Scoliosis

You may remember getting a scoliosis health screening in junior high school—the one in which you bend over and touch your toes while the examiner looks at your back. Scoliosis is a common condition that develops during adolescence. One in 25 teenage girls and one in 200 boys are affected. It is called scoliosis because the person’s spine, which runs in a fairly straight line down the back in a normal individual, instead curves in an s-shape.


Most cases of scoliosis are idiopathic, meaning there is no known cause for the curvature. Researchers have found, however, that there does seem to be some familial tendency associated with the condition, which suggests there may be a genetic component. They have also found that scoliosis is more common in tall, thin women and tends to develop during rapid periods of growth.

Symptoms of scoliosis you should look for in your children/adolescents are:

uneven or rounded shoulders
curving of the upper body
leaning to one side
complaints of back pain


Scoliosis screenings are usually done in school, but your pediatrician can also do it during your child's yearly visit. A curvature greater than 10 degrees is considered scoliosis and is often referred for evaluation.

Six out of seven people with diagnosed scoliosis never receive treatment. In fact, it is only when the curvature gets severe (around 25 degrees) that the doctor will suggest either bracing or surgery. The purpose of bracing is not to fix the curvature of the spine but to prevent it from getting worse, so the brace is usually worn full-time until growth is complete. The only way to actually correct scoliosis is through spinal surgery.