Botox and Scoliosis

Looking for more non-operative options to treat your child’s scoliosis? Enter Botulinum Toxin, aka, Botox, Hollywood’s favorite neurotoxin.

Although best known for keeping stubborn facial wrinkles at bay, Botox has been used for various health conditions since 1989 when it received its first FDA approval. 

The most common maladies the neurotoxin is used for are muscle spasticity related to Cerebral Palsy, Stroke, and Spinal Cord Injury, as well as overactive bladder, excessive sweating of the underarms (who knew?!), and migraines.

After decades of successful muscle paralysis induced by Botox, some of our leading voices in the scoliosis field decided to give it a try.

Botox & Bracing

Dr. Paul Sponsellor, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Orthopedics at Johns Hopkins University is a world-renowned expert on the management of scoliosis. He decided to conduct one of the first clinical studies using Dysport, a Botox-like drug made from botulinum toxin, to treat Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, in addition to bracing. 

The hypothesis is that Botox-ing the muscles on the concave side of the scoliosis, where the muscles and fascia have biomechanically shortened, would increase the flexibility of the spine, therefor allowing greater curve correction via the brace. This could reduce the number of scoliosis patients that eventually require surgery.

Dr. Sponsellor’s study is ongoing, so no hard evidence yet. Stay tuned…

Botox + Yoga Isometric Exercise

Dr. Loren Fishman, a physiatrist and Columbia University professor, has also piloted a study investigating the effects of Botox on Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, specifically in the Lumbar Spine. The study investigated the efficacy of Botox to the muscles on the concave side of the scoliosis in addition to doing a yoga side plank exercise on the convex (opposite) side three times daily for 3 months. 

The data is in for this study, and the participants who received Botox showed statistically significant reductions in Cobb Angle (degree of Scoliosis) versus the Placebo groups.

So, some promising data, but important to recognize this research is in its infancy. Many more randomized controlled trials, with many more patients, need to be conducted before we can say Botox truly mitigates Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

And, if you find yourselves in Dr. Sponseller’s Baltimore office anytime soon, you may be asked to be part of this groundbreaking research.

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