Scoliosis

Scoliosis:

Curvature and rotation of the spine is equally prevalent in infant boys and girls, but by adolescence, girls with scoliosis outnumber boys 9 to 1. During this same period boys become twice as strong as girls, suggesting that muscular strength has something to do with sustaining the curves. We have use a simple yoga exercise to reverse children’s curves an average of 49.6%, and reverse adult curves by 38% with a single yoga pose done daily to strengthen the weaker side, for 6.8 months. We welcome all to share in this simple, painless, and almost free procedure. A recent peer-reviewed [hypertext to: article] describes our work and the results.

 

Peer Reviewed: Very Short-Term Practice of a Simple Yoga Pose Reduces Adolescent Scoliosis By Almost Half

Released: 7-Oct-2014 10:00 AM EDT
Newswise — A basic yoga pose, done for an average of only 1.5 minutes a day, six days a week for two months, reduced idiopathic scoliosis curves for adolescent and adult patients an average of 32% in the first peer-reviewed published clinical trial studying yoga for the reduction of scoliosis curves.* The 25-participant trial was evaluator-blinded, X-ray based and used the standard Cobb method for measuring results. Among nineteen compliant patients who did the yoga more than three times a week, the improvement was 40%. In this group of compliant patients, adolescents improved 49.6% . almost half; adults improved 38.4%. All patients did the Side Plank (Vasisthasana) yoga pose, and all patients did it on one side only – the side of the curve.

“Since scoliosis is an asymmetrical condition, I have treated it asymmetrically, asking patients to do the pose on the weaker side only. That strengthens the specific spinal muscles on the convex side that are needed to help with curve reduction,” said Loren Fishman, MD, who conducted the study with researchers Karen Sherman and Eric Groessl. “While the National Scoliosis Foundation (NSF) recommends twenty-five yoga poses, it does not cite clinical results and does not suggest that the poses be done asymmetrically.”

Scoliosis causes 600,000 doctor visits annually in the United States, and 38,000 patients have spinal fusion surgery, according to the NSF. The annual cost is in the billions.

The most common conservative treatment for this widespread condition is bracing. Braces are usually worn for twenty-three hours a day. One of the most popular bracing methods calls for patients (usually adolescent girls) to take part in 40 2-hour sessions three times per week for three-four months. Patients are then advised to continue exercises for half an hour a day as long as they live. ** “Since many scoliosis patients are adolescent girls, the unwieldy bracing and lengthy exercising is socially awkward, emotionally painful and physically difficult,” says Dr. Fishman. “And yet untreated scoliosis can progress at 7% per year, and result in disability and life-threatening health risks. ***

Dr. Fishman’s research method called for an initial office examination, followed by an X-ray done and evaluated by an unaffiliated radiologist. Then the patient was taught the yoga and did the yoga. After an average of 6.8 months, a second X-ray was independently evaluated.

Other research with 15 hours a week of exercises found improvements, but it measured the spinal twist that results from advancing scoliosis, not the curve. Dr. Fishman believes the curve is what needs to be treated, that it comes first and causes the twist.

“Asymetrically strengthening the convex side of the primary curve with daily practice of the Side Plank (yoga pose) held for as long as possible (up to 2 minutes) for 3 to 22 months appeared to reduce the primary sclerotic curve,” the paper concludes. Dr. Fishman believes further research is warranted.

 

* “Serial Case Reporting for Idiopathic and Degenerative Scoliosis,”  Dr. Loren Fishman, Karen Sherman, Eric Groessl. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, September 2014, Vol. 3, No. 5 : pp. 16-21

 

Following the  initial paper in September of 2014 we have seen nearly 300 patients, young and old, with varying degrees of scoliosis, many different shapes of curves, and various causes.  We have again done X-rays every 3-6 months on those who followed the course of treatment, and have had well above 85% success in reducing the curves significantly.  Annually, the United States spends $7.1 billion on 38,000 scoliosis surgeries which are painful and ultimately confining.  Most of these can be avoided with this simple, painless and almost free method.

We have now published a second paper with 74 patients coming to the same conclusions as the first, smaller patient sample.  The adolescent idiopathic group (AIS) improved an average 3.6%  per month in their lower curves, while the older group improved 2.5%/months in their lower curves.  Upper curves improved 2.5% and 3.5% per month respectively in the two groups.

http://journals.lww.com/topicsingeriatricrehabilitation/Fulltext/2017/10000/Two_Isometric_Yoga_Poses_Reduce_the_Curves_in.3.aspx

 

Two Isometric Yoga Poses Reduce the Curves in Degenerative and Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Fishman, Loren M. MD, BPhil (Oxon); Groessl, Erik J. PhD; Bernstein, Paul OMS II

doi: 10.1097/TGR.0000000000000159
We are currently researching a new pose for the thoracic curves.  More on this as results come in from second X-rays.

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