Schroth MethodPaley Institute Center for Spinal Deformity

Content Area

Patient undergoing Schroth therapy at the Paley Institute Rehabilitation Department

The Schroth Method is a non-invasive procedure for the treatment of Scoliosis. It is a form of physical therapy that aims to halt and reverse spinal rotation and deformity. Schroth Therapy helps restore normal spine position and stabilize the deformity without the need for surgery.

The Spine Center at the Paley Institute offers Schroth Therapy for patients with mild Scoliosis. We have an on-site physical therapy department, just down the hall from our clinic. Our therapists have been specially trained in the Schroth Method. We are the only center in the region to offer the Schroth Method.

The Schroth Method was developed following the observation from clinical studies of scoliosis that patients with abnormal spine curvature also have asymmetrical muscle groups in their back and elsewhere. These imbalances exacerbate the deformity, resulting in gradual worsening of the spine curvature over time. These realizations lead to the development of a method of rebalancing the muscles as a strategy to halt the progression of the curve and even reverse it, without the need for surgery. This became the Schroth Method, a technique that has produced outstanding results.

How it works

The Schroth Method aims to teach awareness of one's body posture

The primary goal of the Schroth Method is to rebalance the forces that result in spinal curvature. In a typical scoliosis patient, imbalanced muscles in the back pull on the lower spine, resulting in rotation. In order to reverse these effects, the Schroth Method places great emphasis on conscious correction of posture. By instilling an awareness of their body’s alignment, the method allows individuals to consciously control their body posture, slowly reversing the effects.

Treatment must improve posture such that the body can regain its original vertical axis. This requires training of all the involved muscles groups, usually in all three planes of rotation:

  • Sagittal - divides the body into left and right
  • Frontal - divides the body into front and back
  • Transverse - divides the body into top and bottom

The Schroth Method is a true “three-dimensional” therapy.

In order to regain balance, muscles that have grown shorter must be lengthened, and muscles that have grown longer must be shortened. This is accomplished through custom-designed scoliosis exercises. Our physical therapists, who have been specially trained in the Schroth Method will assess you or your child’s unique muscular and spinal alignment, and provide targeted therapy to gradually reduce the effects.

Hear what our patient's family has to say about us
Gratitude Journal
close-image