Madonna Daughter Lourdes Back Brace For Scoliosis
Lourdes Ciccone Leon, the 12-year-old daughter of pop queen Madonna, has been ordered to wear a back brace to help correct a spinal problem.
Lourdes was photographed earlier this month wearing SpineCor body brace around her waist.
Spinal expert Dr. Ron Marinaro, of The Scoliosis Center of Los Angeles, explains that the discreet device is designed for patients diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis, a common spine curvature that affects more than 3 million youngsters.
Dr. Marinaro tells Star, “She’ll probably only have to wear if for about a year or two.”
Lourdes — who was also fitted with dental braces earlier this summer — will still be able to dance and engage in other physical activity as she’s being treated.
(Glad to hear Mini Madge is going to be okay.)
Labels: Bracing, idiopathic scoliosis, SpineCor
15 July 2009
Scoliosis study aims to determine bracing's effectiveness
By Beth Miller
July 14, 2009 -- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is participating in a national trial to determine whether back braces for adolescents with scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, are effective in preventing the condition from progressing and, if so, which patients most benefit.
The medical center is one of 25 sites across the United States and Canada participating in the trial, called the Bracing in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial (BrAIST), one of the first clinical trials in pediatric orthopedics funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) occurs with no known cause in children from 10-18 years old. It is the most common type of scoliosis and is more commonly seen in girls. Severe scoliosis can cause back pain and difficulty breathing.
"Even though bracing to slow down curve progression in patients with AIS has been the standard of care in the United States for about 30 years, the treatment's effectiveness remains unclear," said Matthew B. Dobbs, M.D., a Washington University pediatric orthopedic surgeon at St. Louis Children's Hospital and a study collaborator. "There are patients who use bracing yet their curve progression continues, while other patients with AIS who don't use bracing do not experience any curve progression."
Participants are randomly assigned to either wear a brace at least 18 hours a day or to have regularly scheduled follow-up visits and X-rays to track curve progression. Spinal curves that progress to 50 degrees indicate a high risk for continued curve progression throughout adulthood. In these cases, spinal fusion surgery is usually recommended to correct the curve.
"The occurrence of AIS is about one in 1,000, and its prevalence is 10 to 1 in girls. Only about 10 percent of these patients require surgical intervention," Dobbs said. Patients between 10-15 years old with a curve between 20 degrees and 40 degrees have traditionally been treated with bracing until they reach skeletal maturity, which can be up to six years if the girl is 10 or 11 years old, Dobbs said.
"That means patients are wearing braces at a time in their life when they don't want to be different from their peers," Dobbs said. "It can be quite a traumatic decision, which is one reason why this study is so important. In addition, the bracing is expensive, and the orthosis needs to be refitted or replaced as patients grow."
Although the study findings could be at different ends of a spectrum — either bracing works and needs to be used for all patients with AIS, or bracing doesn't work at all and should be abandoned as a treatment —Dobbs said he expects an outcome somewhere in the middle.
"I anticipate we will discover that bracing works for certain types of curves, which means we can become much more selective in prescribing it as a treatment," he said. "Whatever the findings, however, this will be a major step forward in our understanding of how to treat this relatively common disorder."
To be eligible to enroll in the study, patients must be between 10 and 15 years old (either male or female). Inclusion criteria include diagnosis of AIS; pre-menarchal or post-menarchal by no more than one year; physical and mental ability to adhere to bracing treatment; and documented insurance coverage and/or personal willingness to pay for treatment.
Patients who have a diagnosis of other musculoskeletal or developmental illness that might be responsible for the spinal curvature or a history of previous surgical or orthotic treatment for AIS are not eligible for the study.
Once accepted into the study, patients will be followed at Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children's Hospital. Two visits per year are required for X-rays and evaluation.
For additional information regarding the study and inclusion criteria, contact the research coordinator at (314) 454-4113.
July 14, 2009 -- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is participating in a national trial to determine whether back braces for adolescents with scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, are effective in preventing the condition from progressing and, if so, which patients most benefit.
The medical center is one of 25 sites across the United States and Canada participating in the trial, called the Bracing in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Trial (BrAIST), one of the first clinical trials in pediatric orthopedics funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) occurs with no known cause in children from 10-18 years old. It is the most common type of scoliosis and is more commonly seen in girls. Severe scoliosis can cause back pain and difficulty breathing.
"Even though bracing to slow down curve progression in patients with AIS has been the standard of care in the United States for about 30 years, the treatment's effectiveness remains unclear," said Matthew B. Dobbs, M.D., a Washington University pediatric orthopedic surgeon at St. Louis Children's Hospital and a study collaborator. "There are patients who use bracing yet their curve progression continues, while other patients with AIS who don't use bracing do not experience any curve progression."
Participants are randomly assigned to either wear a brace at least 18 hours a day or to have regularly scheduled follow-up visits and X-rays to track curve progression. Spinal curves that progress to 50 degrees indicate a high risk for continued curve progression throughout adulthood. In these cases, spinal fusion surgery is usually recommended to correct the curve.
"The occurrence of AIS is about one in 1,000, and its prevalence is 10 to 1 in girls. Only about 10 percent of these patients require surgical intervention," Dobbs said. Patients between 10-15 years old with a curve between 20 degrees and 40 degrees have traditionally been treated with bracing until they reach skeletal maturity, which can be up to six years if the girl is 10 or 11 years old, Dobbs said.
"That means patients are wearing braces at a time in their life when they don't want to be different from their peers," Dobbs said. "It can be quite a traumatic decision, which is one reason why this study is so important. In addition, the bracing is expensive, and the orthosis needs to be refitted or replaced as patients grow."
Although the study findings could be at different ends of a spectrum — either bracing works and needs to be used for all patients with AIS, or bracing doesn't work at all and should be abandoned as a treatment —Dobbs said he expects an outcome somewhere in the middle.
"I anticipate we will discover that bracing works for certain types of curves, which means we can become much more selective in prescribing it as a treatment," he said. "Whatever the findings, however, this will be a major step forward in our understanding of how to treat this relatively common disorder."
To be eligible to enroll in the study, patients must be between 10 and 15 years old (either male or female). Inclusion criteria include diagnosis of AIS; pre-menarchal or post-menarchal by no more than one year; physical and mental ability to adhere to bracing treatment; and documented insurance coverage and/or personal willingness to pay for treatment.
Patients who have a diagnosis of other musculoskeletal or developmental illness that might be responsible for the spinal curvature or a history of previous surgical or orthotic treatment for AIS are not eligible for the study.
Once accepted into the study, patients will be followed at Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children's Hospital. Two visits per year are required for X-rays and evaluation.
For additional information regarding the study and inclusion criteria, contact the research coordinator at (314) 454-4113.
Labels: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Bracing, idiopathic scoliosis, Scoliosis
02 July 2009
Curvature of the spine: Could your child have scoliosis?
In a person with scoliosis, the spine may curve side-to-side in a "C" or "S" shape. Sometimes the spinal bones (vertebrae) may also twist. © iStockphoto.com
By Laurie Sammeth, Contributing Writer, myOptumHealth
Content provided by
myOptumHealth
Subtle signs of scoliosis, such as an uneven hemline or one hip appearing higher than the other, may first be noticed during a growth spurt in the early teen or preteen years. While these signs can be alarming, scoliosis is usually mild and won't get worse. Only about four children in 1,000 will need any treatment for it. In some cases, bracing is used to stop the progression of a curve. Rarely, surgery is needed to correct it.
Scoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine. Normally when you look at a person's back, the spine or backbone falls in a straight line from the base of the neck to the tailbone. In a person with scoliosis, the spine may curve side-to-side in a "C" or "S" shape. Sometimes the spinal bones (vertebrae) may also twist.
What causes scoliosis?
Most of the time, doctors don't know what causes scoliosis. In these cases, it is called idiopathic scoliosis. In a few cases, it may be caused by another condition, such as a connective tissue or neuromuscular disorder.
Scoliosis tends to run in families. Idiopathic scoliosis occurs more often and tends to progress more in girls than in boys. Posture, a heavy book bag, or diet and exercise have nothing to do with whether someone will develop scoliosis.
What are the symptoms?
Scoliosis usually causes the spine to curve in an "S" or "C" shape. There may be no symptoms in the early stages of mild scoliosis. Signs of scoliosis include having:
One shoulder higher than the other
An uneven waistline
Ribs that stick out farther on one side of the body
A shoulder blade that sticks out farther on one side of the body
A tendency to lean to one side
Most cases are mild and don't get worse. In other cases, early treatment with a brace may prevent a curve from getting worse.
If scoliosis becomes severe, it may cause back pain or breathing problems. The earlier a child develops it, the more severe the curve can become.
How is it treated?
What treatment your child may need for scoliosis will depend on his age and how much more a child is expected to grow. Treatment also depends on how severe the curve is.
The main treatments for scoliosis include:
Observation. If your child has only a mild form (a spinal curve under 25 degrees), she most likely will not need treatment. But she should see the doctor every four to six months for observation until she stops growing.
Bracing. If your child is still growing and has a spinal curve over 25 to 30 degrees, he may need to wear a brace to prevent the curve from getting worse. There are many different kinds of braces and each must be custom fit for your child.
A brace will not correct the spinal curving but may keep it from getting worse. Your child must wear the brace every day for as long as the doctor recommends. But she can often take it off to exercise and play sports.
Surgery. If your child's scoliosis is severe (a spinal curve over 45 to 50 degrees) or if bracing does not stop its progression, surgery may be suggested. Surgery involves fusing (connecting) two or more vertebrae to straighten the backbone and inserting a permanent implant, such as a metal rod, to help keep it straight.
Having scoliosis can affect your child's self-esteem during the vulnerable teen years. It may be helpful to join a support group of others coping with the same condition.
SOURCES:
US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Screening for idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents.
Scoliosis Association. Scoliosis facts.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Scoliosis.
Greiner KA. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: radiologic decision-making. American Family Physician. 2002;65:1817-1822.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Scoliosis in children and adolescents.
By Laurie Sammeth, Contributing Writer, myOptumHealth
Content provided by
myOptumHealth
Subtle signs of scoliosis, such as an uneven hemline or one hip appearing higher than the other, may first be noticed during a growth spurt in the early teen or preteen years. While these signs can be alarming, scoliosis is usually mild and won't get worse. Only about four children in 1,000 will need any treatment for it. In some cases, bracing is used to stop the progression of a curve. Rarely, surgery is needed to correct it.
Scoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine. Normally when you look at a person's back, the spine or backbone falls in a straight line from the base of the neck to the tailbone. In a person with scoliosis, the spine may curve side-to-side in a "C" or "S" shape. Sometimes the spinal bones (vertebrae) may also twist.
What causes scoliosis?
Most of the time, doctors don't know what causes scoliosis. In these cases, it is called idiopathic scoliosis. In a few cases, it may be caused by another condition, such as a connective tissue or neuromuscular disorder.
Scoliosis tends to run in families. Idiopathic scoliosis occurs more often and tends to progress more in girls than in boys. Posture, a heavy book bag, or diet and exercise have nothing to do with whether someone will develop scoliosis.
What are the symptoms?
Scoliosis usually causes the spine to curve in an "S" or "C" shape. There may be no symptoms in the early stages of mild scoliosis. Signs of scoliosis include having:
One shoulder higher than the other
An uneven waistline
Ribs that stick out farther on one side of the body
A shoulder blade that sticks out farther on one side of the body
A tendency to lean to one side
Most cases are mild and don't get worse. In other cases, early treatment with a brace may prevent a curve from getting worse.
If scoliosis becomes severe, it may cause back pain or breathing problems. The earlier a child develops it, the more severe the curve can become.
How is it treated?
What treatment your child may need for scoliosis will depend on his age and how much more a child is expected to grow. Treatment also depends on how severe the curve is.
The main treatments for scoliosis include:
Observation. If your child has only a mild form (a spinal curve under 25 degrees), she most likely will not need treatment. But she should see the doctor every four to six months for observation until she stops growing.
Bracing. If your child is still growing and has a spinal curve over 25 to 30 degrees, he may need to wear a brace to prevent the curve from getting worse. There are many different kinds of braces and each must be custom fit for your child.
A brace will not correct the spinal curving but may keep it from getting worse. Your child must wear the brace every day for as long as the doctor recommends. But she can often take it off to exercise and play sports.
Surgery. If your child's scoliosis is severe (a spinal curve over 45 to 50 degrees) or if bracing does not stop its progression, surgery may be suggested. Surgery involves fusing (connecting) two or more vertebrae to straighten the backbone and inserting a permanent implant, such as a metal rod, to help keep it straight.
Having scoliosis can affect your child's self-esteem during the vulnerable teen years. It may be helpful to join a support group of others coping with the same condition.
SOURCES:
US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Screening for idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents.
Scoliosis Association. Scoliosis facts.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Scoliosis.
Greiner KA. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: radiologic decision-making. American Family Physician. 2002;65:1817-1822.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Scoliosis in children and adolescents.
Labels: curve, idiopathic scoliosis, neuromuscular disorder, Scoliosis