Physical Therapy, or Physiotherapy, is a broad term that describes a very wide scope of practice. At Direct Physical Therapy Boise, we practice a specific method for evaluating and treating patients called MDT and Schroth- based Scoliosis Specific Exercises. Here is a detailed description of this system:

“Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment (MDT) is a safe, structured and evidence-based system used to assess and treat patients. The system can be applied to the spine and/or extremities. As MDT therapists, our greatest skill lies in our assessment, where we use the information collected from the symptomatic and mechanical presentation of a patient to classify them into a particular group. From there, we can then match our treatment approach with the particular classification. Patients receive a program designed specifically for them, emphasizing active involvement, education, self-management and prevention of recurrence. With continual assessment and re-assessment of the patient (often <6 sessions), results are achieved fast, decreasing the financial burden to patients.”

The Schroth Method is a nonsurgical option for scoliosis treatment. It uses exercises customized for each patient to return the curved spine to a more natural position. The goal of Schroth exercises is to de-rotate, elongate and stabilize the spine in a three-dimensional plane. This is achieved through physical therapy that focuses on:

Restoring muscular symmetry and alignment of posture

Breathing into the concave side of the body

Teaching you to be aware of your posture

This approach to scoliosis treatment was developed by Katharina Schroth and further popularized by her daughter Christa. Born in Germany in late 1800s, Katharina Schroth had scoliosis that was unsuccessfully treated with bracing. She developed her own breathing technique and exercises to manage her scoliosis. She and her daughter opened a clinic, where they treated more than 150 patients at a time.

Our passion is to find the root cause of your specific problems, and treat it accordingly. Many times, clinicians focus on treating the symptoms only, which almost never result in lasting relief. We look for permanent SOLUTIONS to the problem.