Related articles: Scoliosis
Definition
Scoliosis is a pathological condition characterized by a lateral curvature of the spine. This deviation can involve one or more mobile vertebrae. Most commonly, the curve is convex to the right in the thoracic section and to the left in the lumbar area; therefore the right shoulder is higher than the left one.
Scoliosis usually occurs around puberty, when growth rates are faster; it can be caused by developmental problems (eg incomplete vertebrae formation) or by atrophy and muscle paralysis of one side of the back. Scoliosis, therefore, may be secondary to a neuromuscular disorder, such as poliomyelitis and dystrophies. Sometimes, it is associated with other conditions: Marfan syndrome, spina bifida, Prader-Willi syndrome, imperfect osteogenesis and multiple endocrine neoplasia of type 2B (MEN 2B).
A scoliosis can be suspected when the shoulders appear asymmetrical or the clothes do not fall straight down the body. Later, fatigue can occur in the lumbar region or back pain of muscular origin, and an asymmetry of the rib cage may be evident. To prevent further deformities, it is possible to resort to corrective exercises, physiotherapy and tutors. On the other hand, serious curvatures can be corrected surgically by acting on the affected vertebrae.
Possible Causes * of Scoliosis
- Fanconi anemia
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Scheuermann's disease
- Neurofibromatosis
- osteochondrosis
- Osteoid osteoma
- osteopetrosis
- Infant Cerebral Palsy
- Polio
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Marfan syndrome
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Turner syndrome
- Feto-alcohol syndrome
- Syringomyelia
- Spina bifida
