What is Scoliosis
According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary scoliosis is:
Abnormal lateral and rotational curvature of the vertebral column. Depending on the etiology, there may be one curve, or primary and secondary compensatory curves; scoliosis may be "fixed" as a result of muscle and/or bone deformity or "mobile" as a result of unequal muscle contraction.
Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine bends to the side abnormally; either to the right or left. The curvature can be moderate to severe. Any part of the spine can be bent in scoliosis; but the most common regions are the chest area (thoracic scoliosis) or the lower part of the back (lumbar scoliosis).
Scoliosis is thought to be caused by heredity but some other reasons are different leg lengths. Scoliosis affects 2-3% of the population, or an estimated 6 million people in the United States, and there is no cure.
Signs and symptoms of scoliosis may include:
■Uneven shoulders
■One shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other
■Uneven waist
■One hip higher than the other
The National Scoliosis Foundation can be contacted at NSF@scoliosis.org to help answer questions you may have or seek care.
