Reviews of ScoliSMART Clinics (Chiropractor)

Esther Morey

Last year we discovered that our 18 year old daughter had scoliosis which sported an S shaped curve in her spine and a slight reverse curve in the neck. We spent months researching options and concluded we did NOT want surgery or bracing. The Scolismart functional approach made sense and it was clear that Dr. Stitzel is an independent thinker who has been researching and developing scoliosis treatment for many years. We traveled to PA to attend their bootcamp. The experience was very positive. Heidi enjoyed being with Dr. Stitzel and his great staff. They know how to have a great laugh and interesting conversations! And because several patients do the bootcamp together, friendships were made. The treatment strengthened Heidi's core muscles and relaxed her back. In four days, Heidi experienced a 7 degree reduction in her curve and started reversing the curve in her neck toward normal. She will be doing follow up exercises with custom made apparatus for 6 - 8 months. Scolismart clinics have a functional approach that works with the body under the premise that scoliosis is a symptom rather than the cause. Their treatment is non-invasive and had no side-effects. It trains the brain how to learn to hold the spine in a straighter position. We are looking forward to our follow up check up in 6 months. Thanks Dr. Stitzel and crew for a great week! And thanks for paving the way for many to avoid surgery and bracing!

Nicole Gallagher

We just spent a week doing the bootcamp with our 15 year old son. Dr. Stitzel and his staff are amazing and the curve dropped 11 degrees!! Would highly recommend!!

Mary

This is and has been an amazing experience with an amazing staff. Thank you Scolismart staff for your service! We love you and would recommend everyone/anyone to come and see you before jumping into doing surgery and/or bracing.

Lindsey Kennedy

Amazing all around experience!

Shania Thieler

I found this clinic by complete accident when I was researching what my options were in April 2014. I was having more and more pain even though I was going to the chiropractor regularly. Being only 18 years old, to me this pain, migraines, and down days were unacceptable and ridiculous. So I accidentally found a video link to ScoliSMART clinic and long story short, it was THE BEST THING I could have done for myself. I feel amazing, I honestly don't think I've ever felt this good. When I first got to the clinic (in December 2014), I was at a 25 degree curvature between my shoulder blades, when I left I was at 17 degrees and at my six month revaluation (June 2015) I was at 15 degrees. My neck improved so so much. I used to wake up every day and "adjust it" at least five times before it felt "okay", and that was just in the morning. Now I have so much more mobility in it, its unbelievable. I don't have to "adjust it" anymore, I'm sleeping 100% better as well. I quit going to my regular chiropractor I feel that good! I didn't expect much results at all because I'm 18 and my bones are "set" already, but this blew my mind. Everybody there was so so nice. Nothing even had a "hospital feel" either, it was like your home away from home. I didn't even want to leave at the end of the week. Dr. Clayton Stitzel was such a nice guy, he even gave me a nickname, Shanaynay haha. My only regret is that I didn't get myself involved sooner when I was still growing. I cannot thank everybody there enough for really giving me my life back!

Audrey Hossler

My daughter finished a 13 week exercise program designed especially for her by Dr. Stitzel, with fantastic results. Our family doctor recommended checking her with x-rays once a year to see how her spine was changing with no real hope for the future. Then I found Dr. Stitzel just by looking for information on Scoliosis and had her evaluated at his Lititz office. He gave me answers to my questions and a real plan to help fix her curved spine. I was really concerned about my daughter since finding out my sister and step-mom also have Scoliosis, and they are suffering the effects after having it for a lifetime. Your spine will only get worse with age and the pain is unbearable at times. I didn’t want to see my daughter in the same shape years down the road, so I’m so glad we found Dr. Stitzel when we did. The staff was very friendly and helpful, it was a pleasure getting to know them and I highly recommend their services to everyone.

Cleary Maly

ScolioSmart was the best decision for our 15 yr old daughter! I was frustrated with the wait and see mindset of modern medicine for Scoliosis. As a mother, it was agonizing as I felt I had failed taking care of my daughter so I researched and with the help of friends got connected with ScoliSmart in Lititz, PA. I decided to enroll my daughter in the camp when she was had a mid 20 degree curve. We just finished our 2 week boot camp and reduced her curve almost 20 degrees and technically does not scoliosis anymore. I encourage parents of children with Scoliosis to educate themselves on the options and do something now rather than later.

Jamie Yurcisin

I don't know where to start. The staff and facility were by far more than I expected! Dr. Stitzel is unbelievable.....very knowledgeable and informative. Hard work for the people going through the program.....so worth the effort!!! Thank you so much Dr Stitzel, Andrea, Anita, Abby & Jen!!!!

Thea Blossom Kristensen

Thank you so much Clayton +super team. Do to you guys I can continue with my career in circus. I started at the Clinique at 16. My hospital in Norway told me I had to get a surgery and stop doing circus.. This wasn't really an option for me. I am so happy I found Clayton and scolismart. Now I am 20, my back is stabilised, and I can bend, twist and turn. This wouldn't have been the case of I got the surgery... Help your body in a way that it wants to be helped.. This is not by putting metal in it..

Brooke Basilone

I went from a 23 degree scoliosis curve down to a 15 degree curve in just 4 days! Dr. Clayton and his staff went above and beyond to accommodate for me throughout my rehabilitation. Overall it was a great experience and I recommend ScoliSmart Pennsylvania to any of those looking for scoliosis corrective care. ☺️

Professional Belly Dancers

I wish that Dr. Stitzel had the Scoliosis Boot Camp program when I was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of nine. Unfortunately, he was four at the time. The bottom line for this forty-three year old dancer is the before & after X-ray results. Wow! I can't believe that even at my age, there could be such an amazing improvement after only five days of treatment. Dr. Stitzel & his staff work like a well oiled machine. They are smart, skilled, compassionate & passionate. There are no weak links in their office. On a personal note: I can't imagine going through Boot Camp with a greater group of people. Thank you everyone - I already miss our "torture sessions" :) Judy

Matthew Dietz

Dr. Stitzel and his staff are living proof you don't need to have a big, fancy building in the middle of a highly populated city to be successful and help people find and achieve actual solutions to problems like scoliosis. I'm a military poolee/applicant who has/had a rather serious case of scoliosis. After spending some time out west working with a clinic Dr. Stitzel helped setup and teach, I was ready to finally enlist. However, after nearly 9 months without an x-ray or updating my exercise equipment, I felt it was time to go for a quick update before continuing the "physical" part of my enlistment. Within a week of contacting the PA. ScoliSMART clinic, I was able to have an x-ray taken, my exercise equipment upgraded, and an attack plan post-boot camp to help me continue my fight against scoliosis. Dr. Stitzel is one of the most, if not the most, down to earth, engaging, and helpful doctors I've ever met. Not to mention his insane knowledge of scoliosis and how to counter it. If you or a loved one is suffering from scoliosis and the conventional doctors are suggesting "pins and rods", I highly recommend you, at the very least, call these folks for a free consult. They will change how you view combating scoliosis. Thanks for reading :)

Nina Asadoorian

As a parent of a young(age 11) year old girl with what Doctors called early stage Scoliosis, I felt helpless waiting for her every 6 month checkup and seeing her curve get worse, but being told its normal, not to worry and we will check again in 6 months. We chose to be more proactive and after some extensive research came across the ScoliSMART Clinic and Dr. Clayton Stitzel. Dr. Stitzel was attentive, knowledgable and mirrored our desire for a more proactive course of action. He is passionate about his work and gave every patient in his clinic complete attention. Through a series of exercises and manipulations over the course of a week, our daughter had such a huge improvement in the curvature of her spine. We were thrilled! But the results didn't stop there! Jenna was diligent with doing her daily rehab at home which was about 30-45 minutes of exercises. The Hard work paid off!! At our 6 month followup, we were thrilled to see that she has maintained her results with some things even improving! The smile on my daughters face was priceless. For once she felt like she was in control of her Scoliosis. My hope is that we have caught this early enough to stay ahead of any progression. Knowing that modern medicine looks at surgery and bracing being a logical option, I feel empowered with this alternative treatment and can't speak enough about the results. I highly recommend Dr. Clayton Stitzel and his Staff at ScoliSMART Clinics.

Nancy Howard

Dr. Clayton and his staff are beyond amazing! There is so much debate about scoliosis treatment it is hard to find the right option. We tried bracing, threapy and our daughter was headed for surgery. By the grace of God, she was unable to have the surgery because of her severe asthma. We found Lancaster Spinal Clinic in 2011 and went for treatment in March 2011. The very first day after treatment she sat on her hotel bed and for the first time in a long time did not have a headache! We saw so much improvement in two weeks it was hard to believe. My opinion is DO WHAT WORKS and this treatment works!

Jamal Morris

My spine is in a much better condition than it has ever been. The staff was very helpful throughout the process and made it much easier to work through their personally customized regimen. They are upfront & always ready to work and Dr. Stitzel himself is not only a solid person, but also a true leader. I highly recommend them to anyone with not only the desire to fix their scoliosis/spinal issues but is also ready to put in the time and work to do so.

Phillip Turner

Our daughter was diagnosed with Scoliosis at the end of 6th grade with a 27 degree curve. The Boston Brace was recommended. The Brace was horrible. My daughter did some research on line. She told me she would rather go to the ScoliSmart Clinic instead of wearing the Boston Brace. I thought it was too far away and didn't check into it. Her curve went from 27 degrees to 53 degrees by her freshman year of high school. My daughter requested the information and e-mailed Clayton on her own. Taking her to the ScoliSmart Clinic in Pennsylvania is the best thing we have ever done for her. Her curve is now 42 degrees and she is going to school again.

Samantha Noland

This has been a life changing experience for me! Dr. Clayton Stitzel and the staff have dramatically decreased my curve. I have been going to the Scolismart clinic since I was twelve. I am currently 17 years old and plan to continue going there. They have helped me so much and I am eternally grateful. It is such an incredible place that helps so many kids. Please consider sending your child to Scolismart Pennsylvania because Dr. Clayton Stitzel will change your child's life!

Daphne Glaser

Thank you Clayton Stitzel and all the caring staff at ScoliSMART PA! Clayton has a thorough regimen in place to treat scoliosis for patients with a wide range of curves. I knew my daughter needed more therapy for her back even though our doctors told us she’ll be ok and to come back in a year for a recheck. Before deciding on boot camp, Clayton took time to talk with me and answer my questions helping me determine what would be best for my daughter. She had a 15+ degree curve before camp and a 3 degree curve after camp! Likewise, the other kids in the clinic saw a reduction in their curves as well. She plans on staying in touch with the kids to have someone who can relate to what she is going through. We are so thankful we made the trip for boot camp! Her spinal health is worth the time and money spent on traveling from Tennessee. So grateful! D Glaser

Jennifer Rubin

BEST decision ever made, just like so many other parents, we were not satisfied with the “watch and wait” approach. My daughter has been going to the ScoliSmart Clinic for 3 years now and has had wonderful results. Even though she’s had some growth spurts which have progressed her curve, doing her rehabilitation exercises faithfully at home every day (especially during the times she doesn’t grow) she has reversed some of the progression. Her curve degree is still less than what she was diagnosed with 3 years ago! Dr. Stitzel and his staff are very dedicated and encouraging. HIGHLY recommended. THANK YOU for finding a better way!

James Jernigan

Two years ago my daughter had roughly an 11 degree curvature in her spine. The medical profession preaches the wait and watch approach and we did. One year later she was at 25 degrees. As a parent I was very concerned and thought the only course of action was to follow conventional wisdom and put her in a rigid plastic brace. My daughter is a swimmer and was experiencing discomfort during her training practice sessions. A swim team parent approached me after practice and told me directly about this incredibly positive experience about their close friend's daughter who has scoliosis. Very thankful for that discussion. The ScoliSmart Bootcamp had amazing results. After four days my daughter reduced her curvature by 8 degrees! Dr. Stitzel is a pioneer in his non-invasive smarter way to treating scoliosis. Follow up at home exercises and a trademark body suit apparatus and my daughter is well on her way! Discomfort free again when she swims too! Thank you Dr. Stitzel and your team!

Jodi Miller

Clayton and staff were amazing! I was told there was nothing to do for my daughter but wear a brace 24/7 and hope it doesn't get worse. It will never get better. Thankfully, Scolismart proved the doctor wrong. My daughter started the two week camp with a curve of 29 degrees and two years later her curve is 21 degrees. Please note she wore a Charleston brace at night for six months.

melissa marlatt

My son Madix Just finished a two week boot camp with dr Clayton Stitzel and it was just wonderful. We loved the fact that it's in a home like setting that really makes a kid feel more at home and less like they are in a doctors office. He worked hard and saw an 8 degree improvement so far which is encouraging. We're going back in February and just want to say thanks so much to everyone who works there. It's amazing finding out there are better options for your child out there Madix felt better after just a few days of boot camp. He enjoyed his time there even though there was a lot of hard work involved. I've talked with many parents with kids that are going or have gone here and they all have nothing but positive things to say. I couldn't agree more and feel better now about scoliosis then I ever have. Dr stitzel is very upbeat and positive and the kids really feel so comfortable around him. You witness that just by being there. Looking forward to going back in February. Thanks again

David London

Fantastic alternative to surgery. The team here is professional, knowledgeable, and easy to work with. Their method delivers the promised results. I'm so glad to have found these folks.

Sandy Peterson

I highly recommend Scolismart Clinic in Pa. Our experience at the 2 week boot camp was awesome!! Dr. Clayton Stitzel was so good at interacting with the kids & keeping them motivated! My son started with a 38 degree thoracic curve and at the end of the 2 weeks the curve decreased to 29 degrees! We will continue to do our at home therapy & look forward to going back to see how much more progress my son has made!! We are so happy to be doing something to help my son, rather than sitting around & waiting!!!

Katrina Brown

Our daughter and I spent a week with Dr. Clayton and the lovely and wonderful ladies who are his staff! Very helpful and profitable both physically, mentally, and emotionally! Would highly recommend to anyone who is facing scoliosis.

Tina B

Beyond thankful…Three years ago our daughter was 15 years old. We went to a local fair and happen to walk by a chiropractor's booth, who mentioned that we should have her checked for scoliosis. The following week, we went to the office for x-rays and a complete exam and found out her cobb angle was at 33 degrees. We researched Dr. Clayton J. Stitzel and three weeks later went through his 2 week Scoliosis Bootcamp treatment in Lititz, PA. The first week her Cobb angle went from 33 degrees to 19 degrees, the final result was 9 degrees after the second week. Let’s fast forward three years later. Our daughter is now 18 and has a 4 degree cobb angle. As you can imagine, we are so excited about the results that we got from our daughter going through Dr. Stitzel’s 10 day Scoliosis Bootcamp. The team at Dr. Stitzel’s clinic are spectacular. This has been such a great success for our daughter. If you are looking into the bootcamp, I would highly recommend going. It was one of the best decisions we have ever made! We are 100% believers in the 10 Day Bootcamp and Dr. Stitzel.

Caroline Lovell

Seeing our 11 year old daughter in pain from scoliosis and trying to wear a back brace which caused more pain was devastating. After much research and vetting we attended a two week boot camp with Dr. Clayton Stitzel in PA. In April when we arrived our daughter had progressed to where she could not sit without pain and was a 39 degree curve. When we left two weeks later she was at a 22 degree curve. She feels so much better and continues to do her home therapy. Dr. Stitzel is a call or email away if we have questions and he answers us directly which is amazing! He is passionate about this condition and helping those that suffer from it is in his heart. Have a conversation with him about scoliosis and it is easy to see that is the case. The treatment is work, but I thought my daughter would be in pain with doing so much therapy for two weeks. When I kept asking her how she felt she said she actually felt better. I cannot say enough about how much we appreciate the staff at the clinic and the care they give to each person individually. Caroline L.

berte engen

A clinic I really can recommend! Very good knowledge and deep understanding in scoliosis. Always updated on news in scoliosistreatment from around the world and always want the best for each patient. The staff are professional and very nice. Good service through mails and so whenever we have a question. We live in Norway, Europe, but have no problem in following this kind of treatment in the USA. 5 stars is not enough for this clinic - Dr. Stitzel and his staff really saves lives and pain for so many people - I give them 10!!

Lesley Vogel

I hardly know where to begin. Dr. Stitzel and his amazing staff gave us hope for a non-surgical option for my daughter's scoliosis when we were told there was no choice. In the two week boot camp she reduced her curve by 17 degrees taking her out of the surgical zone. She has continued with the physical therapy regimen for the past 16 months with great success. The staff is friendly, supportive, loving and keeps the patients smiling while working hard. We couldn't be more thankful to Dr. Stitzel and his dedication to helping those with scoliosis live vibrant active and healthy lives. We are forever grateful.

Sue Hutchison

Dr. Stitzel and his team are caring, knowledgeable professionals. I only wish more families knew about this progressive option for scoliosis therapy instead of "watching and waiting" while small curves get bigger!

Darleen Chyu

I'm an adult in my thirties that just got back from my 5-day bootcamp, and my curve (and related pain) improved significantly (as in 7 degrees!) by day 3!! Dr. Clayton Stitzel is an amazing guy--he figured out how to hack scoliosis, and I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity for this wonderful experience. (Clay is so smart, he even figured out an unrelated musculoskeletal issue that I was having. He truly understands the condition and cares about each individual). Oh, and the clinic is an inspired, motivating, and fun space with great staff. Now he's given me the tools to continue doing the work at home; and with the activity suit, I'm excited to see how low my curve can go! Worth every penny!!!

Shihan Zahand

Let's start from the top. This place works miracles. I attended the Pennsylvania office with Dr. Clayton Stitzel, where I underwent the Scoliosmart bootcamp to aid my scoliosis, along with heal my permanent back pain that I gained from the military and was told would be encompassed with me for the rest of my life. Immediately, I spoke to Dr. Stitzel and set up my appointment. As a business owner and former military, it is one thing to work; it is another thing to love what you do. After speaking with him for over 45 minutes, and not rushing me once, I truly saw Clayton was out for my best interest. When you speak with him in his office or over the phone, it is as if no one else exists. he puts all of his patience and attention towards you, never excluding anyone out. Everyone is treated beyond amazing. I witnessed this and was a receiver of it. Second, he not only tackled my scoliosis, but my back pain issue, truly stating/demonstrating his goal was to help me feel better everyday. His office is small. DO NOT BE FOOLED. It is cleanly. It is perfect and has everything needed, along with the nicest of staff that do not intimidate you and keep you on track. What amazed me, as well, was his knowledge and capability. I have dealt with back problems since my discharge over two years ago. I have seen 4 specialists and 2 surgeons. Clayton had all the information they had, plus some, in the attempt to fixing my back. Not only that, but he is an honest man who will be straightforward with you in the process. If he does not know something, he will be truthful, and then take the further step to find answer the question, whether through colleagues or more research. After a minimal stay, we did a follow-up x-ray. EVERYONE tells you scoliosis cannot be straightened, and I was told I would have to live with back pain forever if I did not undergo surgery. Dr. Clayton Stitizel straightened my spine by 6 degrees on the cobb angle and fixed my neck from an 80 degree off-set to a 42 degree offset. This IS MIRACULOUS. What is more important is I now have to endure the self-discipline of my own at-home therapy for the next few months and follow back up (which makes sense). His staff and him all prepared me mentally and physically to be ready, and they have no problem the second I contact them, to answer any questions I have. I am still in AWE after a week at how beautiful this experience was. As a Sailor, this was the first time I have cried in years because of good news, and I owe it to Dr. Clayton Stitzel and the Scoliosmart team for not meeting standards, but going above and beyond to truly care about their patients. You cannot put a price on your health and great value, and this program would be worth every penny if I had to.

Brooke Zubeck

I first started at Clayton's about seven years ago (time flies!) in regards to my scoliosis (C-curvature). At that time I was roughly at 40 degrees and was faced with the scare of detrimental surgery; I began a two-week intensive treatment plan at his office, Lancaster Spinal Health. At the end of the two weeks I was just under 20 degrees. That being said, about seven years later, I have NOT undergone anymore treatments and just simple evaluations every 2-3 years. Today, my spine has not fluctuated much in curvature over the course of seven years! However, I always like checking up on what's new and improved since my days of treatment! Pretty neat stuff. His upbeat and enthusiastic nature makes treatment in his office actually very enjoyable. I wouldn't be where I am today, physically, without Clayton's expertise and truly individualized care that he devotes to each and every patient. He is one of a kind!

SeanpaulCoffey Coffey

Extremely helpful compared to normal orthopedists. This helped not only my spine, but everyone else's spine that came through here with me. This is my fifth time coming and I can't say how awesome and helpful the experience truly was. No more pain and lots of memories made. Each time I come back my spine continues to get better and better!

Ashish Tanuku

Results matter. We've seen significant improvement with our daughter. Alternative place for Spinal surgery.

Rachel McCormick

Throughout high school, I had periodic visits to the orthopedics to evaluate the progress of my scoliosis. Being an athlete, I wanted to keep close eye on it to prevent any future issues I may have. I stopped seeing the orthopedic my junior year of high school because my curve had supposedly stopped progressing at 24 percent. However, now, in my second year of college, because of my rigorous varsity sport, I discovered my recent return of back pain was directly related to my Scoliosis. During my holiday break in December 2015, I visited ScoliSMART in Lititz, PA. Through x-rays, we found that my curve now measured at 30 percent, proving that I did have some progression. Due to my sport season and a shorten winter break, I only had time for one week of Boot Camp. Dr. Stitzel came up with a game plan and was confident in my body’s ability to respond to the treatments. All the people that worked there were so friendly and encouraging. After 5 days of attending camp, my curve had dropped to 17 percent! From there on out, I took my rehab equipment back with me to college in order to finish out the treatment. I did my rehab for 6 months on my own twice a day, until I had a revisit in May. At my check-appointment this past May, my x-rays showed that my curve was near permanently reduced to 20 percent! I had improved 10 percent in about 6 months and am now pain free! My back no longer bothers me during practice or competitions. In addition, Dr. Stitzel explained to me that the 10 percent improvement had dropped my risk of progression of scoliosis in adulthood from 68 percent to just 8 percent! You really can't get much better than that!

Natalie Studebaker

My daughter had mild scoliosis. I was told to watch and see what happens with it. Which is what happened to my parents and I ended up with 2 surgeries. I'm still in chronic pain from my scoliosis. So waiting and watching my daughters to get worse was not my plan. I'm so thankful for finding this place to take my daughter. The staff is very friendly and very upfront about everything. No beating around the bush, very strait forward. Not everything works for everyone but you never know unless you try. Anything is better then surgery and should be tried before surgery. Good luck on you scoliosis journey and remember it's never to early to try and prevent it before it gets worse.

Gerry F

Wow, what an amazing experience my 12 year old daughter and I had recently at Dr. Stitzel’s Scolismart clinic in Lititz, PA. It was definitely worth the drive down from Canada! Having done the conventional “watch & wait” method along with TLSO bracing since 2013 and watched my daughter’s curve progress from 28 to 52 degrees and while waiting for our initial orthopaedic surgeon appointment for the recommended spinal fusion surgery I decided to research alternative scoliosis treatments on the internet. I am so thankful that I stumbled upon Dr. Stitzel’s website and decided to book a phone consult with him. He is so passionate about what he does, and the results speak volumes. Having soliosis myself (I was at 46 degrees) I signed us both up for bootcamp. I did 5 days and saw my curve improve by 7 degrees and my daughter did 10 days and saw an 11 degree improvement. My neck has not felt this great in decades! It was wonderful for my daughter and I to be able to go through this experience together. It was a lot of work but having seen such great results we feel empowered and motivated to continue our therapy at home. It has been a bit of a lifestyle adjustment to work the rehab and daily walks with the activity suit into our routine, but a small price to pay when my daughter knows what the alternative treatment might have been. We are forever indebted to Dr. Stitzel and his fantastic team! It was definitely the right decision for us to do the bootcamp and I encourage others in similar situation to take the first step and contact the clinic for a consult. Dr. Stitzel and his staff make it fun (even though it is hard work) and you get to meet other families going through the same thing – the support has been terrific. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, it was like a home away from home. Thank you!

Eli Alexander

Infinitely grateful to Dr. Stizel and all of the amazing staff! Brought my curve down 11 degrees in two weeks!

Hamid N.

Dr. Clayton is someone who sincerely cares about helping others. I believe I might have found the root cause of my high upper thoracic scoliosis with his immense knowledge when 8 other chiropractors could not figure it out.