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Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treatment using pettibon corrective procedures: a case report
Mark W Morningstar1, Megan N Strauchman, Greg Gilmour
1Private practice of chiropractic, Grand Blanc, MI.
Objective:
To investigate the possible benefits of using Pettibon corrective procedures to reduce the curvature associated with idiopathic scoliosis. These procedures were tested to determine potential effectiveness in a single patient.
Clinical Features:
A patient with a 35 degrees left convex thoracolumbar scoliosis was treated using Pettibon corrective procedures. Initial and follow-up outcome measures included a Borg pain scale, a Functional Rating Index, a balance test, and radiographic analysis.
Intervention And Outcome:
The patient was treated using a combination of manipulative and rehabilitative procedures designed to restore normal sagittal curves and reduce the severity of the coronal curvatures. After six weeks of treatment, the post treatment radiograph revealed a 20 degrees left convex thoracolumbar scoliosis, as well as decreases in the Borg pain scale from six to two, and Functional Rating Index score from 18/40 to 7/40 after the trial period. Her balance time increased from 18 seconds to 56 seconds.
Conclusion:
Pettibon corrective procedures seemed to be effective at reducing the thoracolumbar scoliosis 15 degrees (43%) after six weeks. The subjective and objective results of this case study warrant further such investigations.
