Scoliosis is a condition of abnormal curvature in the spinal cord that appears during the teenage years. The curve may vary from person to person, however, any curve more than 10 degrees celsius in an X-Ray is considered Scoliosis. In many cases, the curve is shaped like the letter ‘S’ or ‘C’. 

 

How to know if you have Scoliosis?
Recognizing Scoliosis is easy, due to its visible symptoms, such as:
The evident curve in the back
Uneven shoulders, waist, or hips
One-shoulder blade that looks bigger
Ribs that stick out farther on one side of your body than the other
Pain and Stiffness in the lower back’
Fatigue

What are the types of Scoliosis?
Doctors have divided Scoliosis into four types, based on severity, causes, and other health factors. These types are:

1. Idiopathic scoliosis: In this type of scoliosis, the cause is not known. The reason for the curved spine is unknown in more than 80% of cases.

2. Congenital scoliosis: This type of scoliosis develops in the baby, before birth. The ailment can begin from tiny bones in the back, called vertebrae. The vertebrae may be incomplete or fail to divide properly.

3. Neuromuscular scoliosis: This type of Scoliosis is caused by a disorder in the spine like cerebral palsy, or a spinal cord injury, which can lead to damage to your muscles so they don’t support your spine correctly. That can cause your back to curve.

4. Degenerative scoliosis: This type of Scoliosis can affect adults. The major cause of this ailment is age-related wear and tear in the lower back of the discs and joints of the spine.

What are the causes of Scoliosis?

The main causes behind Scoliosis may vary from hereditary factors to injuries.

Here are the common causes behind Scoliosis
Neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy
Birth defects affecting the development of the bones of the spine
Injuries to or infections of the spine

What are the risk factors of Scoliosis?

Risk factors for developing the most common type of scoliosis include:

Age of the patient: The main symptoms start appearing during the growth spurt that occurs in adolescence.
Gender of the patient: Both males and females tend to suffer the same symptoms during mild cases of Scoliosis, however, girls have a much higher risk of the curve worsening and requiring treatment.
Family history of the patient: Scoliosis can run in families, but most children with scoliosis don’t have a family history of the disease.

BHAWANA AGGARWAL
Master of Physiotherapy (Sports)
Faculty of Physiotherapy
IPHI

Written by
Dr. Nipun Choudhary
Director IPHI