Adult brace (TLSO) Rigid brace

[Grace]

Dear friends,

do u think adult 27 years old, can still use brace???

what is yr opinion??

[marmyte]

regarding achieving correction, if a person is skeletally mature (as adults are, skeletal maturity occurs in late adolescence) then i don't think a brace will work. some people use fabric corsets as a means to help support muscles and thus relieve pain but i think if your curve is severe and you are skeletally mature a brace will not achieve correction

[Alison]

No, no no. Once you're skeletally mature........you're doing yourself more harm then good wearing a ridgid TLSO (or other rigid brace).

The two big harms

---> Muscle Atrophy: You're muscles not working and becoming slack
---> Affects on lung capacity/chest wall


There are various 'fabric corset' kind of set up which some people wear to provide support only.

Once you've stopped growing a brace is not going to 'correct your curves'



Alison

[javagirl]

dear alison,
i'am new member here. i'am was diagnosed scoliosis when i was 13, and now iam 26. my curves is about 40 sumthing, surgery is not my option ( no money ) and i wear brace now ( fabric brace ) do u think it is work for me? plz ur advice plz.
my intentions now, to reduce the curve ( i hope it is work) and prevent it getting worst when i getting older.
may i know what is ur degreess? and when u was diagnosed? and what u do? surgery or bracing. thank u

[LindaRacine]

Javagirl...

A brace may actually allow your curves to worsen.

Since you can't afford surgery, you might want to check out this organization:

http://www.orthofocos.org

Regards,
Linda

[MyThots]

Adult Bracing

Please consult with someone who specializes in orthotics/prosthetics about bracing options. That specialist could tell you whether bracing would be of benefit to you or not. Bracing will not reduce the degree of your curve, but might have benefits. If you do visit with the specialist, ask about whether bracing can make the curve worse.

Over the years I have tried the cloth braces, but they would always slide up, no matter how tight I would fasten the fasteners. A few months ago when I was experiencing back pain, a new orthopedist recommended an orthotics specialist to make a semi-rigid brace for me. Fits wonderfully, and does not slide up.

I had asked the orthotics specialist about curves getting worse as we get older. He said it was possible, but not likely after the final growth spurt. The degree of curve at the end of the growth spurt is the degree of curve that will most likely to have for the remainer of our life. I did not ask about the development of compensary curves. For me, the semi-rigid brace helped to reduce the stress on my spine. The specialist told me that the bracing will help me stay functional more easily and for longer.

I have been visiting this web-site for a few months and want to thank each of you for sharing your experiences. I developed scoli when I was 13. I am 55 now. Back then medical personnel treated kids as if we were stupid, and no one explained to me about what happened, why and all of that. The new orthopedist I visit with a few months ago explained it all to me. He said that at the time of my surgery, my curve was probably close to 100 degrees. Surgery reduced the curve to about 65 degrees. A bone graft done with graft from my leg bones. An intentional forward curve created to reduce the stress on my curve. My scoli is the result of an extremely rare bone syndrome. My spine is practically solid bone. The plus side of that, for me, anyway, is that I am not likely to get much shorter than I already am as I grow older.

Be good to yourself!

[LindaRacine]

I had asked the orthotics specialist about curves getting worse as we get older. He said it was possible, but not likely after the final growth spurt. The degree of curve at the end of the growth spurt is the degree of curve that will most likely to have for the remainer of our life. I did not ask about the development of compensary curves. For me, the semi-rigid brace helped to reduce the stress on my spine. The specialist told me that the bracing will help me stay functional more easily and for longer.

Actually, that's what they used to say. Newer research shows that larger curves (probably around 50+ degrees) will usually worsen as one ages, even after skeletal maturity. And, smaller curves will usually not worsen.

I also used a custom made TLSO for about a year (before my surgery), and it did help somewhat in terms of mitigating pain. I was warned by several specialists, however, that the brace might cause my abdominal muscles to atrophy rather quickly, so I only wore the brace when I knew that I was going to have to spend a lot of time on my feet.

--Linda

[MyThots]

Adult Bracing

Cheerful greetings,

I knew from reading the information from this web-site and what participants wrote on Forum that curves can increase as we get older. It frightened me to know that, so that is why I asked the orthotics specialist and the new orthopedist who specializes in scoli/spine disorders. I am wondering does the increase in curve happen for those who have not had treatment and/or had treatment?

Muscle atrophy/weakness is a real possibility, so the most I wear my brace is seven hours per day, and usually not even that long. I use it when I know I am going to be sitting for an extended time, for example while working. I also try to exercise to prevent muscle weakness. The orthotics specialist told me eight hours per day that I used the brace, was the maximum length of time. But everyone is different, so what is true for me, will not necessarily be true for others.

I do not know what the length of time of using the brace is before atrophy sets in. Not my area of knowledge. The only thing I know for sure is that constant use of brace causes muscle weakness. Anyone who has broken their arm or leg and had to wear a cast/splint for several seeks has had that experience.

With my having an "atypical" scoli, it is impossible to know what, if anything, will happen with my spine as I grow older, but hopefully, I will remain stable.

However you celebrate the holidays during December, I hope you will each find contentment and peace.

[LindaRacine]

Cheerful greetings,

I knew from reading the information from this web-site and what participants wrote on Forum that curves can increase as we get older. It frightened me to know that, so that is why I asked the orthotics specialist and the new orthopedist who specializes in scoli/spine disorders. I am wondering does the increase in curve happen for those who have not had treatment and/or had treatment?

Anyone's curve can increase, regardless of treatment, especially for larger curves. The one exception would be surgically treated scoliosis. With a properly fused spine, increase in curvature is minimal if at all.

--Linda