What is scoliosis? And how does it affect my child’s health?
Scoliosis develops when the spine bends sideways and rotates along its vertical axis. These changes have cosmetic and physiological effects with long-term consequences which may result in significant health problems with severe curves.
Your spine protects your central nervous system which powers every single cell in your body.
There are many causes of scoliosis, which include congenital spine deformities (those present at birth), genetic conditions, neuromuscular problems, and leg length inequality.
Scoliosis has greater health outcomes when detected at an early age.
When scoliosis is detected most parents ask:
“How could I not have noticed his/her back was like this before?”
Parents need to notice the warning signs in their children, or what to do about it if they do notice something.
The latest scoliosis research shows:
The prevalence in the at-risk population (children 10 to 15 years of age) is estimated at 2 to 3% [1]
The prevalence of scoliosis increases rapidly from 11 to 14 years of age [2]
High rates of scoliosis are observed amongst dancers and gymnasts. Research has shown adolescent dancers are at significantly higher risk of developing scoliosis than non-dancers of the same age [3]
Early detection delivers more favourable prognoses [4]
That spinal pain is in fact a prevalent condition in AIS patients, further supporting the need for early detection and screening to minimise potential pain and suffering [5]
Specialised scoliosis bracing when prescribed for high-risk patients, can prevent the need for surgery in most cases [6]
The best time to screen our children and adolescents in the at risk age groups, is now.
Chiropractors are well placed to recognise the early indicators of a possible scoliosis As a parent you should be aware of:
Uneven shoulders
One more prominent shoulder blade
Uneven waist line
A noticeable curve in the spine
A family history of scoliosis
To have your family’s spines assessed, call Katherine Sports & Family Chiropractic today on 8971 2882
References:
[1] Gutknecht S, Lonstein J & Novacheck T 2009, ‘Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Screening, Treatment and Referral’, A Pediatric Perspective, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 1-6.
[2] Sabirin J, Bakri R, Buang SN, Abdullah AT & Shapie A 2010, ‘School Scoliosis Screening Programme – A Systematic Review’, Medical Journal of Malaysia, December issue, vol. 65, no. 4, pp. 261-7.
[3] Longworth B., Fary R., Hopper D, ‘Prevalence and predictors of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in adolescent ballet dancers’ – Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 Sep;95(9):1725-30. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2014.02.027. Epub 2014 Mar 21.
[4] Fong DY, Cheung KM, Wong YW, Wan YY, Lee CF, Lam TP, Cheng JC, Ng BK, Luk KD, ‘A population-based cohort study of 394,401 children followed for 10 years exhibits sustained effectiveness of scoliosis screening’, Spine J. 2015 May 1;15(5):825-33. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2015.01.019. Epub 2015 Jan 20.
[5] Theroux Jean, Le May Sylvie, Labelle Hubert [University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia], ‘Back Pain and Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Descriptive, Correlation Study’, Spine Society of Australia 27th Annual Scientific Meeting (8-10 April 2016)
[6] Stuart L. Weinstein, Lori A. Dolan, James G. Wright, and Matthew B. Dobbs, ‘Effects of Bracing in Adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis’, N Engl J Med 2013; 369:1512-1521October 17, 2013DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1307337