1. Don’t let your child become the next scoliosis surgery victim
Orthopedic surgeons perform approximately 38,000 scoliosis surgeries a year and more than
half of the scoliosis fusion surgeries are done on teenage children. The long-term effects of this
highly invasive scoliosis surgery often lead to chronic pain, flat back syndrome, and disability in
later life. As with most things in life, much can be learned from a “hind sight is 20/20”
retrospective view of how a mild scoliosis case progresses to the point of “needing” scoliosis
surgery.
One of the most unfortunately problems facing the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patient is
inadequate and poorly designed/performed scoliosis screenings that fail to detect the scoliosis
spine development at a younger age and smaller curve size. The failure to do detect mild
scoliosis cases, often prevents the usage of prognostic genetic testing (Scoliscore) and pro-
active early stage scoliosis intervention techniques, such as scoliosis specific rehabilitation that
targets the re-training of the automatic postural control centers in the brain. These amazing
advancements in pro-active scoliosis treatment technology remain on the “sidelines” in many
cases due to poor scoliosis screening results.
Mild scoliosis cases that are positively identified by scoliosis screening programs are generally
referred out to an orthopedic scoliosis specialist, whom is almost always unconcerned with
early stage scoliosis and advises the parents and patient to “watch & wait” to see if the curve
progresses in the next 6 months. In many cases, the patient dutifully accepts this
recommendation and may even follow this path of “observation only” for many months
without the curve getting worse, before they hit a significant period of rapid growth and the
scoliosis spine curve progresses from mild to severe in what seems like over-night.
The visit to the orthopedic scoliosis specialist is very different this time. This time, the
specialist’s casual attitude is replaced with a serious sense of urgency and a flurry of scoliosis
brace treatment options and surgical procedures is immediately recommended, including
scheduling a date for the highly invasive scoliosis surgery BEFORE the parent and patient leave
the facility that day. Generally, long-term complications and the actual “need” for scoliosis
surgery (which is primarily indicated for cosmetic improvement of the condition, not medical
necessity) are not discussed before the massive spinal fusion surgery decision is made and
scheduled. This “reactive” scoliosis treatment process is repeated time and time again,
Monday thru Friday, 52 weeks a year around the world and is not serving the best interest of
the scoliosis community.
How can you prevent your child from becoming the next scoliosis surgery victim? Learn and
look for the early signs of mild scoliosis posture evaluation (an interactive guide can be found
on http://www.treatingscoliosis.com/early-stage.html#), insist on Scoliscore genetic testing (if

2. the case qualifies), and adopt a pro-active sense of urgency about treating early stage (mild)
scoliosis, before it progresses rapidly into a scoliosis surgery level curvature. Remember, the
one thing all severe scoliosis spine curvatures have in common is they all started out as mild
scoliosis spine curvature first.
About the Author:
Treating Scoliosis.com offers alternatives to scoliosis surgery when treating scoliosis of the spine in
adults and children. Visit http://www.treatingscoliosis.com for more information on non-invasive
scoliosis treatment plans.