Since its inception in 2005, the London Orthotic Consultancy has been delivering scoliosis bracing treatment. OUR CLINIC has prescribed and fitted the Cheneau-Gensingen brace for its scoliosis patients who require active intervention for the past five years. In 1979, Dr. Jaques Cheneau created his first brace. The three-dimensional correction of the spine in the coronal (front), transverse (rotational), and sagittal (side)planes is the focus of his brace design, which acknowledges that scoliosis is a three-dimensional disorder. Stabilization is the minimal goal for brace wearers, but OUR CLINIC has seen considerable spinal adjustments in our patients, particularly juveniles and adolescents.

Cheneau bracing has been associated with the Schroth scoliosis idea since its inception. Dr. Cheneau paid a visit to Katherina Schroth and Christa Lehnert-Schroth at their prestigious German clinic. He recognised the effectiveness of the Schroth breathing concept right away and implemented it into his brace designs, which he created using the modified Lehnert-Schroth curve-pattern classifications, which have formed the foundation of Schroth scoliosis treatment for decades.

There are various Cheneau variants available now, and OUR CLINIC has made some minor changes to the original design, mostly to increase wearer comfort – adhering to the suggested wearing schedule is critical for optimal treatment outcomes. Our team of Schroth trained physicians and our in-house production team are excited to introduce our version of the Cheneau brace in January 2022, based on their collective expertise fitting and fine-tuning hundreds of Cheneau-Gensingen braces.

How does the Cheneau Brace work?

If the Cobb angle is less than 20°, the protocol in the UK is to just observe it. If the angle is between 20° and 40°, the patient will most likely be directed to an orthotic provider for a Boston or TLSO brace to prevent the curve from progressing. If the temperature is above 40°F, they should have surgery, according to NHS standards. The Boston and TLSO braces are recommended by the NHS to reduce the advancement of the curve during growth spurts. A Cheneau brace, on the other hand, actively reduces curvature by loading the spinal bones 3 dimensionally to modify their shape (thus lowering the Cobb angle) while growing is still occurring. Cheneau bracing can also aid in pain management, lessen the need for later-life surgery, and improve physical appearance.

One of our scoliosis specialists takes a series of scans, pictures, and measurements after a patient’s assessment. The bespoke scoliosis brace is modelled using CAD/CAM technology based on this information, and our in-house manufacturing unit subsequently produces the scoliosis brace.

One of our specialists will then fit and fine-tune the brace. Regular review appointments, usually every 2-3 months, allow us to keep track of each patient’s development. We encourage parents and patients to communicate with our clinical staff so that we can respond promptly to make brace changes as a patient develops, for example.