1. What is scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a change in the symmetry of the body, deformation of the spinal column, its curvature along the axis – to the left or to the right. Scoliosis is often accompanied by a shoulder blade or ribs protruding from one side. With one curvature in the spine, scoliosis is called C-shaped, with two – S-shaped, with three – Z-shaped. But the severity of the disease does not depend on the quantity, but on the angle of curvature. Distinguish between scoliosis 1, 2, 3 and 4 degrees. The most common scoliosis of the thoracic and lumbar spine. 2. Is it an acquired disease?
There are acquired (formed due to improper posture, prolonged uncomfortable position) and congenital (occurs with abnormal development of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs) scoliosis. Most often we work with an acquired disease. According to statistics, scoliosis occurs in 50% of preschoolers, 70% of primary school students and 95% of adolescents who graduated from school. Schoolchildren are characterized by habitual scoliosis, which is facilitated by furniture that does not correspond to the child’s height, carrying a heavy briefcase in one hand, asymmetric postures with a prolonged upright position. Sometimes scoliosis occurs in athletes who are involved in sports that involve an increased load on one of the parties – tennis players, javelin throwers, archers, etc. In older people, scoliosis can develop as a result of age-related changes – osteoporosis, when bone density decreases, or osteochondrosis. There are scoliosis, which are the result of diseases of the central or peripheral nervous system or muscle disease – neuromuscular scoliosis; curvatures that occur after injuries.
3. How do I know if I have scoliosis?
This is easy enough to notice during a routine examination. The spine, when viewed from behind, should be straight, if its shape resembles the letters S, C or even Z – i.e. shifts to the side, this is scoliosis.
4. Is scoliosis in children treated?
It is also treated successfully due to the mobility of the skeletal system. Without treatment, childhood scoliosis develops and “grows” with the child, and can cause the development of neurological and psychological abnormalities in the child, and other health problems. Due to the deformation of the spinal column, the muscles of the back are loaded unevenly, some of them become hypertrophied, and some are dystrophic. Further, the chest and ribs are involved in the deformation, which leads to a displacement of the internal organs and disruption of their work. In other words, scoliosis must be dealt with – functional training and mechanotherapy are the best helpers in this matter.
5. How is scoliosis treated in general?
Scoliosis treatment is aimed at preventing the development of deformity of the spinal column. We work according to European technology and correct the position of the spine using various manual techniques, physiotherapy, functional training and mechanotherapy. The combination of these methods allows us to create a muscle corset using stabilizing muscles that will support the spine.
A slight curvature of the spine may be invisible under clothing, but scoliosis itself does not go away in either a child or an adult. It definitely needs to be treated. And the earlier the treatment is started, the less effort and time it will take.