Scoliosis is the lateral curvature of the spine. It affects up to 5% of the world's population. That is about 380 million lives! Scoliosis is often more common in girls than boys with a ratio of 7:1.
Scoliosis is usually associated with incorrect postures and is the fifth most common disease among adolescents.
There are 5 different types of scoliosis:
Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: (most common and accounts for 80% of scoliosis): Idiopathic is a medical term that means the cause is unknown. Hence, many scoliosis patients don't know where they got scoliosis from. This makes preventing it much harder. It usually occurs among adolescents because of the rapid spine growth during growth spurts in puberty. Some symptoms like uneven shoulders, rib hump, or leaning torso might be a sign of scoliosis.
Congenital Scoliosis: Congenital Scoliosis are extremely rare, affecting only 1 in 10,000 newborn. It is a condition for babies who develop spinal abnormalities in their mother's womb.
Degenerative Scoliosis (Also known as adult scoliosis): When adults age, their spine joints wear down naturally. The uneven wearing of these parts may cause a curved spine, usually associated with weak bones in adults. Degenerative scoliosis often affects the lower back, creating a C-shape. It causes many problems including pain in the lower back and limitations in activities.
Neuromuscular Scoliosis: Neuromuscular are caused by an unique condition. The spine curves due to poor brain-muscle communication. This curve can worsen in adulthood, especially for non-walkers.
Comentários