Becoming a Patient at Scoliosis 3DC®
At Scoliosis 3DC®, we treat local and long-distance patients in our Schroth immersion program. For Boston area and New England patients, we recommend coming to see us for an initial examination, if possible. For long-distance patients wanting a comprehensive, effective, efficient Schroth program, (we teach patients from all over the United States and abroad) we are happy to speak with you at length about logisitics and answer general questions. For a conversation regarding the clinical side of care, please send the most recent full spine x-rays available then we are happy to offer a brief complimentary phone consultation with Dr. Moramarco, or one of our Schroth therapists Amy or Kim.
If you decide you have continued interest in Schroth immersion training and/or Schroth-compatible scoliosis bracing we work with you to schedule the visit in the least amount of time possible. That said, it is usually a four-day process for a Schroth program or bracing. (Often, when scheduled in advance, both can be done at the same time).
We treat scoliosis and/or kyphosis–all day long, each weekday – it’s our sole focus. A phone call, or brief telehealth visit, will help us learn more about you, or your child, while you learn more about us and will hopefully learn and have some of your questions answered.
Before your consultation/first visit, please send the following to info@scoliosis3dc.com:
X-rays: The X-ray views will depend on the case. As a guideline, at minimum, we require a recent Standing Scoliosis X-ray, PA view. This view shows the full spine taken from the back to the front. In some cases, it is best to have two views, known as a Standing Scoliosis Series, PA/Lateral–two views of the full spine–one from the back (PA) mentioned above, and also one from the side (Lateral). A lateral view x-ray is required for kyphosis patients and post-surgical scoliosis patients.
*Photos: 6 views for scoliosis patients (2 additional poses required for kyphosis patients – see below)
- Standing from behind
- Standing from the front (face not necessary).
- Standing–taken from the left side.
- Standing–taken from the right side.
- Standing from the front and back, while bending forward to show the spine. The patient stands hip-width apart, hands together (like diving into a pool) chin to chest with hands below knees, if possible, but not all the way to the floor.
- Kyphosis–patients should also take forward bending photos from the left and right side so that the profile of the thoracic spine is visible.
*Girls/women should wear a sports bra or bathing suit top with exposure to the spine and athletic (fitted) bottoms if possible. Boys/men should be photographed without a shirt and wear athletic bottoms. These photos allow for postural analysis. Please see PDF for example.
Postural Photos PDFMedical History: Please include the patient’s full name, date of birth and all available information about the scoliosis or kyphosis diagnosis. This includes the type of scoliosis (i.e. idiopathic, congenital, neuromuscular–if known), age at diagnosis, Cobb angle, Risser Sign–if known, family history of the condition (if any), approximate date of first menses (if applicable, for females) and all treatments and physicians seen for scoliosis or kyphosis. If the patient has had a spinal MRI, please obtain and share the radiologist’s report. Please be sure to list any other medical conditions/issues, previous surgeries, and/or current medications.
Patient Forms: Before your first visit, please print and fill out our New Patient Forms.
Scheduling Treatment
We understand adolescents (and their parents) are busy people. We do our best to work with you to schedule a convenient time to bring your child for scoliosis program participation.
Understandably, most parents want to take advantage of school breaks for appointments, however, please consider that scoliosis doesn’t wait. Any growth potential your child has means that they may be at risk of scoliosis progression.
The best way to contact us for scheduling is by emailing info@scoliosis3dc.com. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call our office at (781) 938-8558. Dr. Moramarco also offers a complimentary phone consultation for patients and parents who have clinical questions.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
You will meet with Dr. Moramarco to review, in detail, the history of your or your child’s scoliosis considering age, type of curve, Cobb angle(s), health, and family history. The comprehensive evaluation will include several scoliosis assessments and an explanation of your/your child’s x-rays. The visit will also include a discussion about our scoliosis alternative treatments and how they may apply to and benefit the case you are seeking advice for.
- Visual inspection: observation of curve(s), shoulders, hips, head, pelvis, knees, ankles, and feet–from front, back and sides.
- Specific tests: range of motion, flexibility, scoliometer measurement, spirometry, chest expansion, palpation, muscle strength, and gait analysis.
- X-ray review and an anatomy lesson as it pertains to the patient’s unique scoliosis. Many people think of scoliosis as just one or two curves. In reality, a primary scoliosis curve comes with counter curves above and below. Scoliosis is usually accompanied by trunk rotation and sometimes a change in the sagittal (side) profile–why it is referred to as a 3D condition–it’s not as simple as one curve or two curves on an x-ray!
- An overview of our comprehensive treatment options and Dr. Moramarco’s recommendation for you/your child.
Thank you for placing your trust in us. We look forward to helping you/your child learn how to manage scoliosis and improve quality of life!
Our 4-Day Bracing Process
For efficiency, we have streamlined the process of getting a scoliosis brace. When brace measurement takes place at the beginning of the week, we can manufacture and fit a brace with a four-day turnaround at Scoliosis 3DC®. This can be done alone or alongside a Schroth program when scheduled accordingly.
The process begins with a quick and easy brace measurement appointment. Our team will take a 3D body scan (no radiation involved), manual measurements, and postural photos. These, along with a current x-ray, are used for brace design. We create a custom scoliosis brace made to exact specifications. Once the brace is fabricated, fittings begin. We will make individual adjustments to the brace for optimal comfort and correction. For patients who are not from the Boston area, this requires consecutive multi-day appointments. This is so that patients have an opportunity to wear and sleep in the brace and have follow-up appointments to ensure the best comfort and fit before returning home. Each fitting can be up to 1.5-2 hours long, but this can vary. We allow this much time because your/your child’s comfort in the brace is among our top priorities for scoliosis brace wearers.
Long-distance patients will need an in-brace X-ray (we typically send to a local facility that offers our patients a discounted rate or to Boston Children’s Hospital Radiology Department for an EOS X-ray). This is done on the day before departure for two reasons: 1) to ensure optimal in-brace correction and to determine the preliminary in-brace correction effect. For local patients, we usually recommend having the x-ray after two or three weeks of the initial fitting. This is because the body will adapt to the brace over time. In-brace correction amount is patient-dependent. Some factors playing a role are spinal flexibility/rigidity, type of scoliosis, Cobb angle at the start of bracing, and stage of growth. We strive for at least 30-50% correction in the brace. Some of our patients have achieved results in excess of this standard!
While in-brace correction is important, bracing for adolescent scoliosis requires a strict wearing schedule and compliance with treatment is necessary for the best possible outcome. Dr. Moramarco will go over instructions for wear (how many hours per day, estimated length of treatment) and care (how to clean the brace, situations when to take it off, etc.). We are proud to say that the vast majority of our patients are extremely compliant when it comes to brace wear. We attribute this to the education we offer, the material we use to manufacture our brace and the care we take in fitting each brace, focusing on a patient’s comfort and well-being.
Local patients are encouraged to follow up in person at regular intervals. Long-distance patients are also followed closely! Each out-of-area patient will receive a discharge packet with instructions outlining when to send updated postural photos (both in and out-of-brace) and height/weight updates. That way, our team can monitor patients from avar and be sure the brace continues to fit correctly over time. After pictures and updated stats are received, we review the pictures and compare them to the pictures taken on our initial intake. We will then provide feedback on progress, and most importantly, watch for any red flags to make sure each patient, no matter where they are from, receives the highest quality treatment and attention over time. For long-distance patients, most brace adjustments can be addressed remotely–we’ve been managing brace wear successfully for patients from all over for nearly a decade. As long as the patient has not outgrown their brace (at which point, a new one will need to be made) we can guide you through the process.
Schroth Method Intensive Program
Dr. Moramarco will recommend a certain number of hours of instruction based on the specifics of your/your child’s case (age, curve severity, etc.). Most often, patients will do either a 12-hour or 17-hour program. Programs can usually be completed over three to five days, depending on the individual and our scheduling availability.
Your stay will be action-packed – about 3-5 hours per day in the office with brief breaks built into the schedule. Patients with special considerations (i.e. considerable pain and/or learning and/or attention difficulties) can be accommodated with shorter sessions and a slightly longer stay, if need be.
We firmly believe in intensive-style instruction as the best way to acquire the skills to combat scoliosis progression. This has been the norm in Germany for more than 100 years, for a reason. That said, local patients may opt to complete the Schroth program over 3-4 weeks preferred, up to about six weeks for best results.
During appointments, you/your child will most likely see Dr. Marc, Amy, and Kim throughout treatment. Our team approach works on behalf of each patient works well The three co-manage cases together. All three members of our team are personable and passionate. We focus on empowering people with scoliosis, whether the patient is a child, adolescent, or adult! Schroth sessions are one-on-one. We ask that parents be present during instruction so they can learn along with the child. On occasion, if requested, we will offer group learning only for family members (i.e. siblings with scoliosis, or parent & child with scoliosis) for part of the program, if appropriate. Curve patterns among family members are rarely the same. For a complete program, a few hours of one-on-one instruction is needed for each individual. If you want to attend a program with a family member who also has scoliosis, please let us know and we will advise on the extra hours needed. Don’t forget to send both sets of X-rays–we need this to make a judgment on the number of hours for each patient.
Near the end of the program, we will narrate and film each patient’s entire program from start to finish. We’ll provide you with a digital link to your program and all the associated documents with explanations of exercises and annotated photos to have as a lifetime reference. As an additional resource, we also create a binder filled with detailed instructions and photos of each patient performing each individual exercise from their program. The videos, and written instructions, can serve as a ‘scoliosis coach’ during independent practice until practicing alone is easy. Some patients use it regularly and practice along with the video. We also provide exercise checklists to help keep track of the routine to be done at home.
Pricing Information
At Scoliosis 3DC®, we provide personalized treatment based on each patient’s individual case. The cost will be dependent on the recommended treatment plan (i.e. Schroth program, bracing, or combination treatment). Please contact us at info@scoliosis3dc.com for pricing details and other inquiries.
Payment is accepted in the form of cash, checks, all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover), FSA/HSA*, and pre-approved CareCredit funds (see below for more information about CareCredit).
*FSA/HSA: Please direct questions to your plan administrator.
CareCredit for Treatment and Care
We accept CareCredit – a card designed specifically for your healthcare needs. CareCredit can help you move forward with health care you see as necessary, with expenses not covered by your insurer. With low minimum monthly payment options, no up-front costs or prepayment penalties, you can obtain the care you want and need. Patients using CareCredit to pay for treatment must apply and obtain approval before arriving to the office. To apply now or to learn more about CareCredit, please visit CareCredit.com, or contact our office for additional information.
For other frequently asked questions, please see our FAQ page.
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