A common spine condition that many people, adults and children alike, suffer from is scoliosis – characterised by a twisting and curving of the spine.
Although it can affect anyone at any age, it typically starts in children between the ages of ten and 15, with symptoms including a leaning to one side, uneven shoulders, ribs protruding on one side, a shoulder or hip protruding and clothes not fitting as well as they should.
It is also possible to experience back pain if you have scoliosis and, although the condition itself is not necessarily an indication of something more serious, there are treatment options available to help you address the symptoms and relieve any pain you may be feeling.
These treatment options will depend on how old you are and how serious your spine curvature is, as well as whether the condition is likely to worsen over time. It’s possible that you won’t need any treatment at all, although some people do need to have surgery in order to correct the issue.
In approximately 80 per cent of cases, the cause of scoliosis is unknown and this condition is known as idiopathic scoliosis. This cannot be prevented and it’s not thought to be associated with the likes of bad posture, exercise or diet.
Scoliosis can be caused by improper formation of the spine in the womb (congenital scoliosis), an underlying condition like muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy (neuromuscular scoliosis) or getting older (degenerative scoliosis).
It is possible that physiotherapy treatments can be beneficial in helping correct spinal curvature and other muscle imbalances. If you’d like to find out more about the various exercises that could prove useful, get in touch with us today to discuss physiotherapy at our Maidenhead clinic.
