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Natural Awakenings Sarasota / Manatee / Charlotte

Scoliosis and Fascia

by Eric Winder, DC 

 Over four million people in the U.S, have scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine, and most experience pain as a result. However, the pain of scoliosis in both adults and children can often be relieved, allowing for a better quality of life. In children, this curvature can often be reduced or stopped from progressing further. How are such results possible? Through a treatment protocol that focuses on releasing restrictions from the connective tissue called fascia. 

Fascia is a tough, fibrous tissue that covers muscles, joints, bones and other tissues. It contains millions of nerve endings that deliver position sense or proprioception, telling our brains where our body parts are in space. Scoliosis, with its abnormal curve of the spine, is the result of a problem with proprioception. 

Most cases of scoliosis are idiopathic which means the cause is unknown. However, in my clinical experience, problems with restricted fascia play a major role in causing this spinal distortion, as well as the pain that results. Restricted fascia can distort normal proprioception, activating the muscular imbalance which causes these abnormal curves.  

Children 

A large proportion of scoliosis cases start in childhood or adolescence. Many cases are found by a school nurse in routine screening programs. In mild cases, conventional medical care involves simply watching to make sure the curve doesn’t worsen, with an X-ray taken every six months to monitor the curvature. 

If a curve does become more severe, physical therapy with stretching and exercises can be used in an effort to stop the curve from worsening, and this can be helpful. A brace worn to support the spine might also stop the curve from progressing.  

However, in some cases, these treatments do not help, and the curve continues to increase. If the scoliosis becomes severe enough, an operation to place supportive metal rods next to the spine will often be the next step. 

In my experience, while stretching and specific exercises are important, treating restricted fascia is the most critical part of addressing non-surgical scoliosis. In children younger than 16, I have never seen a curvature worsen after fascial treatment has been started. In many cases, I have seen children’s curvatures improve by as much as 20 degrees and, in a few mild childhood cases, the scoliosis has been eliminated completely with fascia treatment.   

Adults 

Scoliosis in most adults starts in their youth, but there are some situations where the curvature will develop after adulthood. Sometimes trauma, surgeries or other medical issues can cause scoliosis to develop. Regardless, adults with scoliosis are even more likely to suffer from spinal pain than children with the same problem. In fact, more than three quarters of adults with this problem will experience some degree of back pain. 

Many of these patients come to my office, feeling they have run out of options for finding relief or achieving a better quality of life. However, successful treatment of scoliosis pain in adults is similar to that in children, and the results are also excellent. Once again, the focus is on fascia release, gentle manual stretching by a therapist and specific exercises. Although the curvature generally cannot be reduced in adults, pain relief is still quite successful. 

An illustrative example is a 78-year-old woman I will refer to as June, who was brought somewhat reluctantly to my practice by a friend. She experienced a lifetime of pain from her severe scoliosis that caused a visible deformity to her posture. Her level of pain had increased significantly in recent months, but she did not want to be dependent on medications that did not offer pain relief to begin with 

Every patient is unique, but overall June’s treatment was similar to most cases of scoliosis I see.  She received manual therapy to release fascial restriction, along with some gentle stretching and exercises. Over time, her pain was reduced from an average of 10 out of 10 when she was standing (where 10 is unbearable pain) to an average of three out of 10, which she found to greatly improve her quality of life.  

Experiencing Relief 

Most adults can experience enormous relief of pain and discomfort, despite not improving the actual curvature of their scoliosis. Fascial therapies to remove restriction in connective tissue can decrease muscle spasm, joint restriction and painful motion.  

Some people with scoliosis will need occasional “tune-ups” because their curvature causes new restrictions to develop. How often these wellness visits are required will vary from person to person, but once the initial pain relief is achieved, an occasional tune-up is usually all that it takes to keep that pain at bay. 

I hope that more practitioners begin to explore fascial treatment in the care of scoliosis.  The benefits can be profound for those who deal with from spinal curvature. Experiencing pain relief without powerful drugs is a major win for someone’s health and overall lifestyle.  

Dr. Eric Winder has been practicing chiropractic for 25 years, with a focus on fascial treatment and soft tissue therapies for the past 22 years. Dr. Winder’s practice focuses on relieving pain and restoring alignment and motion through gentle soft tissue therapies. For more information, call 941-957-8390 or visit GentleBay.com. 

  

 

  

March 2024 Digital Edition

 


 


 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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