Scoliosis awareness tips
June is National Scoliosis Month and it’s important to know what to look out for if you think you or someone you know might suffer from the condition. Scoliosis is defined as a curvature of the spine and it’s known to be hereditary. It is commonly seen in adolescence and occurs mainly during children’s growth spurts.
Some things to look out for are unequal shoulders, having one leg longer than the other, clothes not fitting right and bad posture. Dr. John Greco of Peninsula Orthopedics says the most important fact is picking up on it because if you pick up on it early it can be treated usually in a brace and progression can be prevented.
Dr. Greco tells 47 ABC, “The good news is the great majority of kids don’t progress but we don’t know who’s going to progress and who’s not so it’s important that they be checked while they’re growing.”
Dr. Greco says discussing the disorder with your doctor, or your child’s doctor, is always a good idea. He also says that the examining the spine is simple and really doesn’t take long, it’s just having the child bend forward and checking the contour of the spine.
