Scoliosis 101
What comes to mind when you hear the word “scoliosis”?
Give it a moment.
Depending on the environment, influences, and social settings you grew up in, it’s likely one of two things come to mind:
Option A: weak, deformed people; often used as a social short-hand to mock in media.
Option B: nothing at all.
Why could that be? Well, quite simply, access to basic scoliosis information has been lacking worldwide for decades. So it’s not your fault if you know nothing about it. But it is your responsibility to change that.
In keeping with ‘blog etiquette’, let’s keep this short and cute: Scoliosis is a musculoskeletal effect on the body where the spine bends, curves, and rotates on itself, pulling all other body parts with it. Most often it presents in girls during adolescence (but also presents in boys, infants, children, and can change throughout life). Scoliosis has occurred around the globe for centuries. It does not care who you are, where you’re from, what your wealth or education is. There is ongoing research about its origins and ‘triggers’ to cause the spinal curvatures, which keeps pointing back to some genetic links (among other intriguing potential sources!).
A big “miss” in the average Scoliosis definition is that is affects the spine in all three dimensions - usually the textbooks will only say it’s a “side-to-side curve”. I suspect that is because most of the accompanying x-rays show the spine from the front or back, so you see only those curves (one curve referred to as a “C-curve”; two curves as an “S-curve”). However those images and that definition leave out two other dimensions that are so key to understanding the complexity of scoliosis and impact on the individual: the spine also rotates (kind of like a spiral staircase) and bends (forward and backward). Makes it sound even more fun, doesn’t it?
Scoliosis is not fun. It does not make the individual weaker. It is not something to mock. It is not ‘just’ a side-to-side curve. It is a medical condition that can become serious, and anybody facing scoliosis is in fact a superhero that overcomes more challenges daily courtesy of their own spine than you may ever face, yourself.
Check-in: What comes to mind when you hear the word “scoliosis” now? Hopefully a smidge more knowledge and empathy.
There are three main options for treating scoliosis (the first which many folks consider a non-option):
Wait-and-see: AKA “Let’s see if the curves worsen and then we’ll do something about it.”
Bracing: A custom orthotic back brace is made for the individual to course-correct the young curve while it’s still flexible and growing. This deserves a whole other post on its own… Accompanying PSSE (Physiotherapy Scoliosis-Specific Exercises) while bracing have shown great results in research studies.
Surgery: When the curve surpasses a certain degree of severity, surgery becomes the recommended path forward. The ‘gold standard’ scoliosis surgery is called “Spinal Fusion” where metal rods and screws and put into the vertebrae to straighten the spine and prevent continued curving. A newer type of surgery called VBT (“Vertebral Body Tethering”) uses a more flexible cord instead. *These surgeries do not cure scoliosis; you still have it and it’s asymmetrical forces. But it prevents further curving.
Let’s do another quick check-in: Have you learned some brand-new information here today? Good! I’m so glad you’re here and intrigued in learning more.
The very best way to tackle scoliosis? Early screening. Early detection in children is key - the sooner you spot an uneven hip, rib, or shoulder, the sooner you take them into the doctor’s office for a 30-second “Adam’s Forward Bend Test” to look for spinal asymmetries, the sooner (if scoliosis is suspected at this point) you get an X-Ray to confirm, the sooner you can course correct that curve with PSSE and bracing while the spine still has a lot of growth ahead of it to use to its advantage! Yay!
My favorite analogy for this all is the garden tomato plant. It starts off small, grows up a bit, and next thing you know it’s leaning over to one side. Time to add in the metal tomato hoops around it to support it upright, so we have a tall strong tomato plant!
Final recap: Scoliosis is three-dimensional, most often (but not exclusively) presents in adolescent girls, is a challenging health condition, and ideally should be identified early.
Now you know. 💚
PS: The official color of scoliosis is green. Its awareness month is June. The quintessential behind-the-scenes book explaining scoliosis is Tangled in the Curves.
Note: This blog is based on the author’s experience and opinion only, without any formal medical training. In no way should this blog replace professional medical advice.