Scoliosis Yoga and
Paideia Yoga
"The road less traveled by..."
Links and Information
www.pettibonsystem.com and www.pettibonsystem.com/doctors. These websites give a good explanation of the Pettibon System, created by Dr. Burl Pettibon, and a list of chiropractors who are certified in this system. This system combines traditional chiropractic with innovative physical therapy-like methods (viz. their weighting system and decompression tables) that do more than just alleviate pain; they actually decrease scoliosis curvatures. The fully certified doctors on the list are the most qualified to treat scoliosis, because they have received the full scoliosis training.
www.clear-institute.org. This link points to The CLEAR Institute, which has a link to CLEAR-certified doctors (chiropractors). Dr. Dennis Woggon, the director of the CLEAR Institute, was a student of Dr. Burl Pettibon. Dr. Woggon's physical therapy-like methods have similarities to the Pettibon system, and also actually correct scoliosis curvatures. The home page of this website has a good explanatory video showing many of the vibration-based methods and equipment.
For overall back care, I believe that yoga, chiropractic, and physical therepy are wonderfully complementary disciplines. There is a synergy between these disciplines -- each one can help the other be stronger and more effective. For instance, a good yoga practice can help a person keep a chiropractic adjustment by strengthening the appropriate muscles. My background is yoga, and that is what I teach, but I have also been to many chiropractic and physical therapy appointments over the years, and I incorporate many of their principles and techniques into the yoga classes that I teach.
Especially for scoliosis, I wish that earlier in my life I had found the information that is listed below. This information might have decreased my back pain even more, and helped my scoliosis not to progress as far as it did. I am listing this information in the hope that it will be helpful for you. Scroll down for more...
www.yogaforscoliosis.com and www.ebmyoga.com. These websites are for Elise Browning Miller's business, Yoga for Scoliosis, and Elise's personal website; these websites both have a wealth of helpful information and links. Elise is a yoga therapist who has studied for many years with B.K.S. Iyengar; he has helped her greatly with her own scoliosis and in training other yoga teachers with specialized techniques for scoliosis. She has published a book and DVD, Yoga for Scoliosis, which are available on her website.
www.essentialyogatherapy.com and www.yogabarn.com. These websites are for The Essential Low Back Program, created by yoga therapist Robin Rothenberg, and for The Yoga Barn, Robin's studio in the Seattle area. Following the viniyoga teachings of T.K.V. Desikachar, Robin created a 6-week yoga series, accompanied by a booklet and 5 CD's, which are available on her website. Students in the course take the 6 classes, read the book, and use the CD's to do a daily one-hour practice. In the NIH-funded study of this yoga course, 78% of the participants reported a reduction in their chronic low back pain levels. This is the chronic low back pain series that I teach at various locations.
"Schroth" is pronounced "Shrote" in German. These English-speaking websites and the pdf document tell about the Schroth method of physical therapy for scoliosis, and give a list of physical therapists who are certified in this method. The method was invented by Katharina Schroth in the 1920's in Germany, has been continued by her daughter and grandson, and is now the standard non-surgical scoliosis treatment in Germany. Their remarkable book, Three-Dimensional Treatment for Scoliosis, was translated into English in 2007 and is available on their website, so finally English-speaking audiences have access to this method. The pictures in the book show amazing results, even with severe scoliosis and older people.
www.advancedspinalrehab.com. This website points to the Advanced Spinal Rehab Center, 425-455-4038, the chiropractic office of Scot Sorum, D.C. and Kevin Polzin, D.C., in south Bellevue (Seattle, WA area). Dr. Sorum is certified in both the Pettibon and CLEAR Institute systems, and he is the chiropractor to whom I go for my severe scoliosis (see more on the About and Contact pages of this website).
Scoliosis Yoga and Paideia Yoga, Dorothy E. Hiestand, Director. 425-408-1824, dorothy@scoliosisyoga.org.
