3D Scoliosis Bracing in the Caribbean
Marc Moramarco, DC recently returned from Barbados where he offered guidance and support to Tamisha Best-Gittens, DPT of Mobile Physical Therapy during her official launch of 3D scoliosis bracing in the Caribbean! While there, he spent time at her Christ Church clinic where Best-Gittens officially fit and adjusted her first Cheneau-Gensingen braces. Dr. Moramarco also had the opportunity to visit with Barbadian patients who had previously traveled to Boston for Schroth method training and brace fitting here at Scoliosis 3DC®.
Best-Gittens is the only Caribbean practitioner trained in the updated version of the Schroth method, now called Schroth Best Practice®. The scoliosis exercise protocols and Schroth method compatible Cheneau-Gensingen scoliosis brace are providing new hope for patients with scoliosis. The asymmetric Gensingen Brace brace has an exceptional track record of helping children and adolescents control their spinal curves. It is used all over the world and the network of bracing practitioners continues to grow rapidly as parents learn of its potential to improve scoliosis in growing children. Each scoliosis brace delivered to Gittens is custom-created for patients via computer-aided-design/manufacture (CAD/CAM). Brace design is based on a 3D scan of a patient’s spine and torso. The innovative bracing system was created by Dr. Hans-Rudolf Weiss–grandson of Schroth method creator, Katharina Schroth.
The arrival of 3D scoliosis bracing in the Caribbean means that families in Barbados, other Caribbean nations, and even patients from South America will now have a more accessible location to visit for evidence-based scoliosis treatment options that don’t involve surgery.
Each brace delivered to Barbados will be manufactured in the United States, as are all braces supplied to practitioners trained by Dr. Moramarco. CAD/CAM ensures that each brace is created and manufactured to the highest standard. This is a notable benefit that other types of Cheneau braces do not typically offer. Gensingen providers simply scan patients, order the brace electronically and within a few days receive a custom-created scoliosis brace. When each brace arrives, Best-Gittens simply makes adjustments for maximum comfort and effect.
See the before and after x-ray image of the first Barbadian patient fit by Best-Gittens last week (below). In this case, we think the correction effect is especially impressive because the patient is a 14-year-old boy and almost fully grown–Risser stage 4. At this degree, most doctors tell patients that surgery is their only option since other scoliosis braces aren’t effective when scoliosis is severe.
While at the clinic, Dr. Moramarco and Best-Gittens were interviewed by Barbados Today, an online news outlet regarding scoliosis, kyphosis and the arrival of 3D scoliosis bracing in the Caribbean! See the interview here.
Best-Gittens learned the Schroth method at Scoliosis 3DC® in October of 2017 under the tutelage of Dr. Moramarco and Amy Heller OTR/L. She attended Schroth Best Practice A level training then returned to Barbados and immediately began working with scoliosis and kyphosis patients. After witnessing the benefits of Schroth Best Practice®, firsthand, she knew she needed to learn more. She returned to Boston one year later for her Schroth Best Practice® Advanced Certification. Best-Gittens also wanted to learn more about the Schroth 3D bracing system offered here. As a result, she also attended a bracing course to gain her Gensingen brace certification to bring those skills back to the Caribbean. As a Schroth Best Practice therapist, Best-Gittens has an advantage since she has an in-depth understanding of the Schroth classification system. In addition, she was fortunate to be trained by three members of the Schroth Best Practice Academy Board–Dr. Moramarco, Amy Heller, and Maksym Borysov, PT, CPO.
To help serve patients in every way possible, Best-Gittens is also working to make connections with registered charities in the Caribbean that offer help for children and patients with spinal disorders. The Scoliosis 3DC® team will do everything possible to support her in this endeavor. Her perseverance means that patients in the Caribbean will now have access to the best in conservative treatment options for scoliosis. We wish her success and are happy to have her on our team!
If you would like to learn more about the innovative Cheneau-Gensingen Brace, please email or call us here at Scoliosis 3DC® or find a provider at Scoliosis Bracing Innovations.
