Scoliosis screening to prevent back pain later in life
January 19, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, is a cause of chronic back pain for many people, especially women. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, around 2% of the population* has scoliosis of some degree.
Early detection of scoliosis is key to management and to reducing the risks of it becoming a life long pain issue.
On January 16th, the Academy issued a press release, Scoliosis Screening Should Make the Grade in Schools. The Academy believes that screening is best done in the schools because it is such a quick and easy thing to do. The cost of not doing it may be the cost of surgery later in life.
*The Academy doesn’t specify if this is 2% of the general population or 2% of the US population
Technorati Tags: scoliosis,chronic back pain,life long pain issue,curvature of the spine
Scoliosis screening should be done in schools and the earlier the better, I was screened at school and Scoliosis was found – I had surgery within 3 months of that diagnosis for a 76º thoracic curve.
The Adam’s Forward Bend Test is a great indication of Scoliosis early on and does not take a lot of time and resources to check each child, aside from that, leaflets in schools detailing Scoliosis and how the parents can check their children for it would be of benefit also.