Charlottesville Chiropractor Provides Scoliosis Screenings to School Children

April 8, 2011 - PRLog -- Charlottesville, VA based chirorpactic physician Dr. Dolly Garnecki provides complimentary scoliosis screenings for the fifth and sixth grade students at Covenant Lower School for the purposes of early detection and prevention. This is the third year the free screenings are offered by Dr. Garnecki for students beginning on Friday, April 15, 2011.

Scoliosis is a condition that affects anywhere from 5% to 10% of the population, although a recent study by Brigham Young University found 12% of college-aged women had this condition that affects the musculoskeletal system and nervous system. According to the National Scoliosis Foundation, people with scoliosis complain of headaches, neck pain, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, and ankle pain. People with scoliosis, on average, live 14 years less than people without this condition because of the excess strain on the heart and lungs from spinal compression, rotation, and lateral curvature.

According to Dr. Garnecki, "It is imperative to catch scoliosis in children and adolescents where their spines are still flexible and many have the greatest chance of arresting the progression and possibly even reversing it through preventative treatment in chiropractic and therapeutic rehabilitation. Catching it early may prevent some of the long term symptoms and health risks associated with this condition."

To conduct the scoliosis screenings, Dr. Garnecki uses orthopedic and neurologic examinations as well as postural analysis and lung capacity tests in this brief, yet thorough screening that can identify if a child may need further testing before the physical asymmetry of scoliosis is visibly apparent to the untrained eye.

Scoliosis screenings have not been a requirement by the Virginia Board of Education for decades, but Dr. Garnecki and other chiropractic physicians in Virginia are serving their communities by offering the free screenings to any schools who are interested in participating in the program endorsed by the Unified Virginia Chiropractic Association.

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Spinal Health & Wellness is a family chiropractic practice based in Charlottesville, VA, focusing on individualized and compassionate care to guide patients on the journey to optimal wellness. Dr. Dolly Garnecki specializes in scoliosis, whiplash injuries, migraine headaches, pregnancy and pediatric care. She provides wellness counseling such as individualized home exercise prescriptions, detoxification and nutritional coaching for patients who want to seek optimal health. For more information, visit http://www.scoliosisdoc.com