McKenna A.
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Scoliosis
SYMPTOM
Scoliosis
SITUATION
McKenna, a 24-year old yoga instructor in the West Village, came to KIRO hoping for pain relief. She’d been diagnosed with scoliosis when she was a small child, and though it was fairly well-managed by this point in her life, she dealt with constant aches and pains from the imbalance in her spine. She found some relief with her yoga practice, and had started taking epsom salt baths at home to relax tight muscles, but the strain was starting to wear on her. For these reasons, she decided to give chiropractic care a try.
TREATMENT
Our doctors began treatment with a full examination of McKenna’s spine. They noted the obvious S-curvature created by her scoliosis, as well as a visible imbalance of musculature throughout the lower and mid-back regions. She was limited in multiple different ranges of motion, and remarked low back extension and thoracic rotation specifically were painful. To get a better understanding of the tension patterns in her body, our doctors performed a nervous system scan which showed high levels of tension throughout her entire spine.
Our doctors explained to McKenna that chiropractic care cannot cure scoliosis, but it can help provide relief for the pain caused by misalignment and imbalance of musculature. They educated her on the fact that true pain relief would require chiropractic care to become a consistent part of her wellness routine, and she would have to commit to sticking with care in order to feel true benefits. McKenna agreed, and treatment began.
Our doctors started adjusting McKenna twice weekly, allowing her spine time to adapt to changes between visits, and incorporated specific soft tissue work when appropriate to help loosen tight muscles. They also sent her home with a series of exercises targeting the weak muscles in her back to start to correct the imbalance between the sides of her spine.
After a month, our doctors repeated her original nervous system scan which demonstrated slightly lower levels of tension throughout the mid back and neck. The low back was still highly tense, so they began incorporating a few breathing exercises to help distribute tension evenly throughout her core.
Due to the nature of McKenna’s condition, our doctors decided to keep her treatment frequency at two times per week with added low back decompression.
By the end of three months of care, our doctors reassessed McKenna’s range of motion and found it to be greatly improved in all ranges which had previously been limited. The imbalance of musculature was much less noticeable, and all regions of her spine demonstrated increased mobility.
RESULT
McKenna’s time at KIRO taught her the importance of taking care of her spine on a regular basis. She took our doctors’ advice and made chiropractic care an integral part of her wellness routine, continuing on with two visits a week to ensure she was functioning at top capacity. She reports her yoga practice has improved, she’s unlocked a few poses she never thought she’d be able to do, and she now goes about her daily life largely pain-free.
DURATION
6 months
