Scoliosis Braces for Adults: Is It Worth It?

​There are many different spine conditions common in adults. Some of them are developed by unhealthy postures, while others have origins in our genetic inheritance. 

Scoliosis is specific because scientists are not sure what causes such a condition. The common belief is genetic inheritance, yet it tends to appear on patients without any prior scoliosis history in their family line.

A few things can be done to treat scoliosis – one of them is using a orthosis known as scoliosis braces. Below, we're going to discuss a bit more about the types of scoliosis braces, which type might fit your needs, and how the results differ from scoliosis treatment exercises. 

What Is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is the medical condition in which the spine is lateral or sideways deformed. The sideways curve is usually deformed in an "S" or less usual "C" shape. In some cases, the angle of the curve is stable, while in other cases, it can deteriorate as time passes. 

In most cases, serious medical interventions are not necessary. However, not treating the condition will increase the chances of its progression, thus making it harder to address it later without requiring surgery.

The Symptoms of Scoliosis

• Shoulders are not on the same level
• One shoulder blade is more visible than another
• Uneven waist
• One hip is higher or lower than the other

The Potential Dangers of Untreated Scoliosis
Scoliosis is inclined to progression over the years. As scoliosis progresses, the chances of developing different conditions that may leave long-term complications increases. Some of the most severe conditions that may develop from untreated scoliosis are spondylosis or a spine rotation. 

Spondylosis is a condition where the spinal cartilage thins, making the joints inflamed and augmenting the chances of developing bone spurs. Spondylosis can press on spinal nerves, causing horrible, chronic pain. 

On the other hand, spine rotation causes decreased lung capacity and many more possible heart problems. Spine rotation happens when the curvature of the spine exceeds 50 degrees.  

The Benefits of Scoliosis Treatment

Turning your spine into its reasonable condition will prevent you from developing more medical conditions that might demand more severe solutions than simple scoliosis treatment.

Besides the clear health value, treating scoliosis will improve your mental state, as you won't have deformed-looking back or horrid chronic back pain anymore. Exercising will be a lot easier now, as your muscles will be in a normal position, making them expand, strengthen, and grow in a healthy way.
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Scoliosis treatment is divided into three categories, depending on your scoliosis condition: 

• Observation – the doctor will usually insist on examining your spine every once in a while, checking if the condition progresses.
• Non-surgical solutions – a non-surgical option implies treating the condition with aids such as scoliosis braces.
• Spinal fusion surgery – if the curve surpasses 45 degrees, the condition is going to progress, and it demands corrective surgery.

What Are Scoliosis Braces?
A scoliosis brace is a vest made per medical research specifically for a patient's back. Its primary purpose is to prevent the condition from progressing and correcting as much as possible through time. That means that a brace is lowering the chances of necessary surgery. 

For young patients or adolescents, it can completely treat the condition, leading to a healthy spine when the bones stop growing. Although braces can't completely solve the condition in adults, they're worth considering as a treatment option. 

How Do They Work?
​Different types of scoliosis braces virtually all do the same thing – yet different kinds of braces work through different mechanisms. Treating your spinal condition with braces is only going to stop the progression of the spinal deformation and help you develop more strength in your back.

​Types Of Scoliosis Braces
There are two different types of scoliosis braces – full-time braces and nighttime braces. 

Fulltime Braces

• Boston Brace – After the chiropractors write a detailed analysis of a patient's spine, the doctor models a brace. A Boston Brace is made out of several prefabricated molded pieces that fit the patients' needs accurately. 

• Wilmington Brace – A Wilmington Brace differs from the Boston Brace in the way it’s constructed. While a Boston Brace is made out of the prefabricated types of molds; a Wilmington Brace is custom-fitted on a patient.

• Milwaukee Brace – A Milwaukee Brace, due to its obsolete and bulkier design, is rarely used in the 21st century. 

Nighttime Braces

• Charleston Bending Brace – A Charleston Bending Brace keeps the spine in the correct posture, making it difficult for its bearer to move frequently. However, the posture is far more comfortable to achieve while sleeping.

• Providence Brace – Providence Brace elevates the shoulder, directly applying lateral and rotational forces to help eliminate the curve.

​Scoliosis Braces for Adults Vs. Scoliosis Exercises ​

Scoliosis braces for adults work by the principles of correcting your musculature to hold your spine in the right place. In contrast, scoliosis exercise is primarily focused on creating a reflex to correct your spinal posture through stretching and exercise. 

Although both methods are useful in the treatment of scoliosis, helping improve your spinal health through braces demands much less effort. Braces are focused on muscle memory and development, despite myths claiming that braces cause muscle atrophy.
 
Scoliosis exercises require more effort and patience than braces. You must stick to your exercise regimen daily, without a single cheat day. Cheat days will only make your progress slower, and at the end of the day, who are you really cheating? 

The Bottom Line
Ignoring scoliosis and refusing to treat it will increase the chances of serious surgery required to correct the condition.
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The best medical practitioners around concluded that scoliosis braces for adults are the most beneficial option for the cases that don't require surgery. Before choosing your scoliosis brace, arrange an examination with your doctor so that you can make the right decision.