Brace Yourself: Redesigning the Charleston Back Brace

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support and protect the spinal cord. Each of the vertebrae include a neural arch made from two pedicles and two arched laminae, that make up the body; a vertebral foramen, that allows the spinal cord to pass through; spinous process, superior and inferior articular processes, and an intervertebral foramen for the transit of spinal nerves (Van De Graff, Kent, & Ward, 2002). The main vertebrae of the spine are the thoracic and the lumbar, and the curves in scoliosis are usually found in these regions. The thoracic vertebra connects to the rib cage while the lumbar vertebrae connects to the surrounding muscle. Intravertable disks connected through interlocked processes and ligaments support each of the vertebrae. There is finite movement between the vertebrae alone, but a wide range of movement from the spinal column itself (Van de Graff et al., 2002). Figure 1. Lateral side of the spinal column. This side view depicts the five parts of the spine showing the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccyx sections. This spine does not show the scoliosis disorder (Bridwell, n.d.).
Figure 2. Vertebrae of the spinal column. This image shows all of the vertebrae in the spine. The T’s referrer to the thoracic region and the L’s to the lumbar (Galliani, n.d.) In scoliosis, the vertebrae shift or do not form in the correct area, thus leading to a defected spinal shape. In some cases, the curve can be large and prevent important body functions. But, in most cases the curve can be fixed through certain types of treatment. Morphology of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) Scoliosis is a condition in which a patient has a deformed spine. It occurs frequently in growing children, but primarily in girls. Sometimes, a curve may be small during childhood but can progress through time into adulthood. Treatment becomes more difficult at this time. The curves in the spine can occur at any part of the vertebrae, from the thoracic to the lumbar regions and there can be rotation in the individual as well. There are several contributing factors that can account for why this occurs, but there is not any known cause. Scoliosis can form in children due to intervertebral motion coupling, spinal buckling, and/or an imbalance in the muscles/bone growth (Stokes& Aubin, 2006). Generally, a lack of nutrition in growing children can lead to scoliosis because the rate of their skeletal growth is affected along with the strength of their bones. Treatment for scoliosis includes bracing or surgery. There are different types of braces used presently and each performs in a slightly different way. Sometimes, doctors decide not to treat the patient if the curve is small and does not seem to be a health risk. In other cases, patients may be taken directly into surgery. Current Treatment for Patients with AIS Knowledge of determining whether patients need surgery is essential in figuring out what type of treatment is necessary for them. An orthopedic doctor has the choice of providing a patient with treatment. They may recommend surgery if the curve is large or some form of bracing. The common braces used are the Boston brace, which uses pressure pads to correct the curve; and the Charleston bending
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Brace Yourself: Redesigning the Charleston Back Brace

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