Bent But Not Broken: Scoliosis Explained

Mercan Gures
Jul 9
4 min read

What is scoliosis?

Many may have heard of the medical condition “scoliosis”, but may not know what it really is. Scoliosis is considered an abnormal or several abnormal curves and twists in the spine of the human body. The curves and twists are measured in degrees and an official diagnosis for scoliosis is considered anything above 10 degrees. The spines of people affected by scoliosis can look very different, some may have the “C” shape which consists of one clear bend while others may have the “S” shape which consists of two bends in the spine. The month of June is specifically dedicated to raising scoliosis awareness, commonly a green ribbon is worn for this.

Who is affected by scoliosis?

Overall, when we look at the statistics scoliosis is most commonly found in adolescents, teenagers with scoliosis take up 80% of the total diagnosed cases. More specifically, it is oftentimes found in adolescent females yet even experts are uncertain why this is so. Many theories include the earlier start to puberty girls have in comparison to boys and therefore more sudden growth spurts as well as the different affect of hormones ( such as Leptin) in the female body, yet the reason why females are 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with adolescent (idiopathic) scoliosis than males and why when they are diagnosed their case is 10 times more likely to progress, remains a mystery in the medical world.

Even though teenagers are more at risk of this condition, adults, infants or even newborns can be affected by scoliosis. You may wonder what causes this condition, however even that is not fully clear. Genetics does play a role though, since if one of your close family members has scoliosis you have a higher chance to have it too.

Symptoms and consequences of scoliosis:

Some externally visible effects of scoliosis can include uneven hips and shoulders, an uneven torso, different lengths of legs and several others.

While many assume that scoliosis does not cause much damage, severe cases of scoliosis have shown to affect organs such as the lungs, cardiac function and your digestive system. The bends and abnormal positions of spines with scoliosis may restrict organs of the necessary space and therefore compress them, if the lungs are robbed of their space deep inhalations and exhalations may be difficult for patients which can cause disruptions in cardiac health. Similarly, if this occurs in the digestive system patients may experience acid reflux, the constant feeling of being full and nausea, if the stomach, the oesophagus or the intestines are compressed.

Additionally, even though this medical condition is not directly related to mental health it still has the power to cause depression, anxiety and low self-esteem in those who are affected due to the difficulty of the treatment process, their body image, etc..Overall it can be said that scoliosis can cause deeper damage if not diagnosed early and treated accordingly.

How can you break free from scoliosis?

There are numerous ways to treat or improve cases of scoliosis, which one is chosen to apply depends on the patient’s case upon which is then decided which type of treatment will improve their condition most effectively.

• Monitoring

When scoliosis is caught in the early stages doctors may often recommend to track the development of it to see if it will worsen. This can be done by regular orthopedic check ups and if recommended by a doctor X-rays may be taken.

• Bracing

With cases of scoliosis where the patient is still an adolescent and therefore in the growing stages, a custom made scoliosis brace may be recommended by doctors. They are often used to keep moderate curves from getting worse by stabilizing them. Commonly braces are made of a hard plastic, that fits under the arms and around the rib cage, lower back and hips. The amount of hours a scoliosis patient is assigned to wear the brace daily can vary from 4-24 hours, some may even only be designed for nightly use instead, depending on the patient’s case. For physical activities the brace may be taken off if necessary. After the adolescent has stopped growing, mostly the brace is put aside and no longer used as the case is then unlikely to worsen.

• Rehabilitation/ Physiotherapy

This method consists of physical exercises that are built into the daily routine of patients. One famous method is the Schroth Method, which consists of exercises adapted to the patient’s curvature to achieve a more natural position. The main goal of the Schroth therapy exercises is to de-rotate, elongate and stabilize the spine in a three dimensional plane. The main factors covered by Schroth exercises to achieve these goals are: restoring muscular symmetry and alignment of posture, breathing into the concave side of the body and teaching patients to be aware of their posture. This method was developed in the late 1800 by Katharina Schroth, a German woman who was also affected by scoliosis. She developed the Schroth exercises after she had been unsuccessfully treated with bracing, to cure herself and later on countless other patients in need.

• Surgical treatment

There are several different surgical approaches that have developed over time, however the most common one is spinal fusion. Surgery is usually only considered after the curve exceeds 45 degrees and therefore it is applied on patients with rather extremely severe cases. The surgery is built around the idea of realigning and fusing together the curved vertebrae so that they heal into one solid bone. Metal rods and screws are used to stabilize these vertebrae into place as they proceed to heal into one. As per any operation, spinal fusion comes with risks too. Infections and bleeding may occur, an extremely small risk of paralysis also exists if the spinal cord is injured in the process, and other unlikely but possible complications are part of the list too. Past results have however shown to effectively improve cases of scoliosis, becoming a positive addition to the world of medicine.