spinecor

[MATJESNIC]

spinecor

Pola,
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain everything. I think I understand now that you were talking about the rotations. I am not too familiar with rotations and their numbers. In fact, I usually only hear people talking about their curves, not about rotations in numbers. Anyway, nobody has ever mentioned a rotation in Nicole's curve. But believe me, I will certainly ask about it in our appointment on the 28th. When Nicole bends down, one side of her back is higher than the other. Is that considered a hump?
The good news is that your Spinecor Doc is encouraged so far. That is wonderful. It will be interesting to see what your other doctor says in January. Anyway, just to change the subject a little, What is Christmas like where you live? Right now we have some ice and hail coming down. This is never fun. But we had some snow a couple of weeks ago so the kids were happy. Nicole sent Anastasia a picture of herself in her e-mail. I hope she got it. Take care and thanks so much for sharing your experience.

Melissa
The plastic thingie is the scoliometer, don't know how it complies with x-rays, I believe, but I might be wrong, it only measures the horizontal rotation.

Gerbo, good luck with your appointement, would that be your daughters first? Let us know how it goes.

Melissa, does Nicole have a thoracic rotation? Do you see a hump when she bends down? I remember you mentioned her shoulder blade sticking out. That usually is caused by a rotation of the thorax.
Well, enough said, maybe I got everyone more confused but any comment on that will help me too!
Pola (my real name)[/QUOTE]

[AILEA]

My daughter has been wearing her spinecor for more than a year, and she hasn´t had "in-brace" X-rays with this brace, since the first app.(Dec. 2004).
We visit our spinecor ortho every three months, and he always measures her with "the Free point system", wich provides you a 3D view of the postural desorganisation. The ortho has told us, that if there is a reduction in the rotation angles with and without brace, there is no need to make so many X-rays, cause that´s an indicator that the brace is helping with the curves. Perhaps in our visit in Jan she´ll have them done.
My daugther had without brace x-rays done this summer, and we confirmed that there was a little reduction of her principal curve.
Hope this helps

Ailea

[MATJESNIC]

Ailea,
Thanks for sharing that info. Does everyone have a rotation curve if they have scoli? Does everyone get a number? Nobody mentioned this to me. Unless I forgot. Do you mind telling me how old your daughter is, how big her curve is, and where you are receiving your treatment? Please just tell me to butt out and mind my own business if I am being too forward. Thanks so much. We are glad to have you joining our discussion about Spinecor.
Melissa

[cyprusmom]

I wanted to ask Ailea the same things actually! I believe your daughter, Ailea,is the one who has been wearing Spinecor the longest amongst this group. So we need to know more from you! I know you live in Spain but please remind us your daughters curves and if you have these rotation numbers.
Melissa I would say that if Nicoles' back is higher on one side she also has the hump caused by a rotation which, from my undarstanding is common with a scoliosis say higher than 20. But, who am I? DO ask your ortho. Maybe Nicoles' isn't that much of a rotation.
We are catching the plane to go back to Cyprus in a couple of hours. We have had spring weather and it is not uncommon to have this around Xmas.
The farmers are certainly hoping for some rain....Cyprus is a rather dry island.
I don't think Anastasia got Nicole's photo. We will check again from home.
Talk to you all soon,
Pola

[gerbo]

about S spinecor assesment

good bits first. Wow, what a beautiful hospital, this private place in Sheffield, soft carpets, smiling receptionists, loungy type of waitingrooms. Miles of the NHS world of crappy buildings, stressed nurses and general chaos

We were the only patients Mr Mills had to deal with from 10.30 onwards, and with time for x-rays in between, we spend there till 2.30, hardly without any empty time. With other words, we did get lots of time and lots of attention (surely the bill is going to reflect this)

First xray, taken after she had been out of brace for 3 days was a bonus; we measured the cobbs angle at only 26 degree, similar to what it was a year ago, so up till now, we have beenreasonable stable, so that's good too

Next, trial of spinecor, curve at T11 he classified as "being a bit awkward", (whilst T12 would have been easier, apparantly every level has its own approach) Slightly surprisingly (to me) he needed to use his computer to work out how to apply the various components of the brace. Would have hoped that with experience this would have become second nature.

S kind of liked the brace more than her current plastic one, feels softer, moves easier and is thinner. I think she was slightly disappointed that it was still lots of material to go round her body, and did have her little crying moments (back to reality after 3 days of bracefree bliss played its part)

Next; xray in brace, slightly mixed feelings. We measured the cobb angle at 16 degree (indeed, saw the computer do it, very handy), which as such is better than the 21 degree we had months ago whilst in the hard brace. as such promising, however; one component of the brace is pulling the right shoulder slightly down, which apparantly has a reason as it adds to the straightening of the spine, but i am not to keen to have her walking lobsided through life, and ofcourse it goes against her dancetraining, which is all about symmetry of movement and posture. Not sure how much this pulling down of the shoulder contributed to the straighter picture and given a too optimistic impression of the potential of the brace.

All in all, considering 1))the published evidence is as good as for any other brace (if not better) 2) Lisanna likes the spinecor more than her hard brace 3) It is definitely doing something, we have decided to take the plunge and give it a go. waiting now for NHS appointment with mr douglas in sheffield, who as an orthopedic needs to do the prescribing of the brace.

Best news for her; at the end we asked whether she should wear her old brace whilst waiting for spinecor at which he replied at the delight of her that he had rather that we didn't as it could reduce the effectiveness of the spinecor. we had such a happy girl driving back with us in the car tonight, at least xmas and newyear without her brace. How the hell we are going to get her back into bracing in the new year, i don't know, worry about it later.

gerbo

[Celia]

Gerbo,

Believe it or not I was thinking about you and Lisanna today! Don't worry about the lopsidedness of the shoulders because that will become less evident in no time at all, at least that was the case with Deirdre ! FANTABULOUS NEWS about the correction !!!!!!!! Hey, I'm beginning to think that the reason we don't hear of more Spinecor cases is because these families don't need the support - their children are doing so well ! Oh.... will Mr. Douglas be your new ortho ?


Melissa,

I was wondering what you would consider a success ? Would it be to maintain/correct Nicole's curve OR only correct and maintenance/progression a failure ? I'm just wondering what your expectations are. When is your appointment ? It's soon isn't it ?


Ailea,

That's interesting about having only the intial x-rays !


celia

[MATJESNIC]

Celia,
I will be thrilled if Nicole's curve didn't get any bigger and she could avoid surgery. Anything more than that would be a bonus. Our appt. is 3 days after Christmas in New York City.
Melissa

[MATJESNIC]

Gerbo,
Thanks so much for giving such a detailed account of your experience. I really appreciate it. I had kind of the same feeling when our Dr. kept referring back to his book and computer. I was thinking, "Wait, does he know what he is doing?" lol!!! But I know he has done so many of these, so I figured he was being very detail-oriented. We actually received the brace the day of our first appointment. Maybe things are different where you are.
This is so great. We have girls from the U.S., Cyprus, Spain, England, and Canada all wearing the Spinecor. I hope I didn't forget anyone. Of course we would have all liked to have met under more pleasant circumstances. It is interesting that most of our girls are dancers. I guess that is one reason we chose this type of brace. Take care and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to a brace-free Lisanna. (and of course, to everyone else, as well!)
Melissa

[AILEA]

Melissa and Pola, of course I don´t mind answering
My daughter is 13 years old, and she is being treated in Spain,( where we are from)
I´ve been always told that structural ("real") scoliosis involves vertebral rotation. It is generally measured by a scoliometer, in inches or degees, and by the Nash-Moe technique using the x-rays. With this one the rotation is classified in four stages (0-4) , measurig the pedicle rotation by dividing the vertebral body into segments.
She was diagnosticated with 35ºL and 18ºD curves(Sept 2004), and a mild rotation:
-Scoliometer: 0.39 Dorsal, 0.59 Lumbar.
-Nash-Moe: Between 1 and 2.
-Free point: 6º D, 6ºL.
This summer, she has without x-rays done, and her curves where at 24º, dorsal and lumbar.The rotation degees with the free point, 9ºD and 2º L. I thought the free point system was always used with the spinecor, and I don´t really Know very much about it, but you can see the relationship between all them.
Gerbo, I see your app. went well, congratularions!

[Celia]

Wow Ailea !!! You've really educated yourself Talking about the Nash Moe method and such. Good for you !

[MATJESNIC]

[Ailea,
Thank you so much for that information. Now I feel as though I can go into my next appt. with a lot of questions. I haven't heard of many of the things you mentioned. I wonder why. Three doctors who specialize in scoli from 3 different hospitals or offices, and all they mentioned were the curves and the risser. I will certainly talk to her Spinecor doctor about this.
Thanks so much. I'm thrilled that your daughter is doing so well.
Feliz Navidad!!! I hope I spelled that at least almost correctly.
Melissa

[gerbo]

Take care and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to a brace-free daughter.

thanks melissa, same to you and everybody

[Celia]

Gerbo,

How many x-rays did Lisanna have ?


Melissa,

Don't worry about not getting too much information from the orthos, that's pretty standard. My feeling is that they went to medical school for so many years and don't want to give up any information - after all they are charging the big bucks for their expertise.

[gerbo]

only 2, one standing out of brace and one standing in brace. Made sense to me as I wouldn't have thought that lateral xrays would have really changed the management, although I actually didn't ask that question, might do when i next see him

(stupid radiologist put pelvic protection (after i mentioned it) in front of daughter, rather then behind her, and before I could really comment the xray had been taken, clearly without protection, do you really have to think of everything yourself??)

Anybody follows this prescribed exercise programme.??? Not really sure what the "status" of it is, i.e. whether there is evidence that brace with specific exercise is better than brace alone.

He wasn't sure about "my" torsorotation, need to send him the literature so he can put it to their exercise specialists within the firm. Not to keen to let go of it as I have some confidence that it has helped to keep things stable over the last year

[pat]

"do you really" have to think of everything yourself??)"
That, by far, somedays is the most tiring and frustrating and sad to say common occurrence!! Drives me nuts! p