Many people would have heard of the term scoliosis. Some of you reading may even have a type of scoliosis. This would not be surprising considering 1 in every 15 girls in Australia develop scoliosis during their growing period. But what is scoliosis? Why does it matter to differentiate the type of scoliosis in each person? Carry on reading to find out.

What Is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is defined as a sideways curve of the spine greater than 10 degrees with rotation. It is more commonly seen in females over males and will usually occur during a child’s growth period. Scoliosis is not a life-threatening condition. It can be treated with physiotherapy, bracing or surgery depending on the type of scoliosis present.

There Are Several Ways Scoliosis Can Categorised:

1. By Cause

• Idiopathic scoliosis – the most common type of scoliosis where the cause is unknown.
• Congenital scoliosis – where the scoliosis is caused by a spine defect present at birth.
• Neuromuscular scoliosis – the scoliosis forms due to spinal muscular imbalances caused by neuromuscular conditions such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy

2. Age of Onset

• Infantile scoliosis – develops before the age of 3.
• Juvenile scoliosis – develops between the ages of 4 and 10.
• Adolescent scoliosis – develops between the ages of 11 and 18.
• Adult scoliosis – develops after the age of 18 or is a continuation from adolescent scoliosis.

3. By Location

• Cervical scoliosis – where the curve develops in the neck.
• Thoracic scoliosis – where the curve develops in the mid spine.
• Thoracolumbar scoliosis – where the curve develops between the mid and lower back.
• Lumbar scoliosis – where the curve develops in the lower back.

4. By Severity

• Mild scoliosis – a spinal curve of less than 25 degrees.
• Moderate scoliosis – a spinal curve between 25 and 40 degrees.
• Severe scoliosis – a spinal curve of 40 degrees of greater.

*Spinal curves are measured by determining the Cob Angle of the spine, an X-Ray will be required to obtain this measurement*

Learning about the different types of scoliosis is great but why does it matter?
And how can this information be applied to every day life?

In more than 80% of cases, the cause of scoliosis is idiopathic. The small percentage of people who have congenital or neuromuscular conditions will have a different prognosis and therefore management of the scoliosis will differ.

Understanding the age of onset of scoliosis will ensure therapy goals are tailored specifically to the age of the person with scoliosis. For example, an adolescent with a maturing spine, will have goals related to correction of spinal curve and posture, whereas an adult with a fully-matured spine will have goals related to pain management and return to meaningful activities.

Those with scoliosis need to be aware of the location of the curve as it can help the person understand what other structures in the body may be affected. Without this understanding it is extremely difficult to correct or maintain the current curve.

Finally, it is important to understand the severity of the curve as this can determine the first-line of treatment. Those with a mild scoliosis curve are usually treated with Physiotherapy Scoliosis-Specific Exercises (PSSE), advice and education. Those with a moderate scoliosis can usually be treated with bracing and PSSE. Those with a severe curve are usually considered for surgery, especially if their spine has nearly passed their growth period.

So, I hope you have been able to learn a few things about scoliosis from this blog. A key point I would like to make is – if you or someone you know has signs of scoliosis, then you should book a physiotherapy consultation now. Why? Because all big curves started small. The earlier the detection of scoliosis, the more effective the rehabilitation and hence prevention of deterioration.  

Always remember – Keep Moving with UniquePhysio.