By: Shelcie, Melissa, and Natalie Scoliosis By: Shelcie, Melissa, and Natalie

Description Scoliosis is the curve of the spine, in which the spine is not straight and rotation of the vertebrae. This small curve to the spine does not cause any medical problems, but larger curves can cause your posture to be imbalanced and that can later cause you to have muscle fatigue and pain. The more severe your scoliosis is the more severe the problems such as interfering with breathing and may cause Arthritis to the spine.

Cause Idiopathic is the most common scoliosis, it runs in families, although no specific gene is associated with it. Scoliosis is not a cause of bad posture, diet, or carrying an overloaded back bag on one shoulder. Its classified according to the age of the onset. Infantile is when the curve shows before 3 years of age. (This is more common in Europe than in the U.S.) Juvenile is when it starts to curve at the ages of 3 to 10 years of age. Adolescent is when it begins from 10 to 13, or when you start getting puberty. (This is when most people start to get Idiopathic scoliosis.)

Types There are different types of scoliosis such as Congenital Scoliosis, Neuromuscular, and Degenerative Scoliosis. Neuromuscular is when the nerves or muscles that control the spine lose control. Congenital is the bones of the spine form abnormally and other organ defects. Degenerative is when the discs that separate the vertebrae brake down or arthritis starts to form in the joints that link them together.

Charts and Graphs

Symptoms Some symptoms may include back pain, feeling tired of standing or sitting for a long period of time in your back, uneven hips and or shoulders, or if the spine doesn’t seem to be straight. If your orthopedist sees these symptoms, your healthcare provider will ask you to perform a physical exam. Usually there are no medical symptoms to scoliosis though.

Prevention Scoliosis cannot be prevented unless its osteoporosis related scoliosis. Evidence of improving posture or doing exercise is not a certain.

Treatments Treatment varies for each case of scoliosis. It depends on how big the curve is, the cause of scoliosis, where the curve in your spine is, and if your body is still maturing. People with Idiopathic scoliosis do not need treatment, but you still need to be checked by a doctor every 6 months. If your body is still maturing your doctor might put you in back brace, which prevents your spine from further curving and they work best for people over the age of 10. These braces do not work for people with Congenital or Neuromuscular Scoliosis. Surgery is sometimes needed and that just involves them correcting the curve as much as possible. It may done with an incision of the belly area, back, or beneath your rib cage. You may have to wear a back brace after the surgery to secure the spine from movement. Some children and teens need emotional treatment as well as the brace might seem silly or embarrassing to them.

Additional Facts Males are less likely to get scoliosis then Females are. 3 out of 100 people have scoliosis about. In Greek the word “Scoliosis” means crooked.

Works Cited http://dillight.com/microorganisms-scoliosis/ http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/arthritis-scoliosis http://chirosportsusa.com/injuries---pain/scoliosis.html http://www.advancedspineboston.com/conditions/scoliosis/ http://chkdsportsmed.com/2013/10/09/adolescent-idiopathic-scoliosis-and-sports-participation/ http://www.scoliosisassociates.com/subject.php?pn=braces-036 http://blog.healthbase.com/2008_06_01_archive.html http://centralbraceandlimb.com/scoliosis-treatment/ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001241.htm http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bone/scolio.html Davidson, Tish; Meszaros, Liz. “Scoliosis.” Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health: Infancy through Adolescents. 2006. Encyclopedia.com 21 Dec. 2014 http://www.encyclopedia.com http://www.dr-pamela.com/articles/backpacks-may-cause-pain-and-possible-future-spinal-problems-in-children/