Scoliosis, what it is and how to recognize this serious problem

Scoliosis is a bowing, or deformity, of the spine and affects children in particular. Let’s find out what causes it and how it can be prevented.

The term scoliosis derives from the Greek skolíosis, or “curvature”, and it is a pathology known as early as 300 BC. The first expert in scoliosis was the Greek physician Hippocrates who, first of all, studied and classified the different types of angular deformities of the vertebral column. Subsequently, he created a set of tools capable of reducing anomalies and compensating for spinal problems.

Scoliosis therefore means a deformity of the back or part of it; in general, scoliosis affects 3% of children , and presents with a lateral curvature. In other cases there may also be a rotation of the vertebral bodies, which becomes much more evident in the rib area. Let’s try to understand what are the causes of scoliosis and how to intervene.

Main types and causes of scoliosis

There are different types of scoliosis and, even if they all cause a deformation of the spine, they take different names with respect to the area in which they are located. Therefore, today, we are able to distinguish between scoliosis:

-lumbar
– back-lumbar
– dorsal
–Dorsal cervix

Cases of milder scoliosis don’t have much impact on daily life, but underestimating the problem is never good. In fact, this pathology in the most serious cases can be very painful, leading to a limitation of movements.

However, there are several causes behind this disorder. The most common are congenital back malformations or neuro-muscular diseases , although scoliosis is most often idiopathic. In this particular case there is no definite cause for scoliosis, but there are predisposing factors.

These are conditions like the abnormalities of the connective tissue , or the lack of harmonic growth of different parts of the skeleton, muscles and nerves. According to the studies carried out so far, scoliosis can be:

– idiopathic, for 65% of cases and, as we have said, does not manifest causes;
– congenital, for the remaining 15% and is always present from birth;
– pathological, if caused by neuro-muscular diseases but limited to 10% of cases.

Scoliosis: symptoms and how to diagnose it

Understanding when you suffer from scoliosis is quite simple, especially since the spine is curved in on itself or in all three directions. Regardless of how the back is deformed, the consequences are asymmetries of the shoulder blades , shoulders and hips. In fact, when a scoliosis sufferer leans forward, a scoliotic hump is formed which varies depending on the area in which it is located.

Specifically it can be a dorsal , dorsal-lumbar or lumbar hump. To properly diagnose this disorder, an x-ray of the spine is necessary. This is used to quantify the inclination of the back, expressed in Cobb degrees, and clarifies how to intervene.

Remedies and exercises for scoliosis

When scoliosis is detected in good time it is much easier to correct. Precisely for this reason it is essential to intervene as soon as possible and keep under control the child, his development and the weights he carries, including the backpack , which is often too heavy.

The control must be carried out until the end of the development, to avoid the onset of the problem or, if necessary, to intervene promptly. In fact, after puberty scoliosis decreases its risk of progression. In general, however, the treatments depend on the degree of spinal deviation. We can distinguish scoliosis:

– mild : between 10 and 25 degrees Cobb, targeted gymnastics sessions are enough to resolve it;
– intermediate : from 25 to 45 degrees Cobb, a system of exercises is studied and the use of a corset is combined;
– severe : in these cases the inclination is above 45-50 degrees Cobb and surgery must be considered to resolve it.

As for the exercises we can say that the ideal is to do them in self-correction. Another very important thing is the choice of the mattress, useful for correcting the posture and the inclination of the back. It is better to choose a product in memory, with a medium-rigid resistance and that is cataloged as a Class 1 CE Medical Device.

Cover photo source: https://www.pexels.com/it-it/foto/donna- ufficio-parete-senza-volto-4506105/