Scoliosis in Children – Watch out for your kid
Scoliosis is a tri-dimensional deformity which can affect the spine at any stage in life. Idiopathic scoliosis occurs more frequently from ten years old, and its progression is closely related to children’s growth spurt.
It is also important to know that around that age scoliosis still hasn’t been fixed (known as non-structural scoliosis), for that reason it is imperative that a child commences treatment as soon as possible. Early treatment will stop its progression during growth spurt, avoiding it to become fixed (structural scoliosis) and re-establishing the normal spinal physiology.
GPR is one of the most indicated treatments for scoliosis, it improves body shape, corrects spinal curvatures, reduces postural alterations, minimises rigidity and mobilises joints. The physiotherapist trained in GPR considers individual needs working the body as a whole, as we like to say in GPR, working in ‘globality’. The treatment will affect not only the muscles and joints but also the nervous system, changing body awareness (especially important in scoliosis) and improving body’s automatic postural adjustments.
Studies have shown the benefits of GPR in school kids with a significant reduction of the scoliosis angle, whereas groups without intervention showed an increase in the curvature angle.
It is important to know that idiopathic scoliosis in most cases is not painful.
Above you can see the result following ONE GPR session at Realign Physiotherapy.
Things to look for
• One shoulder is higher than the other
• Hips look rotated
• Back shows an asymmetrical hump
Clarisse Reis
Principal Physiotherapist
APAM/Cert GPR/ Cert Acupuncture