The Solution Revealed !
The 10 year old CLEAR approached to the treatment of Scoliosis was founded by Dr. Dennis Woggon with it’s foundation based on the decades of research and teachings of Dr. Burl Pettibon. CLEAR doctors have been helping children and adults see cessation curve progression and COBB reductions of 5% up to 50%. The treatment method or approach is referred to as “MIX, FIX, SET”. The 3 dimensional approach revolves around restoring the structural and functional integrity of the lateral curves (forward neck and lower back curves ) to reduce the tendency of the spine to rotate and deviate in the P-A (back to front) dimension.
It is well documented that scoliosis patients tend to have significant increases in anatomical abnormalities of the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, vibrational feed back mechanisms, and the postural reflex and equilibrium mechanisms when compared to the general population. Research has proposed that the loss of symmetry in these systems in the scoliosis patient may result from environmental stresses during fetal development and yet no human genome has been identified. This and other knowledge allows continued advancements in clinical research to develop, ‘The Solution’.
The program of care consists of;
THE MIX: a series of soft tissue warm-up preparations that are aimed at relaxing and softening the spinal muscle, tendon and ligament complexes as well as the intervertebral disc, thus allowing change to occur. These processes include
· DLT, Dynamic linear cervical traction
· Thoracic horizontal planar extensions exercises
· 6-way static cervical spine stretching
· Active thoracic decompression training
· Passive vibration cervical traction
· Passive linear lumbar flexion distraction
· Gravity assisted vibrational cervical and lumbar decompression
· Antigravity vibration assisted decompression bracing, specific to that patient’s curvatures
THE FIX: a series of specific non-rotatory chiropractic spinal adjustments are used to align the spine in it’s optimum biomechanical position. These adjustments are performed using a combination of manual and mechanically assisted techniques that are based upon highly specific, Euclidean geometry based radiographic data and daily posture analysis. This manipulative therapy is aimed at achieving measurable improvement in the three (X, Y & Z) dimensions of the spinal condition found in the Scoliosis patient.
THE SET: A cooling down period of time in the treatment process where the goal is to solidify the correction. This is achieved through a combination of core muscle strengthening, isometric demand head and body weighting, neuromuscular and proprioceptive re-education exercises some of which incorporate the use of whole body vibration to retrain the body to adapt to a more balanced posture.
The combination of our solid understanding of the neurophysiologic effects that develop in scoliosis, its relationship to the bodies functional adaptation and an appreciation of the communication that must occur between the body and the brain in order for growth of the body to occur. This allows us to meet and exceed long term medical expectations with regards to both non-surgical and surgical solutions for most scoliosis cases.
Research supports the idea that the primary factors influencing scoliotic curve progression is shear forces and asymmetrical loading of the vertebrae due to the structural deviation of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc. Over time this often leads to a wedging deformity of the box-like structure of the vertebrae as per the Heuter-Volkmann Law; a ‘vicious cycle’ is then created in ALL 3 dimensions of the spine which greatly affects the speed and magnitude of the progression of scoliosis. It is then logical that 3 dimensional mirror-image postural remodeling is a successful way of altering the progressive nature of the scoliotic spine and providing the patient ongoing tools to cause the cession of the progression. We have dozens of patients where a COBB angle reduction and reversal were successfully attained and maintained.