Latest / Scoliosis with Dr. Chris Gubbels / 5 Things a Scoliosis Specialist Wants Every Patient and Parent to Know

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5 Things a Scoliosis Specialist Wants Every Patient and Parent to Know · Scoliosis with Dr. Chris Gubbels

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: If your doctor looked at your x-rays and said the word mild and told you there is nothing to worry about right now, that single word might actually be the most dangerous thing that you've ever heard.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: Because mild doesn't mean minor.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: And by the time most families figure that out, the window for the easiest and most effective treatment options have closed.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: In the next few minutes, I'm going to share the five most important things that I've learned over 18 years and hundreds of scoliosis patients.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: These are the things that I wish every parent and adult with scoliosis understood before they ever walked into my office.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now you've probably been told just to watch and wait.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you tried general physical therapy or chiropractic care and nothing really changed.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you were told bracing can only slow things down but never actually improve the curve.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: And now you're stuck wondering whether surgery is the only option left.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Dr.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: Chris Goobels, specialist in the non-surgical treatment of scoliosis and hyperkyphosis at Scholary Care Denver.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: And treating scoliosis is all I do every day.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to walk you through five truths about scoliosis that most providers never explain.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: By the end, you'll understand what is happening with your spine and what your next best step should be.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: Most people picture scoliosis as a spine that is curving to the side.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's only part of the story.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Scoliosis is a three-dimensional spine deformity.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: The spine doesn't just bend sideways, it twists and rotates.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: The rotation is what causes rib hump and the uneven shoulders and the postural asymmetry that you can actually see from the outside.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: And because it's three-dimensional, any treatment that only pushes from one direction misses the full picture.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: Here's what almost nobody explains to patients.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Idiopathic scoliosis, which is actually about 80% of all adolescent cases, is not a misalignment.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's a growth deformity.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Part of the bone grows faster and part of the bone grows slower.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: And that asymmetrical growth is what actually causes the spine to twist and rotate.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: I see this misunderstanding constantly.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Patients come in after months or even years of doing general chiropractic or standard physical therapy.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: And they're frustrated because nothing has changed.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: And the reason nothing has changed, because those treatments are not designed for a three-dimensional growth deformity.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: They are designed for alignment problems.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: And scoliosis is not an alignment problem.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Think of it like this: if a tree grew with the twist in its trunk, you would not fix it by pushing from one direction.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: You would need to understand the three-dimensional shape of that twist and guide the growth in a corrected three-dimensional direction.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Scoliosis works the exact same way.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: So if your child has been diagnosed with scoliosis and the only treatment that you've been offered addresses the spine in one or two dimensions, you're not getting a full picture.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: Scoliosis requires a three-dimensional correction.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: But understand that scoliosis of 3D is only the starting point.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: The next truth is about what actually makes scoliosis get worse.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: And unfortunately, this is where most families lose the most viable time.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Scoliosis is progressive.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's natural to get worse over time.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: And the number one trigger for progression is growth.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: This is why adolescents between the age of 10 and 14 are in the highest risk window.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: Puberty brings rapid, unpredictable growth spurts.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: Every growth spurt is an opportunity for the curve to increase in size and rotation.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: And every growth spurt is an opportunity for the spine to grow in size and in rotation.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here's the part that keeps me up at night.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: All big curves start off with small curves.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Every 45 degree curve that gets recommended for surgery was once a 15-degree curve that someone said was not a concern of worsening.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: I have a patient in Katika whose scoles was first diagnosed when it was only 13 degrees.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: She was told not to worry, it wasn't a concern.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: Six months later, it had progressed to 23 degrees, and they were still told no treatment was needed at that time.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: A year and a half later, it was 30 degrees, and still there was no treatments recommended.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: And then 11 months after that, it was 45 degrees, and she was told she would need to have surgery.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: That family came to us as scholar, scared, upset, and searching for answers.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: In just three months, we had our curves from 45 degrees down to 25, and surgery was no longer required.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Think about it this way if someone was prediabetic, no doctor would say, let's just wait until it becomes full-blown diabetes before we do anything.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: But that's essentially what happens with scoliosis every single day.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: We wait for the problem to become severe before we act.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: And by that point, the spine is stiffer, the deformity is larger, and the treatment gets much harder.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: So if your child has been diagnosed of any degree of scoliosis and it still has significant growth remaining, the clock is ticking.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you don't need to panic, but you do need to act.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Smaller curves are easier to treat as the spine is more flexible and the outcomes are significantly better in most cases than treating larger and stiffer curves.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now you understand that scoliosis 3D and that timing is everything.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: But how do you know if the curve is likely to get worse?
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: That's the third truth.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: And this is one patients are almost never told.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: If this is starting to make sense and you want to stay informed about scoliosis treatment that actually works, hit the subscribe button.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: I put out content specifically for scoliosis patients and parents who are looking for real answers, not just the standard advice given at most orthopedic centers.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Now, most providers look at the size of the curve and make recommendations based on that number alone.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: But the size of the curve is only one piece of the puzzle.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: There are multiple factors that determine how likely a curve is to progress.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: And if your provider is not evaluating all of them, you're getting an incomplete picture.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Now, in adolescents, the biggest risk factors are age, how much growth is remaining, the location of the curve, and the degrees of the curvature.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: For example, a 20-degree throst curve in a 10-year-old girl who has not yet started her growth spur is a completely different situation than a 20-degree curve in a 16-year-old girl who is almost done growing.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: In adults, progression is driven by degeneration, and there are about nine or 10 predictors to evaluate, including spinal bounds, disc wedging or degeneration, and maybe most importantly, segmental instability.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Now I regularly see adult patients who are told their curve was stable without anyone actually assessing these risk factors.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: Then they come to me years later and the curve has progressed 15 or 20 degrees and they're shocked because they were once told that it would not get worse after they were done growing.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: So ask these questions to your healthcare provider or bring them to your next appointment.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: One, how much growth does my child have remaining?
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: And has anyone actually assessed their level of skeletal maturity?
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: Two, has anyone compared previous x-rays to look at their curves that progressed over time?
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: And three, has anyone actually measured the amount of rotation at the apex of the curve, not just the size of the cob angle?
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're an adult, ask if your provider has evaluated your spine for spinal balance, both from the front and when viewed from the side, and whether there are any signs of segmental instability, such as those with a lateral thesis of six millimeters or more.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: So now you know the scoliosis 3D, timing matters, and there are specific risk factors that predict whether a curve will get worse.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: But here's where things get practical.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: So what should you actually stop doing and what should you be doing instead?
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: If the only treatment that you've been offered is to come back in six months or do some general physical therapy, you need to understand something.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: General physical therapy and general exercises are not designed for scoliosis, and there's no evidence they can slow the progression or improve scoliotic curves.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: Only scoliospecific exercises performed with the trained specials have been shown to be effective.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: Now there are specific criteria that separate scoliosis-specific exercises from everything else.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: First, the patient must learn how to position their body in a three-dimensional correct position.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Second, they must strengthen and stabilize that corrected position.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: And third, they must learn to incorporate that correction into daily activities.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: And fourth, there must be education so the patient truly understands their curve and how to manage it.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: If the exercises you're doing do not include all four of those components, they're not scoliosis specific.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: I see this pattern constantly.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, these activities have other health benefits, but they cannot change the trajectory of scoliosis.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: And every month spent on the wrong approach is a month potential progression in a growing child.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: So stop investing time and money in treatments that are not designed for scoliosis.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you're going to pursue non-surgical treatment, make sure the provider you're going to has specific training and scoliospecific exercise methods, and make sure bracing, if recommended, is truly custom-made using 3D scanning technology.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, not all bracing are created equal, and the difference in outcomes between generic braces and a true 3D corrected brace is significant.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now you know what to stop doing and what to look for, but there is one more thing.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: This is the most important.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: There's something you can do right now, today, that could change the entire trajectory of your scoliosis journey.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: The single most important thing you can do for scoliosis is also the simplest.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: And you can start tonight.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: The biggest barrier to a good scoliosis outcome is not the severity of the curve.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's the delay between when scoliosis starts and when proper treatment begins.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: Every week and every month of delay allows progression to continue, the spine to stiffen, and the treatment window to narrow.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: The right treatment at the right time is the best for patient outcomes.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's my core philosophy.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: And after over 6,500 patients, I can tell you holds true in nearly every case.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: I tell every family the same thing.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: The name of the game is to stay ahead of the curve, not react to it after it's already progressed.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: Not chasing after the spine has stiffened and gotten bigger.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: Stay ahead of it.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: That single shift in mindset from reactive to proactive is a difference between families who avoid surgery and families who end up being told surgery is their only option.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: Tonight, do one thing.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: If you have children between the age of 10 and 15, stand behind them and have them bend forward at their waist with their arms hanging straight down.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: Look at their back.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: Look to see if you have a hump on the ribcage or in their lower spine.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: That's a sign of scoliosis.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_00: If you see them, get them scheduled for a scoliosis screening or a scoliosis evaluation with a trained specialist, not just a pediatrician.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Scoliosis does not have to control your life or your child's future.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: But the outcomes depend on understanding what you're dealing with, acting at the right time, and choosing the right approach.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: The name of the game is to stay ahead of the curve.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: And now you know how to start.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to go deeper into the most common reasons scoliosis patients stay stuck, watch my next video on why scoliosis pain keeps getting worse and what actually helps.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: I will link it in the description and right here at the end screen.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'll see you there.