Scoliosis Blog

Hi All,

I am off to Barcelona and Milan for the SOSORT conference and to spend some time in the clinic of Stefano Negrini in Milan. Their group use a method called SEAS to treat scoliosis.  I will write something from the course...  however, in the interim...

I asked my colleague Shana-Lee to write something about her recent trip to Wisconsin...

After Larry returned from the USA in November 2009, I was intrigued and inspired at all he had learnt and wanted to hop on the next plane to do the Schroth course. Little did I know that after  travelling with my husband for 5 months around the globe, I’d get an email from Larry in my last week of travels to say “don’t put your passport away” and I was to leave 2 weeks after returning from my relaxing time away.

I unpacked one bag, only to pack another but this time the bikinis were left behind and the warm winter coats, scarves and boots were packed. A snow storm hit the middle of the USA just in time for my and many other course participants arrival. So after a 50 hour journey with many itinerary changes and no sleep, I arrived in Wisconsin, USA….with no luggage.  Due to the storm the first day of the course was cancelled and hence what was meant to be a 10 day course to learn the Schroth Based Method of treating Scoliosis, became 9 very long days.

Scoliosis was always one condition I questioned. Was there a cure? What treatments were best? Could you stop the progression of the curves? And could we help pain? None of which I knew how to answer fully until I attended the Schroth course. Learning about the Schroth method and the theory behind all the exercises was interesting and exciting knowing that now I could now finally answer most of the questions I had all along and most importantly…now I could truly help patients with a method that works!

The most amazing part of the course was seeing the patients performing the exercises and watching their faces glow as they realized their potential to improve not only their “curvy” posture, but their confidence and self esteem.

Like most physical conditions, scoliosis is coupled with many emotions from both the patients and their parents. We were lucky enough to have a physiotherapist attending the course who in fact had scoliosis herself, as well as 2 other physiotherapists who were mothers of teenage girls who both suffered with scoliosis. Seeing the emotions that came through from both the patients and the parents was amazing. The 4 teenage girls truly went from 4 shy girls with hunched shoulders to hide from their curves, to 4 confident and bubbly girls who stood up straight and proud.

Both the girls and the parents were inspired by each other and were so grateful to have others to talk to who knew what they were going through. It really made me realise the importance of having a support system for patients and their parents to be able to discuss their condition, the pain they feel both physically and mentally, and of course the big question for some is the possibility of surgery and possible outcomes.

In America there is a support group called “The Curvy Girls” which I think is an amazing idea and would be welcomed in Australia. For more information go to www.curvygirlsscoliosis.com.