One of the frequently asked question I’ve gotten throughout my medical practices about spine health is that, parents often asked what is Scoliosis, what is the cause and how can they detect it. As what I’ve mentioned in my FAQ section, Scoliosis is a condition of spinal deformity with lateral curvature of more than 10°. It is often described as C-shape or S-shape spine. Most of the cases happen in adolescent and no cause is found (adolescent idiopathic scoliosis). Here’s a very good illustration that could help you understand how it is formed.

Care takers can easily screen their children to identify if they have scolisis through Adam’s Forward Bend Test:

If there is any asymmetry of the left and right side of the back, the screening is considered positive. The parents are then advised to bring the child to see a spine surgeon if the screening test (Adam forward bending test) is positive.