History of Scoliosis

The first reported case of scoliosis dates back as far as 3500 BC, when most people believed that having scoliosis was a punishment by God for committing acts of evil. In 1750, the world's first spinal hospital was opened in Switzerland. It treated children who suffered from scoliosis and other various spinal afflictions. The world's first ever back brace, the Jurymast brace, was also developed here.

In the mid 19th century, Jules Guerin developed a back brace made from plaster of Paris. The procedure proved to be very successful and very popular among patients with scoliosis but many of his colleagues disliked his method of repairing scoliosis and had him exiled to Belgium. 

It was not until the 1900s that scientists actually begun ways of trying to heal scoliosis rather than simply weaken the effects. 

In 1880, Lewis Sayre developed a new kind plaster of Paris cast: one that could be used and applied whilst standing up. They were carefully applied whilst the patient stood up via a type of suspension device. The idea was that by walking around whilst in the plaster cast, the rotation of such an activity would place the deformed section of the spine back into place.














1895 allowed for the first ever scoliosis x-ray to be developed. This has helped to better understand what a deformed spine affected by scoliosis actually looked like from inside of the body. This helped paved the way for technology relating to helping people with scoliosis, such as better defined x-rays, faster healing processes and less painful operation percussions.

In 1911, the world's first attempt at spinal fusion was made. It was based around the theory that if you used steel rods preoperative traction jackets, wire and hooks to fuse the spine back into shape, the effects of scoliosis could be minimilised. It was first attempted on a patient with terbukulosis. The patient was then sealed inside of a cast for 6 months in order to ensure the healing process. The operation was scrapped when it was shown that such a procedure had no healing or quality of life benefits, if anything it actually increased the damage and limitations caused by scoliosis.