Hi All!

This is Courtney Madsen with my first post! Until my own blog is set up, I am using my boss'. I am really excited to use this format to share information with other O and P practitioners and other professionals involved in our field. I have had many times that I would like to share a particularly good solution I found to a clinical problem, a great patient outcome, or ask questions for issues I might be facing in my daily practice.

That brings me to the subject of my first post.  Does anyone have experience or suggestions for a back orthosis to help with pain in older patients with degenerative scoliosis?

For example, I have one doctor (a spinal surgeon) who sends me many patients with the dx of degenerative scoliosis, usually secondary to arthritis.  They are usually 70 years or older and not a surgical candidate. Therefore weight, donning independently, and comfort of an orthosis are major concerns. He is a fan of the DDS back brace system but I have not had much luck with it. I tend to prefer something like an Ossur Miami Lumbar or a CAMP TLSO corset. I understand how the DDS is supposed to work, but I'm not sure it is accomplishing all it says it can do or easy for people to put on themselves. My patients just seem to want pain relief and understand changing alignment is difficult when you are older.

I welcome any success stories or devices people like to use. Thank you!!