Pain with Boston Scoli Brace?
Gretchen Wellman
Description
Collection
Title:
Pain with Boston Scoli Brace?
Creator:
Gretchen Wellman
Date:
9/24/2010
Text:
Hello everyone:
I currently have a 13 y/o female patient being treated for scoliosis using a Boston brace. The curve is largely compensating for her left hip disarticulation level amputation some years ago-- she has a leg but prefers her Lofstrand crutches. She was fit about 1 month ago and is adapting well to its use. However, she occasionally develops pain just distal to her xyphoid process. Examination shows no edge pressure; Mom reports there has never been excessive pressure there. Interview reveals no commonalities such as eating, illness, change in brace donning, time of day, etc. It happens when she is lying supine or on her side but it actually happens only rarely. She might be fine for several days, doing the same activities without a single problem, wearing the brace in a position (that might otherwise cause discomfort) for 6 hours in perfect comfort, consider the problem fixed and then the next day do the same thing only to have pain start within 20 minutes.
The patient and her mother seem to be happy people, not high maintenance or given to psychosomatic issues. The pt seems to genuinely want to wear the brace and avoid surgery but we have this problem. I did an adjustment yesterday which I hope will solve the issue but I am perplexed about the cause of this, as is another CO I have in my office with whom I consulted.
Has anyone else had a similar issue? Or any suggestions?
Gretchen Wellman CO
I currently have a 13 y/o female patient being treated for scoliosis using a Boston brace. The curve is largely compensating for her left hip disarticulation level amputation some years ago-- she has a leg but prefers her Lofstrand crutches. She was fit about 1 month ago and is adapting well to its use. However, she occasionally develops pain just distal to her xyphoid process. Examination shows no edge pressure; Mom reports there has never been excessive pressure there. Interview reveals no commonalities such as eating, illness, change in brace donning, time of day, etc. It happens when she is lying supine or on her side but it actually happens only rarely. She might be fine for several days, doing the same activities without a single problem, wearing the brace in a position (that might otherwise cause discomfort) for 6 hours in perfect comfort, consider the problem fixed and then the next day do the same thing only to have pain start within 20 minutes.
The patient and her mother seem to be happy people, not high maintenance or given to psychosomatic issues. The pt seems to genuinely want to wear the brace and avoid surgery but we have this problem. I did an adjustment yesterday which I hope will solve the issue but I am perplexed about the cause of this, as is another CO I have in my office with whom I consulted.
Has anyone else had a similar issue? Or any suggestions?
Gretchen Wellman CO
Citation
Gretchen Wellman, “Pain with Boston Scoli Brace?,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/231811.
