Kids Miss Less School with New Scoliosis Treatment Option

LITITZ, PA, September 12, 2012 (Press-News.org) A non surgical scoliosis treatment program based on scoliosis exercises is making it easier for parents to choose between their kids missing 10 consecutive days of school or getting the scoliosis treatment they need before it is too late. The new scoliosis treatment option is being referred to as "split week Scoliosis BootCamp". "Many parents are, understandably, worried about their children falling behind in school because of the missed days, but only missing 5 days at a time usually isn't too big of a deal to make up and a lot less time than recovering from scoliosis surgery," states Dr. Clayton J. Stitzel DC, director of the Scoliosis Boot Camp program in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

A conventional Scoliosis BootCamp program consists of 10 days of scoliosis treatment over the course of a 14 day period in which the patient is actively engaging in scoliosis exercises, therapeutic massage, low intensity vibration therapies, and highly specialized neuro-muscular re-education of the brain, which "teaches" the brain to "learn" how to hold the spine in a straighter position automatically. The "Split Scoliosis BootCamp" encompasses all of these same principles and treatment methods, but allows for the scoliosis treatment schedule to be modified to treat the patient for 5 days, allow the patient to return home to attend school, continue the scoliosis exercise rehabilitation process on a daily basis for 45-60 days, and then return to the clinic for another 5 day scoliosis treatment schedule. This "Split Scoliosis BootCamp" allows the patient to receive the scoliosis treatment they desperately need, with minimal disruption to the school year and only missing short periods of school time, so the child can catch up quickly and easily.

Scoliosis occurs in approximately 4.5 percent of the general population. Scoliosis occurs when the spine of the back forms a C or an S shaped curve. The incidence is greater in females than males. Scoliosis patients have symptoms such back pain, hip pain, leg pain, and muscle spasms and in severe cases digestive symptoms, trouble breathing, and significant disability. About 80 percent of all scoliosis cases are idiopathic (unknown cause).

A few symptoms that could indicate a person might have scoliosis are
- Uneven shoulders
- If you wear a shirt or blouse with horizontal stripes and the stripes seem to be going diagonal (this effect caused by body distortion from a curved spine)
- Rib cage sticks out on one side

Scoliosis is often first diagnosed during the teen years at a back to school physical or sports physical. For many years, scoliosis treatment consisted of watching and waiting, rigid back bracing for 23 hours a day for many years, or spinal surgery, depending on the degree of spinal curve. Recently, a new scoliosis treatment programs like the Early Stage Scoliosis Intervention and Scoliosis Boot Camp now provide an alternative to scoliosis patients. Either program can be utilized on patients as young as 5 years old in certain cases.

The treatment consists of neuro-muscular re-education training, vibrational traction, scoliosis traction table and chair, and home exercises. Dr. Stitzel, Director of the Lancaster Spinal Health Center, explains, "Our non surgical scoliosis treatment program is based on a unique system of functional spine rehabilitation, which is based on restoring normal function. The protocol necessary to achieve function rehabilitation in a scoliotic spine is dubbed Mix, Fix, and Set. The mix is based on using biomechanical procedures to unlock the scoliosis from the maladapted tissue, the fix is repositioning/ remobilizing the spinal lever arms back to normal position, and the set is re-engaging the soft tissue to re-stabilize the spine in the newly corrected position. Each of the pieces of equipment plays a key role within that protocol."

The Mix, Fix, Set therapy for scoliosis is an alternative to spinal surgeries and back braces. Dr. Brian Dovorany (whom also offers the "split Scoliosis BootCamp program) reports that although the scoliosis protocol is new, it has out performed spinal surgeries and back bracing in many cases. Almost any age can benefit from the new scoliosis treatment, however advanced spinal arthritis and disc degeneration might limit the effectiveness of the treatment. Results are impressive. "Improvements in the curved spine are great, but it's the cosmetic improvements the kids really care about." said Dr. Dovorany.

Dr Dovorany graduated cum-laude and received recognition for clinical excellence from Palmer College in 1997 and has practiced for over 11 years in Green Bay,WI. Dr Dovorany specializes in scoliosis care and currently holds a position on the board of advisors for CLEAR-Institute as chairman of the doctor education committee.

The Posture and Spine Care Center strives to provide alternative, non-invasive treatment options for scoliosis patients who may feel they don't have any options other than bracing or surgery.

Dr. Stitzel is only doctor in Pennsylvania who offers this new scoliosis treatment. "A non-bracing, non-surgical approach to the treatment of scoliosis has been long overdue. I am proud to bring this new and innovative approach to all of the scoliosis patients in our area," comments Dr. Stitzel.

Dr. Clayton Stitzel is a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania native who graduated from Manheim Central High School. He earned a bachelors degree from Penn State University in 1998 majoring in kinesiology (the advanced study of biomechanics). Dr. Stitzel is a 2002 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He is the co-developer of the scoliosis traction chair. Dr. Stitzel is one of eleven health care providers in the U.S. that have received advanced certification in the care of scoliosis patients by the CLEAR Institute- scoliosis intensive care certified Appointments for scoliosis consultations with him can be made by calling (717) 627-3009.

Website: http://www.treatingscoliosis.com