Do you recall school scoliosis screenings? Some of us
Manchester adults do! We were examined back when we were youngsters in
school. Chiropractors are spine specialists who check for spinal curvatures.
So Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. What is it? Do
screenings work? What is the goal of treatment for scoliosis? What is
chiropractic’s place in the treatment plan? What a topic!?! Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries
delves into it briefly here to assure young Manchester scoliosis
patients and their parents that Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries is on top of the latest
information to manage and/or be a part of your chosen scoliosis care team.
Scoliosis defined. Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the
spine that is better than 10 degrees on xray imaging. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries
appreciates the simplicity of this definition, but Manchester scoliosis
patients find that their condition is further categorized as congenital,
idiopathic or neuromuscular.
2% to 4% of kids aged 10 to 16 years have some degree of
curvature.
Scoliosis screenings.
Since these kids are school-aged when scoliosis starts, school scoliosis
screenings were frequently done. Today, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
and the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons still support such
screenings. Some organizations have recommended against them due to cost and
follow up. (1) One study reported that
of the children screened and referred for further evaluation, 4.1% were
referred for additional checking. Of those, only 74% sought further evaluation
from a chiropractic or medical physician. 448 kids need to be screened to
identify 1 child who needed further follow up treatment. (2)
To be sure young people are checked, scoliosis screenings
are left to the doctors who care for them concurrently with the well-patient visit. The screening
takes less than a minute. Your Manchester chiropractic physician is
ready to check your children’s spines, too. Just ask! If there is no
curvature of the spine, fantastic. If there is, fine. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries can set a
treatment plan to deal with it earlier than later. Studies show that medical
and chiropractic physicians work cooperatively for the benefit of adolescent
scoliosis patients. (3)
Lastly, scoliosis screening guidelines. The most recent
recommendations are that girls are screened twice (at 10 and 12 years) and boys
screened once at 13 or 14 years old. (4) Chiropractic physicians specialize in
the spine, so trust your Manchester chiropractor to check your child’s
spine.
Contact Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries if you have a young person in need
of a spinal check. It’s a healthy choice for your child and satisfying
choice for you.