Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a deformity of the spine characterized by a curvature greater than 10° in the frontal or coronal.  Scoliosis (in Greek: skoliosis condition meaning “crooked”) is a medical condition in which a person’s spine curves from side to side.

Although it is a complex three-dimensional deformation in an X-ray, seen from behind, the spine of a person with a typical scoliosis may look more like an “S” or a “C” than a straight line.  Generally classified as congenital (caused by vertebral anomalies present at birth), idiopathic (unknown cause, sub-classified as infantile, juvenile, adolescent or adult as the starting date occurred) or neuromuscular (having developed as a secondary symptom such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy, or physical trauma).

This condition affects about 7 million people in the United States.

Scoliosis is classified into three groups according to their cause:
Neuromuscular scoliosis: due to primary neurological or muscular disorders that cause loss of control of the trunk, weakness or paralysis;
Congenital scoliosis: vertebral deformities caused by birth;
Idiopathic scoliosis: over 80% of all scoliosis and its cause is unknown.

According to the age when diagnosed, it is divided into three types:
Infantile idiopathic scoliosis from birth to 3 years of age;
Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis: between 4 and 9 years;
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: from 10 years and skeletal maturity.  It is more common in females by a ratio 7:1.