Hold the Spine Straight with the Silicon Valley BraceTM
The Data is Conclusive: Scoliosis Bracing Works.
What is the Silicon Valley BraceTM?
The Silicon Valley BraceTM is not just a brace—it’s an entire method designed to harness the full corrective potential of scoliosis bracing. This innovative solution emerged from our determination to create a brace that could make the spine as straight as possible, exceeding the limitations of traditional braces.
Through years of development, we combined proven techniques from around the globe with our unique practices to create the Silicon Valley BraceTM. The result is a brace that offers unparalleled correction, comfort, and support.
Unique Features of the Silicon Valley BraceTM
- Integrates preparatory treatments to release tight muscles, contractures, and nerves before bracing.
- Utilizes advanced 3D scanning technology for a precise, custom fit.
- Incorporates MRI-guided analysis to ensure optimal correction.
- Allows for hyper-correction by focusing on the root causes of scoliosis.
- Monitored and refined regularly to adapt to the patient’s progress.
How Does Scoliosis Bracing Work? | Best Scoliosis Brace for Maximum Correction
Scoliosis bracing is most effective when specific conditions are met. Our approach focuses on two essential elements to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.
The Brace Must Be Corrective
An effective scoliosis brace doesn’t just hold the existing curve in place—it actively pushes the spine straighter. The better a brace can correct the curve, the greater the chance for the spine to grow straighter over time. 1-4
Traditional braces like the Boston brace merely aim to stop the curve from worsening, offering minimal correction. In contrast, we design braces to maximize in-brace correction, aiming for a “hypercorrective” effect that helps bring the spine closer to a perfectly straight alignment.
The Brace Must Be Worn Consistently
For a brace to be effective, it must be worn consistently. The largest brace study ever performed concluded that the more a brace is worn, the more it contributes to successful outcomes. 5
Our team works closely with patients to encourage compliance, offering tailored modifications for comfort, coaching, and even electronic monitoring to ensure braces are worn as prescribed.
Our Two Key Goals with Scoliosis Bracing
Maximize Correction In-Brace
We strive to make every brace as corrective as possible, aiming for hypercorrection to help bring the spine closer to a perfectly straight outcome.
Enable the Patient to Wear It
Through personalized modifications, coaching, and encouragement, we make braces comfortable and wearable, ensuring patient compliance.
Scoliosis Bracing Comparison
Scoliosis bracing is most effective when specific conditions are met. Our approach focuses on two essential elements to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.
Silicon Valley Brace Vs Casting
64° Baseline
51° Casting
18° Silicon Valley Brace
75% Reduction
66% More Effective Than Casting
Silicon Valley Brace Vs Boston Brace
37° Baseline
34° Boston Brace
7° Silicon Valley Brace
81% Reduction
80% More Effective Than the Boston Brace
Silicon Valley Brace Vs Gensingen Brace
62° Baseline
26° Gensingen Brace
8° Silicon Valley Brace
88% Reduction
70% More Effective Than the Gensingen Brace
Silicon Valley Brace Vs Cheneau Brace
37° Baseline
34° Cheneau Brace
7° Silicon Valley Brace
81% Reduction
80% More Effective Than the Cheneau Brace
Preparatory Treatment for Scoliosis Bracing | Pre-Brace Spine Correction
The standard procedure for making a scoliosis brace typically skips critical pre-brace preparation, resulting in a significant loss of corrective potential. The Silicon Valley Scoliosis Method takes a radically different approach by preparing the spine to maximize correction before the brace is designed.
Through targeted preparatory treatments, we release hindrances such as tight nerves and soft-tissue contractures, enabling the spine to achieve its full corrective potential when the brace is applied.
Key Aspects of Our Preparatory Process
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Releasing Hindrances to a Straight Spine: Tight nerves and soft-tissue contractures often prevent the spine from achieving a straight alignment.
By dedicating several weeks to preparatory treatments, the spine is freed from these constraints, enabling the brace to achieve maximum correction when designed.
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Unique Brace Scanning Method: Standard 3D scanning methods often capture the spine in its scoliotic posture, limiting corrective potential.
Our advanced 3D scanning process ensures the spine’s full corrective potential is captured, resulting in superior in-brace alignment and correction.
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Designed by Your Doctor: The Silicon Valley Brace™ is designed in-house, using specialized design software, by the very clinician who has been working the closest with your case.
Because the person who designs the brace has already been working closely with the patient, they have a greater understanding of the patient’s curve and how to correct it.
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Attention to Detail Fitting Process: The brace is first designed on a computer and then crafted from thermoplastic, shaped specifically for the patient’s scoliosis.
Unlike many clinics that provide minimal adjustments, the Silicon Valley Brace™ undergoes a detailed, multi-day fitting process to ensure maximum effectiveness.
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Refining to Perfection with Standing MRI: We refine our braces using standing MRI rather than waiting weeks for X-rays.
This process allows us to adjust the brace design immediately and re-test it in real-time until the spine is as straight as possible—all without harmful radiation.
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Monitoring Brace Performance Over Time: Brace performance diminishes over time due to growth, body changes, and wear.
We use standing MRI every three months to ensure the brace continues to perform optimally, preventing scoliosis from worsening while maintaining correction.
Any brace performance problems detected with standing MRI are immediately corrected, and then re-tested with standing MRI to assure perfect correction and fit.
Releasing Hindrances to a Straight Spine: Tight nerves and soft-tissue contractures often prevent the spine from achieving a straight alignment.
By dedicating several weeks to preparatory treatments, the spine is freed from these constraints, enabling the brace to achieve maximum correction when designed.
Unique Brace Scanning Method: Standard 3D scanning methods often capture the spine in its scoliotic posture, limiting corrective potential.
Our advanced 3D scanning process ensures the spine’s full corrective potential is captured, resulting in superior in-brace alignment and correction.
Designed by Your Doctor: The Silicon Valley Brace™ is designed in-house, using specialized design software, by the very clinician who has been working the closest with your case.
Because the person who designs the brace has already been working closely with the patient, they have a greater understanding of the patient’s curve and how to correct it.
Attention to Detail Fitting Process: The brace is first designed on a computer and then crafted from thermoplastic, shaped specifically for the patient’s scoliosis.
Unlike many clinics that provide minimal adjustments, the Silicon Valley Brace™ undergoes a detailed, multi-day fitting process to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Refining to Perfection with Standing MRI: We refine our braces using standing MRI rather than waiting weeks for X-rays.
This process allows us to adjust the brace design immediately and re-test it in real-time until the spine is as straight as possible—all without harmful radiation.
Monitoring Brace Performance Over Time: Brace performance diminishes over time due to growth, body changes, and wear.
We use standing MRI every three months to ensure the brace continues to perform optimally, preventing scoliosis from worsening while maintaining correction.
Any brace performance problems detected with standing MRI are immediately corrected, and then re-tested with standing MRI to assure perfect correction and fit.
Scoliosis Braces: Daytime, Nighttime & Sport Brace Options
Scoliosis Care Centers® offers three different styles of bracing. A properly designed and fitted Silicon Valley BraceTM reduces both the bending and rotational twisting of scoliosis.
Daytime Brace
A corrective yet comfortable brace designed for all-day wear, which can also be worn at night. This is the standard option for most patients.
Nighttime Brace
In addition to the daytime brace, the nighttime brace is designed to take advantage of the natural straightening of the spine while lying down. This hyper-corrective brace provides maximum correction during sleep.
Sport/Low Profile Brace
A modified version of the Daytime 3D Brace that provides greater range of motion and a less visible profile for increased comfort during activities.
Bracing Myths
Common misconceptions about scoliosis bracing debunked with evidence-based facts. Hover or tap on a card to reveal the truth.
Myth 1
Braces don’t work. Do back braces work for scoliosis?
Fact
A Brace CAN work, that is, a brace can help a spine grow straighter and stay straighter.
Read more about how bracing for scoliosis is effective, here.
Myth 2
Braces cause rib cage distortion.
Fact
Rib cage distortion occurs as a result of scoliosis, and will happen even without a brace.
Myth 3
Braces cause the spine to become stiff, resulting in loss of spinal mobility.
Fact
As scoliosis worsens, the spine loses its natural range of motion and becomes stiff. While an ineffective brace without exercise can contribute to stiffness, the root cause remains the scoliosis.
Myth 4
Wearing a brace weakens spinal muscles.
Fact
While wearing a hard brace has potential to make the muscles weak from disuse, it is possible to balance the immobilizing effect of a hard brace with an effective scoliosis exercise program, resulting in a stronger spine than when the patient first began wearing a brace.
Myth 5
All scoliosis braces have the same problems.
Fact
Scoliosis braces vary widely in design quality and there is great variety in the skill of the specialist fitting the brace to the patient’s body. Some braces are poorly designed and improperly fit the patient’s body.
Ready to Learn More?
Contact us to find out how the Silicon Valley BraceTM can help you or your loved ones.
Get in TouchScientific References
- Minsk MK, Venuti KD, Daumit GL, Sponseller PD. Effectiveness of the Rigo Cheneau versus Boston-style orthoses for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a retrospective study. In Scoliosis Spinal Disord, 2017;12:7.
- Mauroy JC de, Pourret S, Barral Fédér. Immediate in-brace correction with the new Lyon brace (ARTbrace), Results of 141 consecutive patients in accordance with SRS criteria for bracing studies. In Ann Phys Rehabil Med, 2016;59:e32.
- Negrini S, Marchini G, Tessadri F. Brace technology thematic series – The Sforzesco and Sibilla braces, and the SPoRT (Symmetric, Patient-oriented, Rigid, Three-dimensional, active) concept. In Scoliosis, 2011;6:8.
- Aulisa AG, Mastantuoni G, Laineri M, et al. Brace technology thematic series: the progressive action short brace (PASB). In Scoliosis, 2012;7:6.
- Weinstein SL, Dolan LA, Wright JG, Dobbs MB. Effects of bracing in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. In N Engl J Med, 2013;369:1512–21.