• What is scoliosis? •

Scoliosis is the outcome of a progressive 3D deformation of the spine. X-rays will help you determine if you have scoliosis, based on a measurement called the "Cobb's Angle." Any angle over 10 degrees is considered scoliosis. This X-ray is a picture of someone with a 23 degree angle.

More Facts About Scoliosis...

• 23 out of every 1000 individuals are at risk for scoliosis.
  
• Among the most severe scoliosis cases, 8 out of 10 are young females.
  
• Scoliosis often begins in childhood or adolescence. It occurs at different ages and is categorized as an infantile, juvenile or adolescent scoliosis. It can be detected at all ages but as it is very much related to growth, it is most common in adolescence.
  
• In more than 80% of the cases, the real cause of scoliosis remains unknown. There are serious hypotheses being studied by researchers. Heredity and growth control mechanisms are the main focus for modern research.
  

If untreated, most severe scoliotic deformations have mid- and long-term consequences on:

• Vital functions: respiratory and cardiac pathology
  
• Locomotion: pain and mobility limitation
  
• Aesthetic: hunchbacked aspect and short trunk.

Most importantly, though, scoliosis can be helped! Click over to "Treatment" to find out more about what you can do to correct scoliosis!