Treatment for children
Back brace
A back brace is custom-made to fit the body. Normally, a
back brace is made of rigid plastic, but there are also flexible
braces. A back brace helps push the spine into certain
directions, straightening it out. A back brace however could
be worn for years and can only be worn when the spine is
still growing. It is often prescribed for curves of 20 or 30
degrees. The purpose of a brace is to reduce the likelihood
of scoliosis to get worse and to avoid surgery. The concept
behind bracing is that pressure is imposed on the curves in
the spine, that pressure will prevent those bad curves from
rising, controlling their progression. There are different
types of braces like the ones worn throughout the day for
16-23 hours: the Wilmington brace, the Milwaukee brace,
the Boston brace. Braces can also be worn throughout the
night for 8-10 hours like the Providence brace, the
Charleston bending brace.The difference between a day
and night brace is that a night brace only works when lying
down , the night brace would put pressure on the spine
bending it past the midline of the back.
Most kids with scoliosis have slight curves and do not
require a brace or surgical therapy. Children who have
moderate scoliosis often need frequent checkups to see if
the curvature of their spines has changed as they grow.