Scoliosis

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Original Editors - Gregory Maes

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Search Strategy

I searched for articles about scoliosis on pubmed and web of knowledge. Searched for basic information and treatments for scoliosis on the internet using google. And I found a lot of information in a chapter about scoliosis in a syllabus of Professor Vaes.

keywords: scoliosis, physical therapy, idiopathic scoliosis, scoliosis treatment, scoliosis diagnosis

Definition/Description

Scoliosis is a sideward’s curving of the spine, resulting in one or even two curves, making the spine look like a S. In some cases the spine even shows a rotation component This rotation starts when the scoliosis becomes more pronounced. This is called a torsion-scoliosis, causing a gibbus. Scoliosis can be present from birth. It is then called congenitive scoliosis. Other sorts of scoliosis can be developed during growth, any causes for this are still not found. We then speak of idiopathic scoliosis. There are several types of idiopathic scoliosis. They are classified by location of the (single or double) curve in the spine.

Clinically Relevant Anatomy

The spine is a number of vertebra that are connected with muscles and ligaments. Between each vertebra we can find a disc. Each disc content a nucleus pulposis surrounded by an annulus fibrosis.
We have 7 cervical vertebra, 12 thoracic vertebra and 5 lumbar vertebra.
For more detailed information I’d like to add next link, which has all the information needed to understand the working of the spine: http://www.spineuniverse.com/anatomy

Epidemiology /Etiology

Epidemiology studies reveal that there are several types of scoliosis, we can conclude that the most frequent scoliosis are from the thoracal type. From a population of ten year olds the prevalention for scoliosis balances between 2% and 4%. From this 2-4% the major part stays stable during the lifetime of the subjects. In 7% of the cases the scoliosis gets worse and in 3% the scoliosis even disappears. It is known that of those 7% the majority is girls (5 to 1).

Characteristics/Clinical Presentation

Scoliosis presents itself as a curved spine that in most cases results in forming an S.
Causes of idiopathic scolioses are:
- Interruption of ligament connections between ribs and vertebra (Langenskjöld 1961-1968) (1)
- Muscular disbalance of muscles from the trunk (Stilwell 1962; Roaf 1968) (1)
- Hindrance of collagen metabolism (Ponseti 1954; Zorab 1971) (1)
- Hindrance of growth of the backside of one or more vertebra. This results in a local lordosis that results in a scoliolordosis. (Sommerville 1952) (1)

Differential Diagnosis

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Diagnostic Procedures

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Outcome Measures

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Examination

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Medical Management

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Physical Therapy Management

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Key Research

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Resources

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Clinical Bottom Line

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Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)

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References

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