Scoliosis

What is scoliosis?

The Scoliosis Research Society defines scoliosis as a side curvature of the spine of 11 or more degrees on X-ray. The curvature can be  „S“ shaped or „C“ shaped and is usually presenting in all three dimensions. The severity of the scoliosis depends on how big is the angle of the curvature - the larger the angle the more obvious the symptoms are going to be.

The main symptoms of scoliosis are visible changes in posture: you might lean a little when you stand, you could have visible curve in your back, your shoulders, waist, or hips might look uneven; in some cases one shoulder blade looks bigger or ribs  stick out farther on one side of your body than the other.

In addition to visible symptoms, scoliosis may also cause back pain and back stiffness, symptoms similar to sciatica if the nerve is trapped and people with scoliosis often suffer from muscle fatigue.

There are different type of scoliosis depending on the underlying causes : more than 80% of all cases are classified as Idiopathic scoliosis, which means the scoliosis develops without an obvious cause. Congenital scoliosis starts before baby is born and is very rare,  in mild cases it might be not spotted until teenage years. Neuromuscular scoliosis develops as a consequence of a different condition affecting muscles and spine, for example spina bifida, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury or polio. Finally Degenerative scoliosis affects older adults as the vertebrae and discs start to wear out and spine adjusts to compensate.

Who gets affected by scoliosis?  

The most common Idiopathic scoliosis usually start in childhood and it shows up most often during growth spurts, usually when between 10 and 15 years of age. About the same number of boys and girls are diagnosed with minor idiopathic scoliosis, however the girls are 10 x more likely to get worse over time and needing treatment.

How is scoliosis treated?