A 13-year-old girl who was diagnosed with structural scoliosis after a routine screening at school is being fitted with a scoliosis brace. Which of the following statements by the patient indicates effective use of the brace?

Explanation

• The brace should be removed for only 1 hour per day for hygiene and skin care.

•The patient will start by wearing the brace only a few hours a day and gradually increase to 23 hours a day.

•Wearing the brace only at night would be true only after radiologic studies indicate the spine has reached skeletal maturity. The patient is then slowly weaned off the brace.

•Taking the brace off whenever tired indicates poor understanding of the brace. Caution children not to remove the brace during rest because taking it off will compound the problem of discomfort and prolong the period of adjustment.