Scoliosis

Scoliosis

Here at Sport and Spinal physiotherapy Elizabeth Atha treats scoliosis using the Schroth method.

The Schroth Method is an exercise method for treating adolescent and adult scoliosis. Using specific therapeutic exercise to focus on muscular balance, healthy posture, and breathing, the Schroth Method is part of a multidisciplinary approach to conservative management of scoliosis.

The Schroth Method differs from other therapies in that it focuses on posture three-dimensionally (3D) and is scoliosis-specific.

A 3D approach is important, because scoliosis is a 3D spinal deformity. An X-ray of a typical single-curve scoliosis shows the curve as a “C” or “S,” but that’s a one-dimensional understanding of scoliosis. What looks like the spine bending actually has a certain amount of vertebral rotation as well. It may be easier to visualize the spine more like a spiral or a coil shape than a curve. The scoliosis is a consequence of multiple factors around bone growth, which is why it tends to appear or progresses around any rapid growth spurt.

Treating scoliosis isn’t merely straightening the spine from one angle—it takes a comprehensive approach to align the 3D geometry of the spine. The Schroth Method achieves this by addressing postural control in the sagittal plane (front-back), side to side displacement in frontal plane, as well as rotation in the transverse plane.