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Scoliosis

Scoliosis Overview

Our spine is an engineering marvel that supports our weight and ties our body together. The spinal column consists of a stack of small bones that range in size from 2-3 inches to 5-6 inches in diameter. When viewed from the front, the spine appears to be straight, but when looked at from the side, the normal spine has two gentle S-curves.

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. In scoliosis, the spine curves to the side when viewed from the front, and each vertebra also twists on the next one in a corkscrew fashion.

Scoliosis affects girls twice as often as it affects boys. About three to five of 1,000 people are affected. Scoliosis usually occurs in those older than 10 years, but the condition can be seen in infants.



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Scoliosis

Back Pain »

Back Pain Overview

Pain in the lower back or low back pain is a common concern, affecting up to 90% of Americans at some point in their lifetime. Up to 50% will have more than one episode. Low back pain is not a specific disease. Rather, it is a symptom that may occur from a variety of different processes. In up to 85% of people with low back pain, despite a thorough medical examination, no specific cause of the pain can be identified.

Back pain can have many underlying reasons, but often no specific cause will be found and the pain will stop. This chapter tries to touch on many of the causes of back pain and proper evaluation and diagnosis. Please make sure to discuss your individual symptoms as well as the suggested treatments with your health-care provider to determine the appropriate diagnostic and treatment plan for your circumstances.

  • Low back pain is second only to the common cold as a cause of lost days at work. It is also one of the...

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Idiopathic Scoliosis »

Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common type of spinal deformity confronting orthopedic surgeons.

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