SEAS: Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis and Scoliosis Manager for physios

First practical training and first step toward SEAS Certification

SEAS Accreditation: First level course.

Milan (Italy), May 7-9, 2012


On the occasion of the 9th annual meeting of SOSORT that will be held in Barcelona on May from 10th to 12th, ISICO organizes the second international course to teach the SEAS approach in the treatment of vertebral deformities.
Milano is easily reachable from Barcelona also with low-cost flights, so professionals and researchers attending the SOSORT meeting should take the golden opportunity to know the essentials of the SEAS approach and to be trained adequately to adopt it in the everyday clinical activity. Anyway, participation to the SOSORT meeting is not required for the subscription of this course.
On this important occasion, also the SEAS Certification Program will start:
  • SEAS Accreditation (SA): recognized for people who attended the first level course, and passed the final exam
  • SEAS Advanced Accreditation (SAA): following SA, recognized for people who attended the advanced level course and passed the final exam
  • SEAS Certification (SC): following SAA, recognized for people participating in the distance learning program (12-24 months) and succeeding in the final practice exam (the program may begin after the first level course)
  • SEAS Teaching Certification (STC): after SC, recognized for people attending the final stage to be held in Milan at 5 consecutive days, and succeeding in the final practice and theoretical exam; this Certification enables to become SEAS teachers, and will authorize to organize SEAS courses in your own country, following a partnership protocol with ISICO

What is SEAS

SEAS is an acronym for "Scientific Exercises Approach to Scoliosis". The principles of SEAS are based on a specific form of auto-correction (termed active self-correction), that is taught individually to each single patient, and then associated with stabilizing exercises that include neuromotor control, proprioceptive training and balance. The exercises are also incorporated into daily living activities. SEAS approach is also characterized by a cognitive-behavioural approach towards the patient and his family to maximize compliance to treatment
Exercise treatment is the key to a good rehabilitation approach to scoliosis. The aim with SEAS exercises is to avoid or at least postpone bracing, and to arrive at the end of growth with a presumably stable curvature. When a brace has already been prescribed, exercises are mandatory in order to avoid all side effects of bracing, to increase its function, and to allow the spine to be stable during the weaning period and when the brace is abandoned.

Why should you adopt the SEAS approach?

  • Evidence in literature. To date, there is a body of evidence on the SEAS approach suggesting the effectiveness of the approach at different stages and in different situations of scoliosis management (see http://www.isico.it/uk/seas_bibliography).
  • Outstanding enlargement of patients eligible for the treatment. The exercise program consists of individually adapted exercises that are taught to patients in a facility dedicated to scoliosis treatment. Patients perform a single session every 2-3 months in the facility, in which they are evaluated by a scoliosis expert physiotherapist and learn their own personalized exercise protocol. Then, patients will attend your center to do exercises or, if they come from far apart, they’ll continue the treatment in a rehabilitation facility near home (or by themselves and/or with their parents). As a consequence patients coming from far apart will be able to attend the rehabilitation program in your center, as happens everyday in our centers in Italy. No specific expensive devices are needed.
  • Free Software Access via internet (ScoliosisManager). ISICO makes available via internet for free, the software developed in these years (www.scoliosismanager.org), with hundreds of SEAS exercises ready for use. In this course you’ll learn how to use the software and, what is the key point, to choose and adapt exercises basing on individual needs of the patient.
  • From learner to teacher. If you want, you can subscribe to the SEAS certification teacher program. In a little more than one year you’ll be able to start SEAS training courses in your own country: if you begin now, you’ll be the first to do it!

Course program

Directors: Michele Romano, PT Stefano Negrini, MD
Teachers: Stefano Negrini, MD Alessandra Negrini, PT Michele Romano, PT

Monday, May 7

Hours Teachers Topics
9 –13 Stefano Negrini
Michele Romano
Scoliosis general knowledge – Diagnostic-therapeuthic pathways – Basis of SEAS
14-18 Michele Romano
Alessandra Negrini
Active Self Correction – Theory and hands-on practice

Tuesday, May 8

9 –13 Stefano Negrini
Michele Romano
Team approach – General knowledge on braces for PT - SEAS: practical application
14-18 Michele Romano
Alessandra Negrini
Scoliosis manager: an internet tool to build an exercises plan - Theory and hands-on practice

Wednesday, May 9

9 –13 Michele Romano
Alessandra Negrini
Exercise for treatment in mild scoliosis: choosing and applying - Theory and hands-on practice
14-18 Michele Romano
Alessandra Negrini
Exercise for treatment in braced patients: choosing and applying - Theory and hands-on practice
The course will be in English only.
Maximum number of participants: 40. Minimum number of participants: 10.
Scoliosis patients will be involved to experiment the topics presented in practical examples

SEAS Certification Program

Other details on the SEAS Certification program will be given during the Course.
SOSORT 2012 General Secretariat: info@sosort2012.org