Is scoliosis a spinal deformity?

Scoliosis is a type of spinal deformity. If it is severe, it may affect your health and requires timely intervention.

Scoliosis refers to the abnormal curvature of the spine to the left or right, accompanied by a certain amount of spinal rotation. Under normal circumstances, the human spine should be straight from the front, but scoliosis can cause it to become an "S" or "C" shape, which is common in the growth and development stage of adolescence. The specific causes may include congenital developmental abnormalities, muscle strength imbalance or pathological factors, but a considerable number of them are idiopathic, that is, the cause is unknown.

Different degrees of scoliosis have different impacts. Mild scoliosis usually has little impact on life, and may only manifest as body asymmetry, such as differences in shoulder height or protrusion of one shoulder blade. Moderate to severe scoliosis may cause back pain and even compress the internal organs, resulting in affected respiratory and cardiac functions. In worse cases, it may also affect bone development, appearance, and even mental health. If scoliosis is suspected, a preliminary judgment can be made through simple methods such as observing the symmetry of the back or forward flexion tests, but the final diagnosis requires X-ray examination.

In daily life, paying attention to the sitting and standing postures of children and adolescents and the weight of their backpacks, and avoiding long-term unilateral force movements are all good ways to prevent scoliosis. At the same time, moderate physical activity, especially strengthening the core muscle group, helps protect the health of the spine. Once a problem is found, it is recommended to consult an orthopedic or spine-related doctor, and intervene with professional correction equipment or surgery if necessary.