Torso Rotation Strength Training for Scoliosis

Ballet Mom

Yep, here is the original quote.

My interview with Dr. Douglas Kiester

Quote:

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Dr. Kiester) Scoliosis is not just a lateral bending of the spine. It is a lateral bend linked with rotation. For rotation to occur there must be an axis of rotation in the midline. I proved this with growing rabbits and a dog while I was still in training. What happens is while the spine grows, the back of the spine is tethered by the ligaments, while the front (where the vertebral bodies are which support the weight) grows without restraints. Eventually there is too much length in the front, and very tight structures in the back. The spine then pops off to the side creating a spiral around the tight structures in the back (which stay almost straight). As such it is growth that powers the curve. If the posterior structures can be stretched-out by hormones of pregnancy, exercise, sleep, etc. or the anterior structure shorten by dehydration of the disk, aging, hormones, etc.; then the curve would be expected to improve. After a certain amount of curve, gravity prevents spontaneous correction.

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I don't want to put words in Dr. Kiester's mouth but I think his research showed him the basic mechanics of how an unnatural force combined with growth can lead to Scoliosis. In this case tight ligaments pulled the spine out of alignment as it grew. But that wouldn't necessarily exclude other potential problems. Other factors (like muscles) that produced a similar force could in theory trigger similar results.

Another example might be a tumor. Isn't there a type of Scoliosis triggered by a tumor in the spine? The tumor creates a force that causes the spine to grow curved. Once the tumor is removed the spine attempts to grow correctly again.

Yesterday I purchased a Cybex Eagle 4201 torso rotation machine for Scott. It cost $200.

It looks a lot like the machine in this video. In fact it probably is the same machine.

YouTube: Rotary Torso (Machine #18)

We plan to use it 3 times per week, 3 sets each side. That's a total of 6 sets per workout.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dingo

Yesterday I purchased a Cybex Eagle 4201 torso rotation machine for Scott. It cost $200.

It looks a lot like the machine in this video. In fact it probably is the same machine.

YouTube: Rotary Torso (Machine #18)

We plan to use it 3 times per week, 3 sets each side. That's a total of 6 sets per workout.

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Wow, what a great price. I take it Scott is now big enough to use the machines okay?

Hope you prove the study true (even without a control)! Who wants to be the control anyway? :D

Scott turns 7 on the 28th of this month and he is just old and large enough to use the machine properly.

I put a hard, flat piece of foam on the seat to raise him up to the correct level. I stand close behind (in fact touching) and spot him to make sure he moves smoothly.

I tested it on my 9 year old and he was big enough to use it without a spotter or foam. Fortunately he doesn't have Scoliosis.

I got the machine on Craigslist. It was a thirty minute drive to the seller's house but I couldn't beat the price. :)

Scott has been doing torso rotation strength training for approximately 6 weeks.

Week 2) His back looked a little better
Week 4) A little more improvement
Week 6) Still more improvement

At first I wasn't sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me. However after 6 weeks I'm reasonably certain that his rotation and rib hump are smaller. It appears to be working just like the studies.

I'll be sure to post his x-rays after his next visit.

Dingo

Sounds great. Cant wait to see the x-rays.

Ed

Wonderful news Dingo!! Congrats to you and Scott, makes my heart smile big & wishing you continued success :-)

Your posts here are very helpful. Do you know anything about exercises that strengthen the muscles that run on either side of the spine? I saw a video that clearly shows these muscles but now I can't remember where I saw it (so much information!). Makes sense to me that if these are strengthened, they would support the spine in a balanced manner, maybe reducing further increases. Can you help? Thanks!:confused:

Wonderful Dingo! :)

My daughter also went through periods when her back looked worse. All I could figure was that a big growth spurt had taken place which caused some tightening of ligaments (i.e Dr. Kiester's theory) due to the growth. And then as the growth slowed down, her stretching and exercise in ballet was able to help stretch the ligaments out sufficiently again. It happened time and time again. Just conjecture on my part, but no one else knows either...heh.

Now that her growth seems to be significantly slowed or stopping, her back looks great.

It would be interesting to hear what's going on with Dr. Kiester and his research these days.

BalletMom

Funny you should mention growth spurt. Scott grew a lot over the past 6 months. He's getting tall and skinny.

Still Hoping

Quote:

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Your posts here are very helpful. Do you know anything about exercises that strengthen the muscles that run on either side of the spine? I saw a video that clearly shows these muscles but now I can't remember where I saw it (so much information!). Makes sense to me that if these are strengthened, they would support the spine in a balanced manner, maybe reducing further increases.

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I believe the paraspinal muscles are activated by the Superman exercise. Have your daughter try this exercise and feel her back muscles. It's easy to do and it really works them.
YouTube: How to Do Superman Exercises

However torso rotation is the exercise that was found to be helpful in the studies.
This is a video of the Cybex machine my 7 year old uses. He sits on a square foam pad to bring him up to the correct height.
Rotary Torso (Machine #18)

It cost $200 used and it only takes a few minutes per week. The machine sits next to the computer and Scott watches Pokemon vidoes on YouTube between sets. :) We call it our "YouTube" exercises.

The other day I got to learn about Mudkip. :)

Another 3 weeks or so has gone by and I believe Scott's curve is almost completely gone. It was 13/14 at his last visit. I would guess that it's 5 degrees or possibly less today. His rib hump and rotation are still very evident but both have diminished since Torso Rotation began. I assume (more accurately pray) that his rib hump and rotation will continue to improve. Perhaps they respond at a slower rate. In any case we've only been at this 9 or 10 weeks.

I'll post his next set of X-rays but that's going to be a while.

Scott has been doing torso rotation strength training for approximately 3 months. I am now comfortable saying that his Scoliosis is cured. He started with a 13/14 degree thorocolumbar curve that was visible as a "kink" in the middle of his back. Today his spine is straight. As I mentioned before he still has some rotation but that appears to be slowly improving each week.

In late September 2011 Scott will go in for his 8 year old x-rays. I will get his complete series of x-rays (5, 6, 7 & 8) and post them here as well as on a website I plan to make to document Scott's rapid improvement with TRS.

Very special thanks goes out to Dr. Mooney, Dr. McIntire and all of the scientists who produced the research on TRS. Without their hard work I would have had no idea how to help my son.

Congratulations to you and Scott!!! Hard to find words to express the joy of hearing this. The word miracle, comes to mind. Are you planing a maintenance schedule?

That is such great news Dingo! I'm so happy for you and Scott!!

I'm glad to hear that you will continue with Scott's x-rays because it's possible the rotation may have been reduced and the curve might still be there. Hopefully that's not the case and the curve is completely gone, but you don't know until you get the x-ray.

My daughter also had rotation and a curve that you could see, but at this point you can't tell she has scoliosis, her curve is not visible and her rotation is non-existent....but her curve is still there! Are you still going to continue with the rotation exercises? I sure think that would be a good idea until you get the next x-ray, another growth spurt may be on its way.

It would really be fabulous if this torso rotation exercise really had a positive effect on scoliosis. I can hardly wait to hear the results when more studies are completed.

Thanks for putting this thread together and keeping it alive!