Frequently asked questions

If the Cobb angle is under 45 degrees, bracing is usually the recommended next step, and it’s been shown to be effective at slowing or stopping curve progression through the remaining growth.

There’s a lot of choice in brace design these days, and some of the more advanced designs can even reduce the curvature itself, not just hold it steady. Getting in touch for an initial assessment is the best way to understand what’s right for your child.

This depends on numerous factors. Skeletal maturity yes, but also curve flexibility, the relationship of the sagittal profile to the lateral curvature, compliance, You can mention these factors but please also suggest they refer to me at an assessment for further info etc.

The Gensingen brace (GBW) is a 3D-corrective brace, a modern evolution of the original Cheneau brace, refined by its designer Dr Hans-Rudolf Weiss using CAD/CAM technology and the Augmented Lehnert-Schroth classification system.

Unlike the compressive, bulkier Boston-style braces that are standard across much of the UK, the Gensingen brace works with the body rather than against it. It off-loads the vertebrae three-dimensionally and uses voids that allow the ribcage and trunk to expand and de-rotate into a more corrected shape, rather than simply squeezing the curve into place.

In practice, that difference tends to show up in several ways:

• Better correction: asymmetric, curve-specific design for optimum correction in all planes, including rotation
• More comfort and less bulk: excess plastic is trimmed away, and it’s compatible with Schroth breathing and movement, which most patients find far more tolerable for long-term wear
• Independence: front-closing straps mean it can be put on and adjusted without help
• Strong evidence base: backed by a substantial and growing body of published research and clinical studies
• Consistency: CAD/CAM manufacturing removes a lot of the variance and human error you can get with hand-cast braces

We’re also the only UK provider of the genuine Gensingen brace, so choosing us means direct access to the brace as it’s intended to be made and fitted, not a copy. Learn about the Gensingen brace

It’s designed for early onset and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and can be adapted for mild, moderate and severe curves. It’s a rigid plastic brace, but its shape is designed to be highly corrective without unnecessary bulk, which helps compliance. Better compliance means better results.

Yes. For adults who have finished growing, the brace can’t change the Cobb angle, but it’s still valuable for improving posture, balancing the curve, protecting the bony shape and easing pain.

This depends mainly on skeletal maturity, measured by the Risser sign (or more precisely, the Sanders score from a hand and wrist X-ray):

During peak growth, full-time wear gives the best chance of reducing the curve. There’s no evidence that part-time wear achieves the same Cobb angle reduction.

Once growth potential naturally reduces, part-time wear can become appropriate, and this is managed carefully and individually with Sally.

Yes, it’s a valuable complement to bracing. Following the programme alongside brace treatment helps lengthen and strengthen the muscles supporting the spine.

This matters most when it’s time to wean out of the brace: it helps keep out-of-brace posture balanced and central, and makes it more likely the improvements made in the brace will be maintained afterward.

It starts with an initial assessment, followed by a fitting appointment (around 1.5 to 2 hours), after which your child’s brace is custom-manufactured over 7 to 10 days. From there, we work together through adjustment and review appointments to make sure the brace is fitting and correcting optimally, plus a structured programme to help your child adjust to wearing it.

The fitting appointment takes between 1.5 and 2 hours. Once complete, your tailored brace takes 7 to 10 days to manufacture, after which we make any adjustments needed for comfort and function.

Around 8 weeks after the initial fitting, we arrange an in-brace X-ray or EOS scan. This lets us see exactly how well the brace is correcting the curve so it can be fine-tuned for the best result.

Yes. Review appointments are recommended every 3 months so the brace can be adjusted as your child grows, keeping the correction working at its best.

Eventually, yes. Once a brace becomes too small or its correction is affected by growth, a new brace is recommended, along with an out-of-brace X-ray or EOS scan. Wherever possible, we coordinate this with routine scans from your consultant to minimise radiation exposure.

Most braces last 9 to 12 months, depending on age and expected growth.

It’s advisable to be under the care of a consultant alongside brace treatment, and we’re happy to collaborate with them directly. You’ll need a recent X-ray of your child to explore this treatment option.

Braced for Scoliosis offers a treatment package covering:

• The assessment
• The fitting
• All review appointments and brace adjustments
• Brace design and manufacture
• Any reports or follow-up advice

Please contact us for more information.

Yes. You can pay upfront, spread the cost interest-free over 2 to 12 months via PayItMonthly (subject to eligibility and affordability checks), or self-fund and reclaim costs through private health insurance where eligible. See payment options

We don’t invoice insurers directly, but we provide a full breakdown of costs and receipts to support a claim. We’re registered with Bupa, Vitality Health Insurance and WPA.

We understand this can be a challenging journey, and you and your child won’t be left to navigate it alone. We provide ongoing, honest support throughout treatment, can source a seamless undergarment for extra comfort under the brace if needed, and can connect you with other brace-wearing families for peer support.

Get in touch any time. Whether it’s about whether your child is a suitable candidate, the process or payment, we’re happy to talk it through. Book a consultation or contact us at info@bracedforscoliosis.co.uk.