Scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine, is not a single disease. It falls along a spectrum, from mild to moderate to severe. Symptoms include pain or stiffness in the mid-to-lower back and numbness or weakness in the legs or feet. Spinal alignment and curvature can be altered in many ways as a result of a birth defect, a child's growth, aging, or injury.
Is there a difference between scoliosis in adults and children?
The term most used with scoliosis affecting children is Idiopathic Scoliosis. Idiopathic meaning ” no known cause.” It is often considered more difficult to spot a Idiopathic Scoliosis. The most common scoliosis affecting adults is referred to as Degenerative Scoliosis.
According to resources including he BrightStart Wellness Blog, "1 in 40 people have Scoliosis — that is roughly one child in every classroom, 1 person at the park, grocery store or the movie theater. Also, Scoliosis occurs twice as often in girls than in boys. In fact, some studies report that up to 80% of cases occur in adolescent girls. 30% of Scoliosis patients have a family history of Scoliosis."
