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  • Adult Boston Brace??

    I AM 44 YEARS OLD AND MY CURVE IS AT 60 DEGREES, GOING TO PT, USING A INVERSION TABLE AND HAVE A PRESCRIPTION THAT IS FULLY COVERED FOR A BOSTON BRACE LIKE I WORE AS A TEEN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD NOT TO GET IT AS IT WILL NOT HELP STRENGHTEN THE MUSCLES I AM TRYING TO STRENGHTEN. I WOULD LIKE TO RELIEVE PAIN WITH IT. DOES ANY ADULTS USE A BRACE LIKE THIS FOR PAIN RELIEF?? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS????

  • #2
    I was told that no bracing would help me with pain or correction when I saw a surgeon in Tucson in the early nineties. He would not do surgery, nor give me any pain relievers except for naproxen. I had a job at that time that required prolonged standing and I had to quit that job and get a desk job. I had just come from Philadelphia (where I had Blue cross, not HMO) where I could have surgery if I wished. PT in Tucson was not as good as in Phila.Ended up travelling to Phoenix to find a decent orthopedic physician. What city do you live in? You may want to find a physician in the nearest large city.

    Comment


    • #3
      DOCTOR

      I AM FROM TUCSON AND LIVE IN PHOENIX NOW AND HAVE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF DOCTORS, ONE WHO LOVES TO DO SURGERY AND SAID COME BACK IN A YEAR AND RECHECK MY CURVE. PT HAS NOT REALLY DONE MUCH EITHER, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ARTHRITIS AT MY LOWER BACK AREA....

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      • #4
        When I was in Phila PT included passive therapy, like heat and ultrasound. In Tucson all I got was PT aides trying to make me do sit ups, which I refused to do.
        I asked them to do put some heat packs on my pack for a couple of visits, but they said that it wouldn't help me. They didn't want to take the time or expense of doing something like that. Maybe you can talk the therapist into some heat therapy or massage, which will probably make you feel better, if only temporarily. I saw Dr Maric in Phoenix. He told me to come back every year and said he would do surgery but did not push it too much. If you don't want surgery, all the surgeons do is make sure you haven't had a big change in the curves since the last time you were there. I did go to a pain clinic and Tucson and that was some help.

        Comment


        • #5
          Hello GHD1959,

          I am 43 years-old, have a 80 degree progressing curve which is
          inoperable because of a rare congenital respiratory anomaly.

          I got a Boston brace last year, just like the one I used to wear when I
          was a teenager. I know that my curve will not be corrected or my
          progression will be
          halted by a Boston brace but I wanted to try it as a pain relief measure.
          The doctors were all raising eyebrows but I was so desparate.
          They gave in though cautioned me not to wear it for long hours as it
          will deteriorate my muscles and told me to do lots of exercises.

          But the brace DOES help a bit in easing my pain.
          I get severe pain especially in my rib hump and lower back areas when I sit or stand for some hours. But with the Brace on, I get less pain, particularly in my rib hump. I think it's because the pad on the brace gives a nice press to my rib hump.

          However, I can only wear the Brace for an hour or so. After that, I
          start having dizziness and nausea. The corset maker told me that it is probably because my spine, though it still has some flexibility, is not so flexible as teenagers.

          I also have a soft corset which I wear when I go out.

          So now, I wear a Boston brace or a soft corset when I sit or stand for long hours and I do abdominal exercises everyday, which altogether releives my pain and enables me to function.

          However, I would NOT recommend other adults to get a Boston brace.
          I think the merits are slim compared to its cumbersomeness.

          That's my two cents.

          I hope you can find pain relief measures that suits you.

          KaTy

          Comment


          • #6
            adult bracing

            My husband has minor scoliosis which still causes him quite a bit of discomfort. I have often said that he should look into the SpineCor brace which is quite flexible (straps) and works with the muscles. It can't hurt to give it a try.





            Celia

            Canadian eh
            Daughter, Deirdre born Oct 2000. Diagnosed with 60 degree curve at the age of 19 months. Serial casting by Dr. Hedden at Sick Kid's Hospital. Currently being treated by Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard in Montreal with the Spinecor brace and curve is holding at "2" degrees. Next appointment 2008

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi Celia...

              Actually, I think it could hurt. A brace will almost certainly cause muscles to atrophy over time. Kids bodies have the ability to recover from that. In adults, a brace would almost certainly have to be permanent. That's probably OK in older adults.

              --Linda
              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

              Comment


              • #8
                Linda,

                Is that why adults are not prescribed braces by their doctors ? It seems as though more should be done in treating adults than just allowing curves to progress to the point when fusion is necessary. My husband has suffered from back pain for a number of years only to realize after my daughter was diagnosed with scoliosis that he too, had it.

                You are right, it would be a permanent solution and the muscles could atrophy over the long term. Have you seen the SpineCor brace ? Do you think it could lead to muscle atrophy ? I'm just looking for ways right now to help my husband with his pain. I don't want to see his curve progress over the long term. It's such a dilemma.

                I just had a thought, wouldn't it be great if they had something similar to the titanium rib for adults ? Granted there would be no expansions every six months but it would work as an internal brace...think about it, no fusion.

                Celia
                Last edited by Celia; 08-19-2004, 01:19 PM.

                Canadian eh
                Daughter, Deirdre born Oct 2000. Diagnosed with 60 degree curve at the age of 19 months. Serial casting by Dr. Hedden at Sick Kid's Hospital. Currently being treated by Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard in Montreal with the Spinecor brace and curve is holding at "2" degrees. Next appointment 2008

                Comment


                • #9
                  I always wonder whether the medical community ever care for scoliosis patients who have big curves but unable to undergo fusion surgery due to heart, respiratory or other problems.

                  Ms. Schommer writes in her book "Stopping Scoliosis" that "proper
                  patient selection" is important for adult surgeries. (pg 100)

                  So, what about people who fall from that "selection" ?

                  All scoliosis text, at least that I have read, never mention what
                  happens to these group of people.

                  If braces aren't for them and exercises won't help, what's the message?
                  Just sit back, relax and enjoy your curve progress, your rib hump grow and your lung function deteriorate?

                  I know people who fall into this group are very few, minority among the minority, so exceptional enough to be ignorable.
                  I feel discarded, cut off and left out from treatment. And it's sad.
                  Sometimes I get depressed just by reading surgery success stories.

                  Now, please don't recommend me any alternative treatments.
                  That's not my point here.

                  I just hope the scoliosis medical community would start exploring ways to help patients who fall from the current fusion-surgery-only option.

                  KaTy

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hi Katy....

                    I'm so sorry to hear that you fall within that group. It must be a "tough pill to swallow."

                    Since orthopaedists are surgeons, It may be asking too much to expect them to have solutions for people who aren't candidates for surgery. A good scoliosis specialist should, however, have some solutions for pain reduction. In addition to seeing a pain management doctor, you might want to look at these braces:
                    http://www.corflex.com/cerv-spine-pr...ody-frame.html
                    http://www.treatmyback.com/orthoflash.htm

                    While bracing won't permanently reduce curves in a skeletally mature patient, it can help reduce pain (especially lower back pain).

                    Regards,
                    Linda
                    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi Katy...

                      I just happened to come across the following abstract today and thought you might be interersted:

                      Br J Dis Chest. 1986 Oct;80(4):360-9. Related Articles, Links

                      Cardiorespiratory consequences of unfused idiopathic scoliosis.

                      Branthwaite MA.

                      A retrospective survey was carried out on approximately 800 scoliotic subjects attending a chest clinic over 25 years. One hundred thirty-one patients with unfused idiopathic scoliosis were identified and further consideration was restricted to 54 who were assessed at 30 years of age or older. Sex, age of onset of curvature, severity at the time of presentation, degree of dyspnoea, presence of independent cardiac or pulmonary disease and smoking habit were recorded. Measurements of lung function were compared with predicted figures calculated according to span, age and sex. Disabling dyspnoea or cardiorespiratory failure were associated with either scoliosis of early onset (curve first noticed before 5 years) or with independent cardiac or pulmonary disease. Only one of 28 patients with unfused idiopathic scoliosis of adolescent onset developed disabling dyspnoea in later life attributable solely to spinal deformity. A similar conclusion was drawn from a separate survey of mortality in 86 patients, 19 of whom suffered from idiopathic scoliosis. Cardiorespiratory failure attributable to the scoliosis was the cause of death of 11 patients, in 10 of whom the curve had first been noticed at less than 5 years of age whereas the onset was during early adolescence (11 years) in only one.

                      Regards,
                      Linda
                      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Linda:

                        Is there anything more recent? That study was done 18 years ago; not considered recent in the scientific community.
                        Karen
                        Last edited by Karen Ocker; 03-24-2005, 04:21 PM. Reason: misspelling
                        Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
                        Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Karen...

                          I don't know, and don't really have time to look. If you want to search, here's the link:

                          http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi

                          I found that article while doing a search for something else, and thought it might be of interest to Katy, since she had talked about the issue.

                          --Linda
                          Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                          Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Risser

                            Hi Linda,

                            You ARE such a great source of information, people just take it for granted that you have all this at your fingertips ! I saw one of your posts somewhere about Risser 0 1, 2, 3, 4 ( is there a 5 ? - I thought it was in this thread ) and I've been looking everywhere for information on the average age of patients as they attain these different levels. I know if I keep my - soon to be - four year old below 20 degrees that there won't be much risk of progression once she hits Risser 3 and 4 level. I think right now she is a Risser 0. Sorry guys for going OFF TOPIC





                            Celia

                            Canadian eh
                            Daughter, Deirdre born Oct 2000. Diagnosed with 60 degree curve at the age of 19 months. Serial casting by Dr. Hedden at Sick Kid's Hospital. Currently being treated by Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard in Montreal with the Spinecor brace and curve is holding at "2" degrees. Next appointment 2008

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hi Celia...

                              Good question. I looked through all of my scoliosis texts, and couldn't find anything showing average age correlated with Risser sign. I did find the statement that Risser 1 appears at an average of about 13-1/2 years in girls. And, if I'm not mistaken, most kids go from Risser 1 to Risser 4 in about a year.

                              And yes, there is a Risser 5.

                              Regards,
                              Linda
                              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                              Comment

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