La Brace

Why The LA Brace Center

Success with bracing for scoliosis is a three-legged stool. It requires an effective bracing system, A skilled/experienced orthotist and a great brace wearer.

1) Brace system: Bracing for scoliosis has been around for decades and many different designs have been created. Braces in the US have typically been symmetrical braces as popularized by the Boston brace. Most full time braces are based upon the SRS classification and therefore have 4 templates (or blueprints), namely Lumbar, Thoraco-Lumbar, Thoracic and Double. However, scoliosis is complex 3-dimensional shift in the alignment of the spine and comes in many forms. There are some good alternatives such as some of the Cheneau derivatives and the Gensingen brace that classify scoliosis into a greater number of templates of between 6 and 9 classes. However, all these bracing systems tend to over-simplify scoliosis and group patterns into a restricted number of classes. With the LA 3D Brace we more accurately define scoliosis into 16 classifications to ensure optimum application of force for all patterns of scoliosis. As a result, The LA 3D Brace is probably the most advanced scoliosis bracing system available worldwide. This is confirmed by outcome measurements. While standard bracing has a 30-40% failure rate (allows curve to progress to surgery range) and “good” bracing has a 20-30% failure rate, by contrast, The LA Brace has only ~10% failure rate (which includes non-compliant patients).

2) Orthotist: A good bracing system alone will not guarantee a good outcome. Scoliosis bracing is more complex than other bracing done by general practice orthotists. The orthotist must know how to diagnose the pattern of scoliosis, use the right design and appropriately modify the brace once it is made. The skill and experience of the orthotist WILL therefore effect the outcome. At The LA Brace center, our principle orthotist, Gez Bowman CO has been practicing scoliosis bracing for 30 years and designed both the LA #D Brace and The LA Brace Classification system.. Scoliosis represents the largest portion of his practice and his success rates are higher than any other recorded orthotist. In addition, at the LA Brace center we design (and make) the braces for other orthotists in other areas of the country and also in Canada and China.

3) Compliance: Scoliosis bracing has been proven time and time again to be a dose dependent treatment. The more hours it is worn the better the outcome. No matter how good the brace or how skilled the orthotist, a successful outcome will require full-time brace wear (21-22 hours/day). We work with our families to make sure they understand the importance of brace wear time and how it will effect the outcome.

Brace Treatment

Based around the standard LA Brace system, we have developed modified treatment plans to maximize outcomes for certain curve types and patient age groups. The most prevalent age group for a diagnosis of scoliosis is during adolescence, therefore the majority of our patients are adolescent kids. Our “standard” treatment for adolescents is a single brace system worn until the child grows out of it or until they reach skeletal maturity. However we do have alternate specific treatment plans for different age groups and situations as follows:

Two-Brace System

Our unique LA 2-brace system was designed specifically to maximize the benefits of different pressure systems and allow for patients to utilize different postural corrections.The 2-brace system is pattern specific and usually for double curve scoliosis (King1, King 2, King 3).

Infantile L.A. Bracing System

Infant Idiopathic Scoliosis (IIS) represents children from birth to 2 years of age. This group is typically growing at a faster relative pace and therefore requires very frequent brace replacement and/or revisions and consequently requires multiple visits.

Juvenile L.A. Bracing System

Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS) requires a similar solution to the adolescent group but necessitates more control from their brace to accommodate the inability to fully understand and perform postural corrections. This group is typically growing at a slower pace and therefore requires less frequent brace replacement.

Adult L.A. Bracing System

Adult’s with scoliosis have more stiffness and less “plasticity” and hence have greater issues with tolerance of the standard LA Brace forces. We have developed a 2-brace system specifically for the adult scoliosis population that works in conjunction with Schroth therapy as a unique program for the adult scoliosis patient.