ScoliBrace®
ScoliBrace: Our Approach to Bracing
ScoliBrace is an evidence-based, non-surgical treatment for scoliosis in children, adolescents and adults. It is only available through ScoliCare clinics and certified ScoliBrace Providers.
This unique bracing approach brings together the best technology, evidence-based techniques and experienced clinicians to get the best possible outcome for patients with scoliosis. No two braces are the same and your customized brace is as unique as your curve.
Each ScoliBrace is custom designed and made for the patient with the latest in 3D scanning technology and computer aided design and manufacture (CAD CAM), using a specific design algorithm and a patient-centered approach to bracing treatment. This ensures that patients fitted with a ScoliBrace receive the world’s best possible 3D custom-made scoliosis brace for their individual curve.
KyphoBrace™ is a type of ScoliBrace specifically designed for hyperkyphosis.
The ScoliBrace Difference
Rather than using a traditional mindset of trying to immobilize the spine through a brace, the ScoliBrace approach genuinely attempts to individualize the correction and achieve an improved alignment of the spine and body posture in the brace.
The brace’s over-corrective approach harnesses spinal coupling, not 3 point pressure, to create a better position of the three-dimensional posture of the body. In this position, the brace then works to retrain the neurological connection between the brain, joints and muscles to control the body posture so that the body adapts to a ‘new normal’, ideally a straighter position of the spine.
As ScoliBrace is designed to allow for this retraining, it can be used in cases outside of the traditional recommendation of adolescents during the rapid growth spurt, including infant, juvenile, adolescent and adult cases.
Additionally, as ScoliBrace does not use 3-point pressure to immobilize the spine, the muscles do not weaken like they often do in traditional braces.
In fact, ScoliBrace allows movement into a more corrected position. When ScoliBrace and scoliosis specific exercise are combined, research+ shows that muscle endurance and spinal flexibility can be improved during treatment..
+ Improvement of trunk muscle endurance in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) patients undergoing ScoliBrace and Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS) treatment, SOSORT Book of Abstracts, SOSORT Lyon 2017. Paper here
How can ScoliBrace help?
ScoliBrace can be used as part of a complete approach to care for patients with scoliosis. It may assist to:
- Slow or stop progression
- Reduce scoliosis curves
- Improve body appearance and cosmetics through postural correction and better body symmetry
- Reduce pain and minimize discomfort
- Promote better upright balance in older adults
- Reduce the need for surgery.
Individual results may vary.
Brace Types
It can help patients with infantile, juvenile, adolescent idiopathic and some Neuromuscular scoliosis between 25 to 60 Cobb angle. Specific indications will vary according to the patient’s age, curve type, flexibility and degree.
The over-corrective approach of the ScoliBrace guides the body and spine into a posture that is the opposite of how the scoliosis is shaped.
Curve reduction is often achieved, improving the overall posture and appearance of the body and improving function and pain.
It can help patients with both degenerative (de novo) scoliosis and a pre-existing scoliosis from adolescence as well as age related kyphosis and chronic back pain. Specific indications will vary according to the patient’s individual situation
The Adult ScoliBrace deals with the unique features of adult scoliosis that cause pain and disability such as a change in the postural balance (sagital and coronal balance) and the development of instability of some vertebrae (lateral listhesis).
Its 3D custom design incorporates design elements to treat the unique aspects of adult scoliosis that are causing the patients symptoms or concerns. Adult patients may only need to wear the brace part time each day to get significant pain relief and postural improvement.
It can help patients with Scheuermann’s kyphosis, hyperkyphosis, thoracolumbar kyphosis & anterior sagittal balance. Specific indications will vary according to the patient’s individual situation.
The corrective approach of the KyphoBrace aims to restore a patient’s thoracic kyphosis angle to within a range that is considered normal for their age.
Curve reduction is often achieved while improving the patient’s posture and overall appearance of their body.
It is as an early intervention for smaller curves in younger patients. These are single thoracic, lumbar or thoracolumbar curves less than 25 degrees. Whilst ScoliNight is a useful intervention for select cases, patients need to be aware that it is not the most powerful brace and should the curvature worsen the patient may need to be switched to a full-time ScoliBrace.
The hyper-corrective approach of the ScoliNight guides the body and spine into a corrective position that is the opposite of how the scoliosis is shaped. Given the strong nature of the correction the patient is not able to sit or stand in the brace, and the ScoliNight brace should only be worn while the patient sleeps.
