Pediatric Scoliosis Care with Craniosacral Therapy in New York City
A gentle, hands-on approach to pediatric scoliosis in Midtown Manhattan. Dr. Alex Kaminsky frames the spinal curve as a whole-body pattern — shaped by muscle tension, cranial mobility, and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid — and works to release that pattern so the body can move back toward balance.
Dr. Alex Kaminsky, D.C. · Certified Craniosacral Therapist · over 25 years of experience
Craniosacral therapy and supportive techniques, tailored to your child. Gentle, non-invasive, and complementary to your child's medical care — never a substitute for it.
Scoliosis as a whole-body pattern
In Dr. Kaminsky's approach, pediatric scoliosis does not originate in the spine, even though it is a spinal condition. It is described as a pattern that forms when unresolved emotions, negative experiences, or even mild mental or physical trauma become stored — energetically stuck — in the body. That, in turn, is said to set off a cascading effect on the muscles that hold posture.
Because muscles attach to bone through tendons, certain muscle groups that shorten and stay shortened are described as exerting continuous pressure on the spine, pulling it out of its natural midline. The spine itself is treated as a passive structure: the vertebral column is made of bone, disc, and ligament, and cannot bend or twist on its own. The muscles attached to it are described as fully responsible for its movement and position.
The pattern this approach looks for
- Stored emotions or trauma are described as creating patterned muscle contraction.
- Shortened muscle groups are said to pull the spine off midline through their tendon attachments.
- An imbalance in the autonomic nervous system is described as keeping muscles in hypertonicity (spasm).
- Releasing that pattern is intended to support a return toward balance and alignment.
Many of these ideas are explored in more depth on the How the Body Works page, which describes how the nervous system and the body's energetic anatomy are viewed as part of one functional system.
Why muscle contraction is seen as the driver
This approach views scoliosis as forming when specific muscle groups tighten and stay shortened, continuously exerting pressure on the spine.
The question it asks is: what makes those muscle groups tighten in the first place? The answer offered is trauma, or certain types of human emotion and experience that are not processed to resolution. Those experiences are described as carrying a negative energetic charge that becomes stuck in the body's fascia and other tissues, disrupting the muscles that control posture. The result is described as a contraction or spasm of muscle groups, locked into a particular holding pattern that pulls on a specific area of the spine.
- Muscles move the vertebral column; the spine itself is passive.
- Tightened agonist and antagonist muscle groups are described as together maintaining the curve.
- Hypertonicity can persist even without pain, including latent trigger points and insidious shortening.
- Balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system is described as supporting release.
The craniosacral mechanism and CSF flow
The autonomic nervous system maintains balance, or homeostasis, of bodily function — including the muscles. A disruption in the balance between its parasympathetic and sympathetic branches is described, in scoliosis, as affecting specifically patterned groups of muscles, keeping them tight and in a constant state of hypertonicity that pulls the spine off its midline.
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is described as the driving force of the craniosacral mechanism.
- The body's energetic anatomy is described as intrinsically overlapping with the nervous system.
- Disruptions to that system are described as affecting muscle tone and posture.
- Restoring flow is intended to support musculoskeletal balance.
Because the head must always try to stay upright and level, this approach notes that an "S"-shaped scoliosis is described as the most common form to develop as the body compensates.
Cranial mobility, CSF flow, and spinal alignment
Cranial mobility is described as one of the most important physiological functions of a living body. Subtle movement between the plates of bone at the cranial sutures is described as helping pump cerebrospinal fluid — produced in the choroid plexus of the brain — throughout the body.
When that movement is restricted, this approach describes a reduction in proper CSF flow that can, among other effects, influence muscle tone and posture. The work of osteopathic physicians is cited here: Dr. William G. Sutherland, in the 1930s, is credited with describing the natural movement between the plates of cranial bone at the sutures, and decades later Dr. Harold I. Magoon, also an osteopath, stated that "spinal scoliosis and cranial scoliosis are inseparable."
What this means for treatment
- Birth-related pressure is described as able to jam cranial sutures and restrict their motion.
- Restricted cranial mobility is described as reducing CSF flow and overall body balance.
- Cranial and spinal scoliosis are described as inseparable.
- Restoring cranial mobility is intended to help release muscle tension and support alignment.
For achieving the goal of scoliosis reversal, this approach describes three priorities: helping the body release stored trauma and stuck emotions, untightening the contracted muscle groups, and making sure there is ample cranial mobility and ample CSF flow. You can read more about the body's function on the How the Body Works page.
Baby scoliosis and early evaluation
In this approach, infants diagnosed with scoliosis most commonly have a misaligned cranium as a result of the birthing process. Dr. Kaminsky's view is that babies are not born with a scoliotic spine — that it is a condition most often caused during labor and delivery.
Pulling, twisting, and compressing a baby's head during delivery is described as jamming the delicate plates of bone at the sutures, creating a subluxation in the head and neck that decreases CSF flow and, in turn, contributes to spinal curving. Careful evaluation and palpation of the head is described as necessary to assess this likelihood. Where cranial sutural jamming or overlapping of the plates of bone is found, the aim is gentle cranial unjamming and realignment, with the expectation that the spine will then straighten.
- Compression during delivery is described as able to jam cranial sutures.
- Cranial misalignment is described as influencing spinal curves.
- Gentle cranial realignment is intended to help the spine straighten.
- Careful palpation guides the individual treatment plan.
Signs of infantile scoliosis
The tell-tale signs Dr. Kaminsky points to are head and facial asymmetry. As a parent, you might ask yourself the following questions:
- Is one ear sticking out more than the other?
- Is the ear on one side higher than the other?
- Is the forehead uneven?
- Does the mouth look symmetrical?
- Is the jaw uneven?
- Does one side of the head look flatter than the other?
- Does the baby's head look uneven?
If the answer is yes to any of these and your child has been diagnosed with scoliosis, this approach suggests there may be sutural jamming or overlapping contributing to the curve.
Adult-onset scoliosis and treatment goals
Adult-onset scoliosis — scoliosis discovered in a mature adult — is described as forming for the same reasons as in children: emotional experiences or physical trauma felt more recently in life that become energetically stuck in the body, following the same muscle-energetic pattern.
How the approach is framed for adults
- Address the stored emotional and physical trauma underlying the pattern.
- Release the contracted muscle groups to help restore balance.
- Support cranial mobility and CSF flow alongside the muscular work.
- Dr. Kaminsky's stated goal is complete reversal and long-term stability.
If you are an adult living with scoliosis, you can read more about a parallel approach on the adult scoliosis page. Either way, the goal of "reversal" described here is Dr. Kaminsky's objective and philosophy, not a guaranteed result.
"Spinal scoliosis and cranial scoliosis are inseparable."
A scoliosis-focused approach in Midtown Manhattan
Dr. Alex Kaminsky is familiar with the approaches and recommendations conventionally and currently available for scoliosis management — including CLEAR, Schroth, all bracing systems, and all surgical options including VBT. His own approach focuses on the traumatic, emotional, and cranial aspects he believes are needed to positively influence the spine, using the methods he considers necessary to work toward complete scoliosis curve reversal.
He has been studying, researching, and working with scoliosis patients for many years. To date, he reports having been able to halt the progression of the curve in three children who received care over periods of four months, six months, and one and a half years, at ages 11, 13, and 15. A consultation is the best way to understand the approach and determine whether it is the right fit for your child.
Related reading
- Craniosacral Therapy — the core gentle, hands-on method used in this work.
- Myofascial Release — soft-tissue work that addresses muscular restriction.
- How the Body Works — the nervous system, CSF, and the craniosacral mechanism explained.
- Adult Scoliosis — the same approach applied to adult-onset scoliosis.
Outcomes described on this page reflect Dr. Kaminsky's experience and reporting; results vary from person to person and are not guaranteed. Craniosacral therapy is gentle, non-invasive, and complementary to medical care. It does not diagnose, cure, or replace medical evaluation, monitoring, or treatment of scoliosis. Always keep your child under the care of a physician.
Pediatric scoliosis: common questions
What does Dr. Kaminsky believe causes scoliosis?
In this approach, scoliosis is framed as a whole-body pattern. Unresolved emotions, negative experiences, or physical or mental trauma are described as becoming energetically stored in the body, leading certain muscle groups to shorten and remain in spasm. Because muscles attach to the spine through tendons, that constant pull is described as drawing the spine out of midline.
How is craniosacral therapy used for pediatric scoliosis?
Care is gentle and hands-on. Evaluation includes cranial assessment and careful palpation, followed by craniosacral therapy and supportive methods intended to release contracted muscle groups, restore cranial mobility, and support healthy cerebrospinal fluid flow and spinal balance. It is complementary to medical care, not a replacement for it.
What signs of infantile scoliosis should parents look for?
Dr. Kaminsky points to head and facial asymmetry: one ear sticking out more than the other, one ear higher than the other, an uneven forehead, a mouth that does not look symmetrical, an uneven jaw, one side of the head looking flatter, or a head that looks uneven. If several signs appear and a child has been diagnosed with scoliosis, cranial sutural jamming may be involved.
Is this approach a guaranteed cure for scoliosis?
No. Craniosacral therapy is gentle, non-invasive, and complementary. Results vary from person to person, and no outcome is guaranteed. It does not replace medical diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment. Scoliosis should be evaluated and monitored by a physician, especially in growing children.
Does Dr. Kaminsky know about conventional scoliosis treatments?
Yes. He is familiar with the approaches and recommendations conventionally available for scoliosis management, including CLEAR, Schroth, all bracing systems, and surgical options including VBT. His own approach focuses on the traumatic, emotional, and cranial aspects he believes influence the spine.
Talk with Dr. Kaminsky about your child
Call the office or send a request and the practice will follow up to discuss your questions, availability, and whether this gentle approach is a good fit for your child. The office is at 36 East 36th Street in Midtown Manhattan.