Scoliosis is curvature of the spine and 80% of the time it is of unknown cause! The most common curvature develops around the age of 10 and girls are 9 times more likely than boys to have this form of scoliosis.
Prevention
For prevention, early detection is the key. Children should be checked periodically during their growing years, particularly from 9 years of age as scoliosis can develop very rapidly especially when there is muscular imbalance.
In this example 16 year old Scott has already developed a significant scoliosis.
When leaning forwards, as if to touch the toes, our spine should be straight and there should be no rib humping, as seen in Scott’s case.
Children, and adults, can be checked when sitting to see if their spine is in line. A “desk job” may contribute to ongoing pain and discomfort if there are postural stresses for long periods.
In Scott’s case, a 13mm short leg on the left is likely to have contributed to his scoliosis in the growing years.
Surgery
The need for corrective surgery is generally only considered if there is a large degree of curve and rapid progression of scoliosis. In its more severe forms scoliosis can create many health problems. It is best detected early before the body has reached skeletal maturity.
Your chiropractor is well placed to do a thorough assessment for any concerns for a developing scoliosis.
Some handy home hints for scoliosis detection include looking for:
- Head tilt
- Shoulder levels
- Hip height
- Waistline asymmetry
A comprehensive review of scoliosis and the latest on the neurology of scoliosis and treatment strategies . This is a blog entry following a major lecture on scoliosis to the chiropractic profession in August 2011. I delivered this lecture after being asked by the Macquarie University Alumni to present on the same occasion as Dr. Lindsay Rowe and Jeb McAviney of the Sydney Scoliosis Clinic.