with other professionals. The best quality care comes when physicians, physical therapists, orthotists, and patients are all on the same team and have an understanding of the 3-D nature of scoliosis. Please see our reference list for current publications that will help keep you up to date.
Orthopedic Surgeons
The physical therapists at Scoliosis Rehab, Inc. are specially trained and certified in the treatment and care of your patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis, Scheuermann’s Kyphosis, and other spinal deformities.
We partner with you to ensure the highest degree of care for your patients who are not in the surgical range. We believe it is in the patient’s best interest to maintain an ongoing relationship with their orthopedic surgeon while they are receiving rehabilitation services from us.
For your patients who are currently braced, the Schroth-based BSRS exercises that we teach will enable them to maintain vital capacity while braced as well as learn to strengthen their trunk muscles. When the patient is weaned from the brace, we help by ensuring that the brace corrections are carried over into activities of daily living.
For your patients who are in the surgical range, our physical therapy exercises are tailored to help them to increase soft tissue lengthening, muscle strength and core stability prior to surgery.
Post-surgery, we are able to provide complete rehabilitative physical therapy services after healing is complete. The use of these specific exercises after healing will address the trunk imbalances above and below the fusion, thereby maximizing symmetrical forces in the spine.
For older patients with degenerative spinal disorders, we have a program to help reduce associated back pain and maintain trunk stability.
Primary Care Physicians
Have you diagnosed a patient with scoliosis and aren’t sure how to proceed? You’re not alone. Primary care training frequently includes only a superficial discussion of the Adams Forward Bend test and recommendations to refer to the orthopedic surgeon for curves over 10 degrees Cobb. For pediatric patients, we are happy to partner with you to treat your mild to moderate scoliosis or Scheuermann’s Kyphosis patients with physical therapy and, when necessary, bracing recommendations if they are not being referred to an orthopedic surgeon.
For your adult patients, we can help to educate them about activities of daily living, specific exercises and management of back pain.
We have an educational PowerPoint presentation available that discusses basic scoliosis care.
School Nurses
Are you responsible for the scoiosis screening program at your school? Not sure which students need to be referred to their physician or how to talk to parents about scoliosis? In areas where we have a presence, we provide free school screenings as a public service. Otherwise, contact us or the National Scoliosis Foundations (www.scoliosis.org) about available educational resources.
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