What is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a common condition that affects about 3 percent of the population. In the majority of cases, it doesn’t cause any complications and can be safely left as is with an exercise program designed to help prevent progression of the scoliosis. Uncommonly, however, scoliosis can progress to the point where treatment is needed to prevent further complications.
Most cases of scoliosis are diagnosed during the pre-teen and teen years. Girls are more likely to develop the condition than boys, and it usually progresses until the end of puberty, which is by the age of 16 in most girls. Rarely, it can continue to progress into adulthood. It’s often detected at routine childhood well visits and sometimes during scoliosis screenings at school. Sometimes parents notice that a child is leaning to one side or that his or her spine seems to curve side-to-side like a snake. An evaluation by a spine specialist can determine whether the condition needs to be treated.
