2014 - South Florida Scoliosis Center

SOLE SURFING- What you wear on your feet can have an impact on your scoliosis

October 8, 2014/in News /by admin

What we wear on our feet can say a lot about who we are. Shoes are often an exciting channel to express personality, but we can’t forget about why we wear them in the first place.

While footwear exists first and foremost to protect our feet, they can also have a significant effect on our balance and posture. Since posture improvement is such a large part of living with scoliosis, it’s important to select the best shoes for your body.

The footwear fashion popular on the runway or even among kids are very appealing, but don’t always have your best interest in mind. If you know what to watch out for you can look good and feel good at the same time.
Following, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best features to provide you support while staying trendy.

What to look for in a shoe:

Soles – A commonly overlooked source of back pain can be worn out shoe soles. Often times simply replacing old shoes can alleviate pain. It’s important to look for a shoe with a balanced sole so that you are landing neutrally on your foot when walking or running, creating a stable base for the rest of your body.

Arch support – Foot arch shapes are variable from person to person. They are generally categorized by height, assorted between flat, low, and high arches. Look for footwear with adequate arch support, avoiding very flat shoes. The stability provided by arch support helps prevent compression of the lower spine.

Toes – Our feet are naturally designed so that our toes span wider than our heels with an arch that supports the foot and the rest of the body. A wide and flexible toe box is beneficial to allow your toes to respond to surfaces in the way they were intended.

Laces – While shoe laces are crucial in adjusting a shoe to your unique foot, the way you tie them can also impact your body. Contrary to some shoe fads, it’s best to lace shoes completely and tightly to increase stability and decrease the load on your foot and by extension, your back.

When should you buy new shoes?

Shoe replacement,has a lot to do with the wearing of the soles. For athletic or everyday shoes, the general lifespan is about 500 miles or 3-6 months. The feet of kids and teens are often growing at astonishing rates, so size comfort should also be considered when looking for replacements. Their shoes should be replaced anywhere from one to four times per year.

No matter what shoes you wear, it’s important to know whether you’re getting the support you need to maintain your health. Talk to shoe store associates about what is available and best for you and your family. With millions of people in America living with scoliosis today, it’s certainly easy to find a shoe that fits your functional and fashion needs.

Ask me about:

For more information, contact us at South Florida Scoliosis Center 305-705-0777, or visit www.southfloridascoliosiscenter.com.

South Florida Scoliosis Center is the only CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment Center in the South Florida area in addition to being one in only 18 worldwide clinics to offer Intensive Care Scoliosis Treatment. South Florida Scoliosis Center draws patients from the entire state as well as from countries abroad.

When the honeymoon is over does your child’s backpack stand up to the challenge?

September 8, 2014/in News /by admin

Ahhhhh… the new school year is now in full gear – new school shoes have been broken in, uniforms have endured their first stains, and everyday more and more it seems the shiny new back pack begins to suffer the effects of whopping homework overload!

Why should I be concerned?

Did you know (as per the American Physical Therapy Association) your child’s backpack should never exceed 10-15% of his or her body weight? For the average 10 year-old child it’s the equivalent of 10 lbs!

These days it is not uncommon for the average child to carry 22-27% of their bodyweight in their backpack – an excess of 12-15% over the recommended guidelines.

This extra weight creates unnecessary strain on a child’s spine, can lead to serious health issues down the line and, in the case of children with scoliosis – can worsen a childs’ scoliosis curve.

How does this happen?

A heavy backpack can pull a child backwards making him or her overcompensate by bending forward or arching their backs, in turn compressing the spine. If your child likes to wear his or her backpack in the “over one shoulder sling” your child may tend to lean far to the one side to offset the weight of the heavy backpack. Repeated use overtime leads to poor posture, muscle strain and pain in the back, neck and shoulder areas.

Additionally, backpacks with tight narrow straps that dig into the skin can block circulation and nerve function, resulting in tingling, numbness and weakness in your child’s arms and hands.

What should I look for?

Check your child’s backpack for the following safety elements:

Make sure the backpack is lightweight- many backpacks, though fashionable, may be made of much heavier construction than is necessary, i.e. chains and other adornments
Padding- a padded back can make the load more comfortable while protecting from sharp objects poking out of the back
Waist straps- a backpack with a waist strap helps the weight distribute more evenly
Multiple compartments- help the weight of a backpack distribute more evenly
Padded shoulder straps – Make sure the backpack has two wide padded shoulder straps this will protect the skin in the shoulder area and lessen any blocking of circulation

What else can I do?

Weigh your child’s backpack- make sure it doesn’t exceed 10-15% of his or her body weight
When packing your child’s backpack- pack heavier items towards the back and evenly distribute smaller items in compartments
Adjust the straps to fit tight against the body

Always encourage your child to tell you about any discomfort concerning his backpack and pay attention to any symptoms he or she may be experiencing.

Think Scoliosis Doesn’t Affect You? Think Again…

June 12, 2014/in News /by admin

An estimated 6 million people in the US alone suffer from scoliosis
Scoliosis affects both men and women of all ages, races and socio-economic classes
The onset of scoliosis is usually between 10 and 15 years of age
More females than males are affected with Scoliosis
It’s recommended that children be screened yearly! Early detection is the key to correcting Scoliosis curves
Florida Legislature 381.0056 now mandates scoliosis screenings to be performed annually for students in grade six
15% of kids screened in school programs result in a positive diagnosis
Research shows that alternative non-invasive options are more effective in the treatment of Scoliosis
There are currently 40,000 scoliosis fusion surgeries performed annually in the United States with an estimated 25% rate of complications
Currently, there are only 16 certified CLEAR Intensive Scoliosis Care Clinics in the world and South Florida Scoliosis Center is one of them

June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month

National Scoliosis Awareness Month endeavors to highlight the growing need for education and early detection of scoliosis by uniting patients, families, physicians, and related businesses in collaborative events throughout the month of June.

The Scoliosis Research Society has sent requests to all US governors asking them to proclaim June as National Scoliosis Awareness Month.

Click here to see if your state has proclaimed June as National Scoliosis Awareness Month.

We invite all scoliosis patients, family members and advocates to send their own letters of support.

Click here for the National Scoliosis Awareness Month Support Letter

Click here to find your governor – National Governors Association (NGA)

Click here for free Scoliosis Screening!

Text Neck! Does Your Teen Have it?

May 15, 2014/in News /by admin

The following patient is seen pre and post-treatment after one month of care.

Her original curve was 100% loss from normal and is currently at 29% loss after one month.

That’s a 71% improvement/correction.

Her chief complaint: Fatigue and Headaches.

Why should I care?

Loss of the cervical curve has been shown to be the common factor in not only pain and degenerative changes such as arthritis and disc herniation but also as a direct effect on the spinal cord and nervous system.

This particular finding has become popular now due to our continuous use of modern technology- including: uncomfortable office work stations, texting, or other uses of tablets and or smartphones that require constantly looking down, and sleeping with more than one pillow behind your head.

Common symptoms include:

Neck pain
Stiffness
Pins and needles in the arms
Tingling and/or numbness (commonly misdiagnosed as carpal tunnel)

The lack of the cervical spine curvature causes tension on the spinal cord and carotid arteries as they ascend into the brain to feed it oxygen and nutrients. This can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, fatigue, tinnitus, pain, nervousness, insomnia, high blood pressure, and confusion.

The shocking part is we are finding this in young kids now due to technology. Doctors have even called this text neck!

Ask me about:

For more information, contact us at South Florida Scoliosis Center 305-705-0777, or visit www.southfloridascoliosiscenter.com.

South Florida Scoliosis Center is the only CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment Center in the South Florida area in addition to being one in only 18 worldwide clinics to offer Intensive Care Scoliosis Treatment.

South Florida Scoliosis Center draws patients from the entire state as well as from countries abroad.

Raising an Olympic Athlete with Scoliosis…

February 12, 2014/in News /by admin

For years, Scoliosis has been a real concern for Olympic athletes such as:

Usain Bolt – Jamaican three-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter, Olympic record holder reigning Olympic champion in the 100 and 200 metres and the 4×100 metres relay

Alexandra Marinescu Romanian Olympic gymnast and European Junior Champion at age 12

Jon Olsen United States freestyle swimmer and five time Olympic medalist

Jennifer Thompson United States swimmer, and one of the most decorated Olympians in history, 12 time Olympic medalist, including eight gold in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympics

Despite enduring multiple hardships such as bracing and even surgery Scoliosis did not stop these athletes’ Olympic dreams from becoming a reality.

What is Scoliosis? Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine, the most common type being idiopathic scoliosis most often diagnosed in children ages 10 to 12 and in their early teens.

Although many of us may not ever be in the position to worry about raising an Olympic hopeful, Scoliosis does affect close to 12 million people worldwide with 5 – 7 million in the U.S. alone. The good news is – advancements in the field have discovered considerably better options for the treatment of scoliosis. Non-invasive, non-surgical and non-bracing alternatives. No longer is there a need to wear bulky braces that cause embarassment or self-consciousness. Nor of having surgical procedures that will fuse permanent rods along the spine causing multiple complications throughout adulthood. Our Clear certified treatment is effective and completely non-invasive.

As of July of 2013, South Florida Scoliosis Center has become one of 18 clinics worldwide to be able to provide Intensive Care Treatment for Scoliosis. Generally a one to two week program of intensive therapy designed to reduced the curvature of a scoliotic spine. Our Intensive Care Patients have come from far away countries such as Canada, Denmark, Israel, Anguilla, Curacao, Columbia and Brazil to enjoy the benefits of our intensive care treatment. Now if Usain Bolt had had that option- imagine the possibilities…

In case you’re wondering if your Olympic dreams will become a reality:

Ask me about:

For more information, contact us at South Florida Scoliosis Center 305-705-0777, or visit www.southfloridascoliosiscenter.com.

South Florida Scoliosis Center is the only CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment Center in the South Florida area in addition to being one in only 18 worldwide clinics to offer Intensive Care Scoliosis Treatment.

South Florida Scoliosis Center draws patients from the entire state as well as from countries abroad.