SpineCor® Scoliosis Bracing

The SpineCor® Brace

The SpineCor Dynamic Corrective Brace is made up of two sections:

• The first section consists of the pelvic base (1), the crotch bands (2) and the thigh bands (3).  Its role is to act as an anchoring point and support for the actions applied to the patient's trunk by the corrective elastic bands.
• The second section consists of the bolero (4) and the corrective elastic bands (5).  This is the part designed to make the correction of the scoliosis curve.  The fitting of the corrective bands is specific for each patient and depends on the type of curve.

 

TREATMENT PRINCIPLE

A specific corrective movement is performed, and the brace is applied according to the SpineCor Assistant Software instructions. The moderate tension in the elastic bands allows the repetition and amplification of the corrective movement as the child undertakes everyday activities. This results in a progressive curve reduction.  The brace is worn 20 hours out of 24. The four hours out of the brace must not be taken at once, usually the patient divides them into two breaks: morning and evening.  Sports are to be encouraged and done while wearing the brace.   To obtain a neuro-muscular integration of the new strategy of movement, the minimum duration of the treatment is 18 months.  Because of the progressive changes, absence of external support during the treatment, and intact muscles, there is no loss of correction after the brace discontinuation.  Physical therapy is NOT a necessity in the SpineCor program (SpineCor itself may be considered a physiotherapy 20 hours out of 24).  For the patients at the beginning of the treatment, the physio is carried out with the brace on; for the patients in the weaning period the exercises are done without the brace.  

Are Long-Term Benefits Expected?

SpineCor - a non-rigid brace for the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis: post-treatment results (Euro Spine 2004)

At 2 years follow-up there was an overall correction of greater than 5° for 55% of the patients, 38% had a stabilization and 7% had worsened by more than 5°. This initial cohort of patients demonstrated a general trend of initial decrease in spinal curvature in brace, followed by a correction and/or stabilization at the end of treatment, which was maintained through 1, and 2 years' follow-up.

 

---

Next Section : Bracing for Adults >>