A Review of Non-Invasive Treatment Interventions for Spinal Deformities

Spinal deformities of the scoliotic type, affect approximately 2% of the population.1 When an individual has an s-shaped curve of greater than 20 degrees, treatment is usually indicated. For curves that are not (severe is defined as greater than 45 degrees; requiring surgery) various physical therapy treatment interventions are often tried. These include Electrical muscle stimulation, bracing, exercise programs, and manipulation. All of these interventions are considered conservative treatments that have been commonly used to treat scoliosis.2-4 The impact of various interventions has been scrutinized in the literature, and their outcomes have been found to have variable levels of effectiveness.3 In addition to the physical impact of scoliosis, the emotional impact of scoliosis must also be addressed since having scoliosis will often dramatically affect a patient’s self-image, which in turn can impact their perceived pain levels. Ultimately, scoliosis can result in a number of secondary impairments, which if left untreated, can be severe.5,6