Scoliosis Research Paper

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Scoliosis Scoliosis is a lateral curvature in the normally straight vertical line of the spine. According to WebMD, when viewed from the side, the spine should show a mild roundness in the upper back and shows a degree of swayback (inward curvature) in the lower back. It is very noticeable when looking to see if a person has scoliosis. A person with scoliosis will have uneven shoulders, uneven waist, a more distinctive shoulder blade, or a hump towards the top of the spine. There are four different types of scoliosis but the most common is Idiopathic Scoliosis, which has no specific cause. Some of the more serious types of scoliosis, like congenital or degenerative, are caused by an abnormality at birth or a traumatic accident. Scoliosis most …show more content…

Two to three percent of the American population has been diagnosed with Scoliosis at age 16. I am one of those 2 to 3 %. I was diagnosed during a physical exam at age 14 when I was trying to be cleared to try out for a sport. Most Scoliosis cases are diagnosed during a school physical exam or by a pediatric physician. After being diagnosed, the patient is then recommended to see a back specialist for more inclusive results, which can be determined by X-rays or bone exams. Treatments for scoliosis can range from exercise, braces, or surgery. For minor cases, the physician usually recommends a strict workout plan and certain stretches for six months. If the curve is between 25-40 degrees the physician most likely will recommend a brace if the bones are still growing. For extreme cases, the physician will do surgery. Surgery is usually only used if the curvature is of 40 degrees …show more content…

I think that pediatricians should offer pamplets to inform parents of what to look for so Scoliosis can be diagnosed at an early age. If it is found early it may eliminate some of the more extreme cases from occurring. The doctor’s offices could also hang posters in their offices to show parents what a child that has Scoliosis looks like because most parents have never seen or heard of the back disorder. Physicians could also check for Scoliosis when doing a yearly check up on children because in most places it is not found until middle school or older. Active children should often be checked more often than non-active children because more extreme cases of Scoliosis can keep children from playing sports. Children that are attending school need to also be aware of how they are carrying their backpacks because wearing them improperly could cause a slight curvature of the back. Another way to help with scoliosis is exercising. Exercising will not fix the curve but it will certainly help with reducing pain. Most physicians will often recommend seeing a physical therapist that can offer certain forms of exercises or stretching. This will also not fix the curve but it can prevent the curve from getting any worse. My physician recommended me to a physical therapist and it helped my case tremendously. Speaking as someone who has been diagnosed with Scoliosis, I would like to make more people

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