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Children’s Orthotics are also able to provide you with a specialised physiotherapy service - either as a stand alone treatment, or in accompaniment to one of our Scoliosis bracing packages. Our experienced team are specialists in providing physiotherapeutic intervention to combat scoliosis, compliment bracing treatments and improve your child’s outcomes.
Is there a specific type of physiotherapy for Children who have Scoliosis?
Yes there is. Our experienced multidisciplinary team will first accurately classify the type of curve from an in-depth postural analysis, and will ideally review a recent X-ray. They will use the information gathered at this point to create a physiotherapy program that is tailored to combat your child’s specific curvature.
Your child’s physiotherapy regime will be bespoke to them, and will be dependent on the classification of their curvature. There are many classifications of scoliosis curves - these depend on the location of the apex of the curve in the spine, and also on the number of curves. There can sometimes be up to 3 curves involved in a scoliosis curve.
When should physiotherapy be considered?
Almost all children with Scoliosis will benefit from additional physiotherapy. Physiotherapy should be considered as a stand alone treatment for curves that are too small for bracing - this is any scoliosis curve with a Cobb Angle of less than 20°. Physiotherapy should also be considered for children with larger curves as part of a broader treatment plan - for instance those with a Cobb angle between 20° and 55°, children who are preparing for bracing treatment, or those who are already receiving bracing treatment.
What is a Cobb Angle?
A Cobb angle is the unit of measurement used to calculate the size of your child’s scoliosis, it’s measured in degrees. It is calculated using an X ray of your child’s spine and is worked out by drawing a digital line, straight through the first and last affected vertebrae surrounding the curve, and measuring the angle at which these lines intersect. Please read more about the Cobb angle here
How does Children’s Scoliosis physiotherapy work?
Scoliosis not only leads to deformity of the spine, it also limits the movements associated with the spine as a result. These limitations of the spine are fed back to the brain through a neurological feedback loop, this in turn trains the brain to respond in the same fashion - sending messages to the spine through these same affected neurological pathways. This leads to compensatory complications, straining muscles, and putting ligaments and tendons under pressure. Scoliosis patients often do not recognise their poor posture, as they and their neuromuscular system have become gradually accustomed to it over time.
Our physiotherapy will provide permanent postural changes by re-educating the brain and neuromuscular systems through overly corrective movements and postural change patterns. We aim to retrain the neuromuscular patterns through repetition and amplification of specific corrective movements, using movements that are individually selected for each type of curve.
What is the goal of Children’s Orthotics Scoliosis physiotherapy?
To Improve muscular imbalances
Often children with scoliosis present with muscles that are shortened on the side that the curve leans towards, and lengthen on the side that the curve leans away from. This discrepancy in muscle length creates an imbalance, making it difficult for the body to counteract the deformity naturally. Postural reeducation, stretching and muscular rebalance exercises to allow the corrective patterns of movement to become intuitive. We tackle this by improving muscle strength and stretching tight muscles
Strengthening weak muscles and stretching tight ones will help the body to become more naturally aligned, improving posture and reinforcing healthier postural patterns.
Improve pain
As the spine becomes more posturally balanced, muscles become stronger and more relaxed - this can see significant improvements in pain caused by scoliotic curves.
Improved posture
As a result of these improvements in both muscle strength and flexibility, and repeated posturally healthier feedback between the brain and the body, scoliosis patients undergoing physiotherapy often see improved posture as a result.
Prepare for bracing if it seems likely that it might be required
Physiotherapy is a great way to prepare the body for bracing, if it is looking likely that your child will need a brace - this is the perfect way to get them ready for it. Physiotherapy can reduce some of the initial aches and pains of becoming accustomed to wearing an over corrective brace, prepare their brains to be more receptive to neurological feedback provided by the brace and can mentally prepare them for bracing by seeing initial improvements in their own posture.
Provide Education
Our Physiotherapists will be able to educate both your child, and you, on ways to improve posture in real life environments - bringing awareness when a child falls back into patterns that are comfortable to them, but not conducive to good posture. This can be anything from sitting a specific way in a chair, to standing in certain positions. Your physiotherapist will help you and your child to learn to recognise patterns of behaviour, and swap them out for a more optimal position.
How many sessions will be required?
This will depend on a number of factors including:
- How quickly the corrective movements are learnt and integrated, the corrective movements are key to successful physiotherapy treatment.
- If the curve is stable or progressing - A progressing curve will often benefit from input for a longer duration.
- Curve flexibility - a stiff curve will not respond as well to physiotherapy until it has been stretched and more flexibility is attained
- Size of the curve
- Age - As a child hits peak growth (during puberty) increased
- How compliant your child is with the treatment, they will get out what they put in
After the initial consultation the physiotherapist will discuss how many sessions will likely be required.
Who can refer to Children’s orthotics for Physiotherapy for Scoliosis?
We accept referrals from:
- Parents looking to improve their child’s scoliosis privately
- Consultants and doctors
- Private health insurance companies
- Case Managers
- Solicitors
- Other healthcare professionals
How to Arrange a Scoliosis Physiotherapy Assessment with Children's Orthotics?
Booking an appointment is easy! You can schedule directly through our website to receive a 5% discount, or call us at 0330 088 3949 to speak with one of our friendly customer service representatives.
If you book online, please email us at office@orthotics.co.uk to confirm that your appointment is for a scoliosis physiotherapy assessmen. Providing as much detail as possible about the case—including recent X-rays, if available—will help us tailor the assessment to your child’s needs.
Let us help support your child with expert scoliosis treatment designed to improve their quality of life.
To get in touch or arrange an appointment, you can call us at 0330 088 3949 or email office@orthotics.co.uk.