DEGENERATIVE SCOLIOSIS
AND
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Amanda Hong
Lauren Davidson
Introduction

Amanda Hong
 Major:
Nutrition
 Career Goal: Registered Dietitian

Lauren Davidson
 Major:
Health Psychology
 Career Goal: Public Health Educator

Objective: how to prevent degenerative scoliosis
through exercising and proper nutrition
A.S.P.I.R.E. Physical Therapy




Athletic Spinal Preventative Industrial Rehabilitation
Ergonomics
Location: 894 Meinecke Avenue, San Luis Obispo
Practitioner: Tyrone G. McSorely
Interview Overview:
Elderly patients
 Scoliosis and treatment
 Posture


Why?
Scoliosis


An abnormal, side-to-side, curvature (single “C” or
double “S”) of the spine
4 Main Types:
Idiopathic
 Congenital
 Neuromuscular
 Degenerative


Prevalence:
Idiopathic is in 2% of population
 More prevalent in girls than boys
 Girls are 8X more likely than boys to need treatment

Regions of the Spinal Column
Single “C”
Double “S”
Rib Cage Rotation
Degenerative Scoliosis: Overview


A spinal deformity with a Cobb angle >10°, which develops after
skeletal maturity without any previous history of scoliosis.
Risk Factors:


Causes:



Gradual deterioration of facet joints; same process as osteoarthritis of
spine
Osteoporosis, or other degenerative diseases of the spinal column
Diagnosis:


Life-style, intrinsic mediators, hormonal factors, genetic factors
X-ray, changes in height & motor function, presence of pain, medical
history
Prevalence: 2013: 6% in Americans 50+ years
Degenerative Scoliosis
Primary Research Article

Title: Active self-correction and task-oriented
exercises reduce spinal deformity and improve
quality of life in subjects with mild adolescent
idiopathic scoliosis. Results of a randomized
controlled trial.

Purpose: to see how active self-correction and taskoriented exercises affects spinal deformities and
health-related quality of life
Methods

Participants:



Experimental Group:


General exercises aimed at spinal mobilization
IV:



Active self-correction tailored to the type of curve of scoliosis
Control Group:


Adolescents [10-12 years]
Cobb angle 10°-25°
Physical exercises
Education sessions
DV:

Cobb angle
Results, Limitations, & Strengths

Results

Experimental Group:


Control Group:


Had a decrease in Cobb angle >5°
Cobb angle remained stable
Limitations
Exercise compliance and adherence could not be fully
guaranteed
 Mixing rib humps with lumbar humps may lead to an
incorrect interpretation of the results


Strengths

Focused on individual differences in spinal curve
Treatment Overview

Types of treatment:

Surgical


Lumbar decompression plus
fusion surgery
Non-Surgical
Pain relievers,
epidural/facet injections
 Chiropractic/Osteopathic
manipulation
 Bracing
 Pool/water therapy
 Weight loss
 Yoga
 PHYSICAL THERAPY




Interferential therapy
Manual therapy
Exercises
Physical Therapy

Manual Therapy
 Massage
 Manipulation
 Mobilization

Exercise and Stretching
 Innercore
strengthening
 http://www.choc.org/orthopaedics/index.cfm?id=P005
50

Interferential Therapy
Central Nervous System

Interferential therapy
 Crisscross
electrical currents targeting sympathetic
nervous system
 Helps improve blood circulation, musculoskeletal pain,
and edema
 Corrects imbalance of neurotransmitters
 Norepinephrine/epinephrine
 Uses:
burn victims, GI system, edema, scoliosis and more
Interferential Therapy
AMANDA!
Class Survey: Physical Therapy and
Degenerative Scoliosis

Question

6) Scoliosis is



An exaggerated curve in the spine resulting I a rounded or hunched back
(45%)

An abnormal side-to-side spinal curve (55%)
7) The main difference between idiopathic scoliosis and degenerative scoliosis is
that idiopathic scoliosis has no known cause, while degenerative has a known cause

True (44%)

False (55%)
8) What is the cure for degenerative scoliosis?


There is no cure, only maintenance (55%)
10) Physical therapy is a common treatment that is recommended by physicians for
scoliosis

True (78%)

False (22%)
Conclusion


Highly recommended!
Additional Research Needed:
 Nutrition
+ Scoliosis
 Degenerative + Physical Therapy
Learn By Doing
If it looks good, try it
Learn By Being
Is the ability to take the knowledge you learn and turn
it into wisdom
References




1. Active self-correction and task-oriented exercises reduce spinal deformity and
improve quality of life in subjects with mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Results of
a randomised controlled trial. (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2014, from
file:///C:/Users/Amanda/Downloads/exercises reduce deformity (1).pdf
2. Treatment of pain and of the nervous system. (1999, November 30). Retrieved
from http://www.google.com/patents/US5995873
3. Association between regulating synaptic membrane exocytosis 2 gene
polymorphisms and degenerative lumbar scoliosis. (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2014,
from file:///C:/Users/Amanda/Downloads/Article 3.pdf
4. Electrical Stimulation for the Treatment of Pain and Muscle Rehabilitation. (n.d.).
Retrieved May 17, 2014, from
https://www.unitedhealthcareonline.com/ccmcontent/ProviderII/UHC/enUS/Assets/ProviderStaticFiles/ProviderStaticFilesPdf/Tools and Resources/Policies
and Protocols/Medical Policies/Medical
Policies/Electrical_Stim_Tx_Pain_Muscle_Rehab.pdf