June is all about being outdoors, summer fun, and scoliosis. Yes, you read that correctly. Did you know that June is Scoliosis Awareness Month?
Scoliosis is a spinal condition that causes a sideways curvature of the spine. It can affect both children and adults, but occurs most frequently in children during their last growth spurt before puberty.
When you look at a normal, healthy spine from the side it should show vertebrae stacked with the discs with gentle curving. If you are looking straight at it from a back view it should be nice and straight from the neck all the way down the back.
Throughout the month of June we have been supporting Scoliosis Awareness Month by featuring videos of Dr. Woodward and Dr. Fuller discussing different information about scoliosis. The videos are posted here and on our Youtube page.
If the school nurse or your child’s healthcare provider notices signs of scoliosis here are five things a parent should know about scoliosis:
The National Scoliosis Foundation states that they do not know of any long-term study that shows that chiropractic treatment can stop a moderate (over 25 degrees) or major curve (over 40 degrees) from progressing in the bone growing years. Typically, chiropractors who are knowledgeable about the development of idiopathic scoliosis in children will refer young patients with such curvatures to an orthopedist for a second opinion.
Because June is scoliosis awareness month Nebraska Spine Hospital is working to share basic facts about scoliosis. According to the National Scoliosis Foundation at www.scoliosis.org, scoliosis affects 2-3% of the population, or an estimated 6 million people in the United States, and there is no cure.