Get support, treatment and exercises from therapists who are experts in
scoliosis and spinal management
Start with a Spinal Assessment
Our scoliosis practitioners provide a consult service to help better guide you or your child in the right direction towards best evidence-based treatment for their postural condition. Our practitioners along with your specialist and care-team will over-see you care from start to finish.
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Back pain management
Our team are trained specifically in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of back pain, especially those relating to postural conditions like Scoliosis having trained at the Scoliosis Physical Therapy School.
Specialised physiotherapy and exercise can assist with back pain relating to scoliosis. Our therapists use gentle exercise and hands-on techniques including massage, joint mobilisation and dry needling individualised to your symptoms and your postural spinal condition to relieve pain. Our physiotherapists treat all musculoskeletal pains, in particular spinal pain that could be related to your postural conditions, and those not responding to traditional therapies. Our team see those with both acute and chronic symptoms and functional concerns impacting quality of life.
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Goals/ benefits of curve-specific back pain management:
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Elimination/ lessening of associated pain/ symptoms
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Life-long symptom management
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Improved function
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Improved quality of life
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Improved psychological outlook
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Claimable with PHI, Medicare plans and NDIS.
Scoliosis & Kyphosis specific exercise
Exercise programs that are individualised to you and your curve, and are proven to assist in the management of scoliosis and kyphosis.
Our team are experts in exercise prescription and rehabilitation for scoliosis, and other postural conditions.
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Our clinic utilises exercises from proven rehabilitation schools namely The Schroth Method that are specifically designed to address the 3D biophysics of your condition and customised to you and your curve/s. The main goal is to prevent/stop the progression of the curvature, and improve posture; they are helpful in early stages of diagnosis, assisting with brace effectiveness, and/or preparing for or avoiding surgery in both kids/teens and adults.
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The Schroth method forms the basis of our scoliosis specific exercise therapy, but our team simplify the program so that exercises that are easier to apply during everyday life. Our team are also trained in other proven methods/approaches of scoliosis-specific exercise including Scientific Exercise Approach (SEAS), Scolibalance and Pilates for Scoliosis, and therefore use a combination of methods to create a gold-standard program for you or your child depending on which is most appropriate. Scoliosis specific exercises are very different to traditional exercise .
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Learn more about the best exercises for Scoliosis click here
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Individual or group sessions are available with our Exercise Physiologist.
Goals/ benefits of scoliosis/kyphosis specific exercise programs:
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Lessen progression rate (mainly early puberty and late adulthood)
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Stabilise curves (around the end of growth and early-mid adulthood)
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Improve brace effect
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Prevent loss of correction at brace weaning phase
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Improved muscle endurance
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Improved respiration/ reduced shortness of breath
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Improved posture, alignment and aesthetics
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Improve spinal flexibility if awaiting surgery
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Claimable with PHI, Medicare plans and NDIS.
Scoliosis & Kyphosis Bracing
Bracing is effective for preventing/ lessening curve progression of scoliosis and kyphosis in growing spines and for postural support and pain relief in adults.
As part of our assessment, we will discuss if bracing is indicated and can book you for a brace appointment in Brisbane with our experienced orthotist Grace Addison, who specialises in custom-bracing for postural conditions in particular, scoliosis.
At Scoliosis and Spine Clinic we manage the bracing process from start to finish in-house; this includes the assessment, design, fitting and modifications of the brace, working directly with our experienced scoliosis Orthotist. A qualified and experienced Orthotist is important to the whole bracing process. Our braces are designed with computer scanning with input from Germany and hand-made in Australia, and finally fitted to the patients body by an Orthotist. Our consultant reviews your in-brace EOS scan at 6-8 weeks post, the brace is regularly checked to ensure it still fits and is having desired effect
Our clinic uses a Schroth method approved asymmetrical Scoliosis brace for treatment which has shown to be 92.9% successful in preventing curve progression to surgery (Weiss et al), strives for improvement in posture and Cobb (where possible) and can be used independently or in conjunction with Schroth exercises. The brace is made from a lightweight, moldable polyethylene with minimal plastic for comfort and better mobility, and front closing straps allow for independence and ease of wear. It has a 3D design addressing coronal, transverse and sagittal planes, and voids for easier breathing.
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Learn more about the best braces for Scoliosis click here
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Our clinic offers
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Scoliosis bracing to limit/stop progression in the growth phase, and improve posture
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Hyper-kyphosis bracing to limit progression in the growth phase
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Neurological and degenerative adult bracing for support, functional improvement, pain relief and improved quality of life​
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Pectus carinatum bracing for improving chest wall shape
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Bracing process
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Initial analysis 60min
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Orthotic design and fit 60min
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Personal check ups 30min
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Partly claimable with PHI
Post-op rehab
Specially developed rehabilitation programs are an important part of the recovery process following surgery for scoliosis & kyphosis
Our team work in collaboration with leading orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in adult and paediatric scoliosis, kyphosis and other spinal conditions and will recommend surgical referral where appropriate.
Rehabilitation post-operatively, requires close collaboration with the surgeon to ensure treatment is provided following their guidelines - hence, exercises are carefully modified to the type of surgery, levels fused, presence of curvatures above/ below the fusion, remaining asymmetries of shoulders/ hips and ribcage and pain/ symptoms. For those awaiting surgery physiotherapy can help to reduce pain/stiffness and improve spinal flexibility in preparation for surgery.
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Typically our post operative rehab incudes:
- 6 weeks post op check in (after your have reviewed with your surgeon)
- Exercise rehab can commence 8 weeks post (for teens) and 12 weeks post (for adults), sessions are then monthly until 12months post surgery with the option of our group therapy
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Goals/ benefits of post-operative rehabilitation:
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Reduce pain
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Improve respiration
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Increase function and assist with graded return to physical activity
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Improve postural symmetry in the ribcage, shoulders and hips and curvature above/below the fusion
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Re-gain condition in muscles
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Maintain integrity of the adjacent unfused spinal segments
Claimable with PHI, Medicare plans and NDIS.
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