1. Scoliosis Treatment Begins in the Brain, Not in the Spine
“Idiopathic scoliosis” is term that has been present in recorded human history for almost 3,500 years,
but the mystery of its “unknown cause” is slowly being discovered. As many experts have suspected for
decades, breakthroughs in scoliosis genetic testing (Scoliscore) and the scoliosis blood test have
uncovered sequences of genetic code that leave an individual “genetically pre-disposed” to the
development of severe idiopathic scoliosis. However, since the condition doesn’t appear until
adolescence in the vast majority of patients, the search for environmental influences that are connected
to un-coordinated growth spurts is on-going.
Virtually all current idiopathic scoliosis research is pointing towards a neurological deficit/under-
development in the automatic postural control centers of the brain stem as the root cause of the
condition, but the factors that cause severe progression requiring scoliosis brace treatment and /or
scoliosis surgery appear to be primarily environmental (bio-mechanical, bio-chemical, and specific
activity related) driven.
Previous attempts in scoliosis treatment have entirely centered on treating the scoliosis spine itself and
have almost entirely ignored the obvious neurological component of idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis brace
treatment is a relatively simple minded approach to “guided growth” in which the spine is essentially
forced into a straighter position (in the front view dimension only). The scoliosis spine growth mal-
adapts to alter the bio-mechanical loading patterns provided by the scoliosis brace in an attempt to
“out-smart” the developing pattern of the scoliosis spine. Unfortunately, this well-studied scoliosis
brace treatment approach has been found very ineffective due to the inability for idiopathic scoliosis
patients to comply with the 23 hour a day, 7 day a week, 365 day a year scoliosis brace treatment
protocol and those whom do comply experience significant muscle atrophy (muscle weakening) and
scoliosis brace dependency in which they need to be “weaned” out of the scoliosis brace over the course
of weeks or months. In addition to not addressing the primary neurological cause of idiopathic scoliosis,
recent research at the University of Vermont conducted on rat tails under simulated scoliosis brace
conditions, suggests that scoliosis brace treatment may actually be causing permanent deformity to the
scoliosis spine discs that could lead to further curve progression during adolescences or adulthood.
Scoliosis surgery is a “brute force” approach to scoliosis treatment and has under gone many
advancements since its inception in 1865, but even to this day the scoliosis treatment goal remains the
same…..complete multi-level spinal fusion. While most orthopedic surgeons make substantial efforts to
limit the number of vertebral segments fused during scoliosis surgery, it generally includes at least 5-6
segments out of a total 24 moveable spinal vertebrae which completely immobilizes an approximately
25% portion of the patients entire spinal column. The long-terms (15-20 years post scoliosis surgery) are
very poor in terms of chronic pain and quality of life measures. Dr. Robert Saulter of the Toronto
Hospital for Sick Children summed up the relationship between chronic dysfunction and chronic pain
with is famous quote, “Restoration of function is more important than the relief of pain”. Unfortunately
for the idiopathic scoliosis patients whom undergo scoliosis surgery the chronic dysfunction (multiple
level spinal fusion)will almost certainly lead to severe chronic pain at some point in their lifetime. This
may be considered an acceptable trade off if the scoliosis surgery was a “life-saving” procedure, but the

2. research conducted on the effects of scoliosis surgery has concluded the procedures is primarily
indicated for cosmetic purposes and is not medically necessary. This is a generally accepted fact with in
the scoliosis treatment community, because scoliosis surgery does not improve cardiac function,
pulmonary function, eliminate pain, or improve the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patient’s quality of
life in the long-term follow up studies. It should be noted, that a fused scoliosis spine from scoliosis
surgery is every bit (or more) dysfunctional that an un-treated scoliosis spine. Perhaps most
importantly, scoliosis surgery is not and will not lead to a cure for scoliosis since it still fails to address
the underlying neurological deficit/ under-development that is the root cause of idiopathic scoliosis.
The concept of re-training the automatic postural control centers of the brain stem actually dates back
several hundred years (if not much further back) to a time when young girls aspiring to become
debutants practiced good posture by walking around balancing books on top of their heads (which is not
a suggested scoliosis treatment). By making the head (temporarily) artificially heavier with the book,
they essentially changed where their body neurologically perceived the center mass of their skull and
caused their “body schema” (the neurological “set point” for normal spinal posture) to react to the
perceived postural change. Over time the repeated re-training of the young girl’s automatic postural
control centers in her brain stem resulted in a permanent change in the “body schema” and the
improved posture simply, became “the new normal”. These very same principles (in a much more
effective and advanced application) can be applied to scoliosis treatment and permanently alter the
natural course of the idiopathic scoliosis condition by treating the root cause of the condition. The
future of scoliosis treatment will be found in treating the scoliosis spine, by treating the automatic
postural control centers in the brain stem first.
For more information please call 866-627-3009 or visit http://www.treatingscoliosis.com/.