Behind the Curve: Debunking Top Scoliosis Myths (Part 5 - Bracing for Beginners)
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Part 5 of 7: Being told you need to wear a brace can be overwhelming, but if you have the right information, it doesn't have to be. In this post, we focus on some myths that those new to bracing might hear.
Myth #14: Bracing works for everyone.
Not true. Some curves and underlying etiologies affect how curves move. While evidence exists that some patients may require surgery, our long term research results indicate that patients who wore a Boston Brace for the prescribed time are less likely to require surgery than those who did not.
Myth #15: Physiotherapy Scoliosis Specific Exercises (PSSE) only work with certain braces.
There is no evidence that shows that one school of therapy exercise works any better with any type of orthosis. Physical therapy is recommended for any type of brace the patient wears.
Myth # 16: Bracing negatively affects your breathing.
Not true, as long as the brace is made correctly. Some older studies show a Boston-style brace negatively affecting vital capacity. These studies are more than 20 years old, and as you can see by the photos to the right, the braces used in the studies did not follow Boston Brace principles: There is no relief area, and the front bib is not trimmed.
These studies show that an improperly designed, improperly fitting brace may affect breathing. Bracing has changed over the years, and what was true in the 1990s is no longer true today.
In 2001, the Danielson group from Sweden conducted a 25-year follow-up to study the long-term effects on vital capacity in both surgical and braced patients. The study showed that vital capacity improved over the 25-year time frame for both groups.
It is important to be familiar with the literature and know the long-term effects of our interventions.