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Back to Your Health
"My, what a beautiful young lady...
it's too bad about her posture."
A tragic comment to hear if it is one that
could have been avoided through more careful attention when she
was a youngster growing up.
"What is scoliosis anyways?" is
a question we frequently have patients ask. Specifically, it is
a lateral (side to side) curving of the spine. At the risk of being
a little technical, let me mentonthe two kinds -- congenital (inherited)
and idiopathic (unknown origin). Congenital scoliosis is frequently
caused by a malformation of one or more spinal vertabrae. While
it cannot be corrected, painful symptoms may be relieved with Chiropractic
care. It is the rarer of the two types.
Idiopathic scoliosis is the kind that "just
happens, and while no one knows why, tere is evidence that posture
plays a significat role. Most of us think of posture as being how
we stand or sit, but it can start as early as how we lie in our
crib, how we crawl and toddle. Monitoring our youngsters at this
stage can alert us t developing problems and allow us to correct
them before they become deeply ingrained.
Scoliosis is more prevalent in females than
in males and seems to be found in the tall, athletically inclined,
who hae recieved good nutrition. (Be sure to check the oung males
and the non-athletic as well, however.)
While we should always be concerne
with our youngsters health, we should intensify our scoliosis checks
from age 8-16 (especially ages 10-13). At home you should check
uneven shoe wear, uneven hems or pants lenghts, high shoulder or
hip, and of course, the straightness of the spine. Observing the
bare back as your youngster bends from the waist to touch her toes
may reveal the bunching of muscles on one side and indicate a problem.
This review should be done monthly during the 10-13 age period.
Posture review (seated and standing) may
bring to your attention the aweareness that the body is "getting
used to" a twisted, bent, or curving spine and permit you to
begin preventive measures. The old adage, you can't unscramblean
egg' is very true when it comes to undoing an established scoliosis.
It can be done, but it is so much easier if it is caught in the
developing stages.
Chiropractic care? An absolute must. Scoliosis
is difficult to correct at best and you should get everything going
for you that you possibly can.
Check for Scolosis:
1. Uneven shoe wear
2. Uneven hems or pants lengths
3. High shoulder or hip
4. Straightness of the spine
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