Scoliosis Blog

5 November 2009

I have been using Egoscue postural alignment for quite a few years with great results in many cases. However, I have always been disappointed with its outcomes with regard to scoliosis. This led me to continue to explore scoliosis treatment options and my eventual meeting up with Tamar and Lior Neuhous who are Israeli based physiotherapists trained in what is known as the Schroth Method of Scoliosis treatment. The Schroth method is named for Katharina Schroth who started working in the Scoliosis field in the 1921 eventually opening the Schroth clinic in Germany in 1961.

Katharina Schroth's work in scoliosis has been continued by her physiotherapist daughter Christa Lehnert-Schroth and, orthopaedic surgeon grandson, Hans Rudolf Weiss. Katharina Schroth trained and befriended a Spanish physiotherapist by the name of Elena Salva who opened up a Scoliosis rehabilitation school in Barcelona in 1968 and her son-in- law Dr Manual Rigo, who is the director of this centre, developed into one of the foremost experts in the Schroth method in the world and has trained over 400 physiotherapists in the Schroth method in the Schroth clinic in Germany, Spain, Israel and USA. Dr Rigo is the developer of the Rigo System Cheneau brace (RSC) http://grantwoodortho.com

The Schroth clinic was purchased by a German public company (Asklepios) in the 1990's and Dr Weiss who was its medical director till 2008 has since left the Schroth clinic. The clinic is now called the Asklepios Katharina Schroth Clinic. http://www.skoliose.com/

As Asklepios has licensed the name Schroth, Dr Rigo's courses are no longer called Schroth method courses but are purely based on the Schroth method and his instruction comes with decades of experience from thousands of scoliotic patients.

Tamar and Lior Neuhous who are both members of SOSORT (Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment http://www.sosort.org) strongly encouraged me to participate in Dr Rigo's training courses. This led me Steven's Point, Wisconsin in November 2009 where Dr Rigo, in conjunction with Beth Janssen of Scoliosis Rehab Inc. commenced his first training program in America. Dr Rigo's Schroth based training is strongly endorsed by Christa Lehnert-Schorth.

After going through training using the principles of the Schroth method I have come to realise a few essential issues:

• There is no doubt that conservative scoliosis treatment can be effective in treating scoliosis, however there is no guarantee that conservative scoliosis treatment will be effective in stabilising all scoliosis patients. Like any therapy; there are 3 outcome possibilities. The term improve is meant loosely and does not imply cure / full eradication of curve etc.

  1. Some patients will improve no matter what the therapist does.
  2. Some patients will deteriorate no matter what the therapist does.
  3. Some patients will improve because of what the therapist does.

• Conservative scoliosis treatment is a "super specialty". Generally trained therapists do not have sufficient training to adequately treat scoliosis and can possibly contribute to the progression (deterioration) of the scoliosis.

• Conservative treatment in scoliosis requires the patient to take responsibility for the ongoing rehabilitation of their scoliosis.

There is ample evidence to indicate that conservative scoliosis management can be an effective treatment in the management of scoliosis. Some spine physicians and surgeons are open to this option and some not. Their intention however should always be viewed as wanting the best possible outcome for their patients. Our course was partly attended by an American Paediatric Spine Surgeon from Michigan Dr Michael Mendelow who after seeing positive results in some of his patients showed keen interest in the method.