Scoliosis is a lateral deviation of the C or S-shaped spine.Although it is more common in young people and adolescents, children may also be affected, especially when there are other neurological changes, such as cerebral palsy, and the elderly may develop osteoporosis scoliosis, for example.
Most of the time, scoliosis is idiopathic, meaning that its exact cause cannot be identified, being related to several factors such as genetics, lack of physical activity, poor posture and sitting or lying prolongedly with the crooked spine.
- Diagnosis is done by testing and treatment may include physical therapy.
- Life jackets or surgery.
- In the most severe cases.
Spinal scoliosis may be suspected when the person has
Diagnosis should be made by the orthopedic doctor based on observation of the spine, performing imaging tests, such as X-rays or MRI, in the most severe cases.
To confirm scoliosis, you may first have the following test:
When the person has symptoms of scoliosis but has no gibbosa, scoliosis is mild and can only be treated with physical therapy.
The spine x-ray should be controlled by your doctor and should show the vertebrae of the spine as well as the hip, important for evaluating Cobb’s angle, which indicates the degree of scoliosis of the person, which helps define the most appropriate one.treatment indicated.
The first image is the test and the second shows an X-ray of the spine with scoliosis:
Scoliosis can be classified according to its causes and the affected area.
Depending on the cause of scoliosis, it may include
For the affected area, scoliosis can be classified as:
In addition, it is important to know whether the curvature is left or right; and C-shaped, indicating that it has a single curvature, or S-shaped, when there are 2 curves.
Treatment of scoliosis may be done with physical therapy, vest use, or spine surgery, depending on the person’s type of scoliosis and degree:
Physical therapy is indicated to treat scoliosis with a curvature of 10 to 35 degrees and can be performed through therapeutic exercises, Pilates clinical exercises, spinal manipulation techniques, osteopathy and corrective exercises such as postural rehabilitation.
When the person has between 20 and 40 degrees of curvature, in addition to physical therapy, it is also recommended to wear a special vest called Charleston that should be used at night during sleep, and the Boston vest, which should be used during the day to study, work and perform all activities, and should be taken only for bathing.The vest should be recommended by the orthopedist and to have the desired effect, it should be used 23 hours a day.
When the spine has more than 30 degrees of curvature in young people and more than 50 degrees in adults, surgery is indicated to reposition the vertebrae of the spine on the central axis, usually indicated in children or adolescents, when the results are better.and the most effective treatment. Surgery may be performed to place plates or screws to centralize the spine.
Learn more about each scoliosis treatment
Learn how to exercise at home to correct scoliosis: