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Types of Scoliosis Curves

Scoliosis is a skeletal disorder that causes an abnormal curve of the spine measuring at least 10 degrees when viewed from the front. This disorder occurs in approximately 3 percent of the population. Scoliosis occurs in girls twice as often as in boys. However, less than 1 percent of scoliosis cases are severe enough to require surgery.

  1. The Facts

    • The cause of scoliosis is often unknown. It is undetectable until a child grows. There are three main types of scoliosis: congenital, neuromuscular and idiopathic. In addition, scoliosis can be caused by arthritis, degeneration of the discs and other health issues such as tumors affecting the curve of the spine. Scoliosis curves that measure less than 10 degrees rarely require treatment. However, curves that are more than 40 degrees often require surgery.

    Types

    • Congenital scoliosis occurs when the vertebrae of the spine fail to form or separate completely. This results in triangular-shaped vertebrae that do not align properly. Neuromuscular scoliosis occurs in conjunction with neurological diseases associated with damaged nerves such as muscular dystrophy, spina bifida and cerebral palsy. Idiopathic scoliosis has no known cause. There are three types of idiopathic scoliosis: infantile scoliosis is detected up to the age of 3, juvenile scoliosis is detected between 3 and 10 years of age, and adolescent scoliosis is detected after the age of 10 through bone maturity.

    Identification

    • Early intervention can slow the progression of scoliosis. During health exams a doctor will ask the child to bend forward at the waist and check the alignment of the spine and shoulder blades. Other routine tests include balance exercises and nerve tests. If there appears to be any indication of scoliosis, an X-ray may be ordered to monitor the progression of the curve. Schools often do routine scoliosis exams for children during annual school health checks.

    Misconceptions

    • Abnormal curves of the spine that are visible from the side are not scoliosis. Kyphosis is an abnormal curve when viewed from the side in which the spine is bent forward in the upper region, also called hunchback. Lordosis is an abnormal curve of the spine when viewed from the side in which the spine is abnormally concave at the lower or upper region, commonly referred to as swayback

    Treatment

    • There are treatment options available to slow the progression of the disorder. A back brace may be worn to slow the progression of the curve. A back brace is usually used if the child has at least two years of growth left before skeletal maturity. However, the condition usually progresses when the back brace is no longer worn. Exercise to maintain flexibility of the muscular system may be helpful. Chiropractic manipulation of the spine may be helpful. However, there have been no studies to show these to halt the progression of scoliosis. Curves greater than 40 percent often require surgery to correct, stabilize or fuse the damaged vertebrae.

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