Scoliosis – lateral curvature of the back – symptoms and treatment

One of the more common diseases of the spine that occur in a period of rapid growth (before and during adolescence until the end of skeletal growth) is scoliosis. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine with a rotation of the vertebrae in the longitudinal axis and torsion the spine.

Descriptive meaning of the rotation is rounding of the spine around the longitudinal axis and torsion means rounding of one part of the vertebra to another. In all forms of scoliosis is a danger of increasing the bulge curvature especially in the period of rapid skeletal growth.

Hence the importance of early diagnosis of spinal distortions in order of timely commencement of procedures to strengthen the muscles of the back or as to prevent the increase of deformity due to improper posture in daily habits and activities.

Typical partition of distortions is in the backbone by a functional (non-structural) and structural scoliosis.

1.In nonstructural scoliosis usually exists unbalanced muscles on both sides of the spine, so they are called scoliosis posture. In this type of scoliosis there are anatomical disorders. Scoliosis posture can be conditioned by several factors that lead to imbalance of the muscles (back muscle on the spine). Such scoliosis postures occurs in imparity of the lower limbs (when there is a difference in the length of the lower limbs) whereas for inclination of the pelvis comes to functional curvature of the spine part. Also in situations due to an imbalance caused by muscle spasm on one side of the spine is often encountered scoliosis posture. In such nonstructural scoliosis do not require special treatment, but they should be followed in order to maintain the mobility of musculoskeletal apparatus of the spine. For non-structural scoliosis that is usually temporary there is no rule that it will be normalized by removing the reason for the lack of anatomical deformity of the spine or vertebrae.

2.Structural scoliosis etiologically are divided into congenital and acquired. These are anatomic changes of the spinal column, joint components, vertebral ligaments or muscles. Congenital scoliosis are often a result of disruption in embryogenesis there are accompanying anomalies of other organ systems, and they have lately been sparsely represented the following of the fetus during pregnancy with sophisticated diagnostics and early detection of congenital abnormalities. At the age of one year or until walking the spine is rounded and over time gets its own physiognomy physiological cervical lordosis (curvature with bulging neck forward), thoracic kyphosis (curvature of the dorsal projection to back) and lumbar lordosis. Viewed from behind, a normal spine should look like longitudinal straight line due to the symmetrical placement of the spinal vertebrae one above another which are square form, and joint stabilizers and ligaments maintain their passive stability.