Scoliosis: What It Is And How It Affects the Spine

Our chiropractor and staff here at Oviedo Family Chiropractic often help patients who are suffering from scoliosis to resolve problems with their spinal column. We have been hearing a lot of questions from our patients about exactly what scoliosis is and the bearing it has on posture and overall health. We decided to focus today's blog on scoliosis since we help patients dealing with it so often.

Scoliosis is a medical condition that causes a patient's spinal column to take on a curved appearance. This spinal deformity is a complex one that chiropractors are specifically trained to recognize and treat. When you see an x-ray image of a spine affected by scoliosis, you will often be able to see the distinct "C" or "S" shape. Dr. Eric Janowitz, one of our Oviedo chiropractors, will examine your x-rays and determine the best plan of treatment for scoliosis.

Scoliosis is caused by several different things. It may be present at birth (congenital), it may be of unknown origins (these scoliosis patients are categorized by age of onset), or it may be neuromuscular in origin (developing due to trauma to the spine, to spina bifida, or to cerebral palsy for example).

What Does Scoliosis Mean For The Posture?

Scoliosis generally affects posture by making the sufferer have a stooped over appearance or by making it difficult for the person to stand upright. There are many cases in which chiropractic treatment can be helpful in dealing with scoliosis, and our Oviedo chiropractor can provide scoliosis care for patients of all ages, including pediatric patients. We use gentle and completely non-invasive spinal adjustments to help scoliosis patients feel better, walk better, and in many cases stand more upright than they could previously.

Chiropractic care has proven to be quite helpful for some scoliosis patients, and we are dedicated to doing the very most we can for each of our clients.

Do you have scoliosis questions? Please ask here so we can answer below!

Oviedo Chiropractor Offers Specials
on Kinesiology Taping and Orthotic Fitting

For the month of February, Oviedo chiropractor, Dr. Eric Janowitz, will be providing free foot, ankle and knee evaluations, along with a free orthotic fitting session. In addition, we are offering $7.00 off of a foot, ankle or knee Kinesiology taping session (regularly $25.00). Custom orthotics for footwear can be helpful in supporting proper posture and alignment of the whole body. These custom shoe inserts promote proper form while performing normal activities people do on their feet. As for Kinesiology taping, this is a great help to patients going through physical therapy for a personal injury.

Foot, Ankle & Knee Evaluation a Vital Part of Chiropractic Care

Most people think of back pain and spinal alignment when they think of chiropractic care, but our goal is the proper alignment of the whole body. When feet or ankles are unbalanced, this can affect the knees and even the alignment of the spine. Pronation (the foot rolls inward) and supination (the foot rolls outward), for example, are common causes of pain for many people. After an examination, we can create custom-fitted orthotic shoe inserts that stabilize and align the feet, ankles and knees so everything works and feels better.

As for kinesiology taping of the feet, ankles and knees, we often do this for people undergoing rehabilitation for a personal injury, but many people are still unfamiliar with it. Have you ever seen athletes wearing brightly colored strips of tape on their shoulders, arms, legs or knees? This is kinesiology taping. We apply it in differing degrees of tension over tense muscles or joints to support and pull soft tissues to their optimal position, reduce swelling, enhance fluid drainage, and to relieve pain. A patient can wear the tape from 48 to 72 hours, and it can get wet without losing its tension or stickiness. Our patients have experienced great pain relief with kinesiology taping, and it has helped them to get back on their feet faster.

Have you ever had a Kinesiology taping experience, or custom orthotic inserts? What was your experience with those treatments and how did they help your injury?