Is Bracing An Effective Treatment For Spine Curvature In Children?
Do children who have curvature of the spine do better with a brace or without? Scoliosis is a condition characterized by a sideways curvature of the spine. Normally, when looking down from the top of the body, the spine is aligned in a straight column. In a person with scoliosis, a portion of the spine curves, causing the spinal column to look more like a “C” or an “S.” One shoulder or hip may appear to be slightly higher than the other. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, scoliosis affects about two percent of Americans. The most common type is adolescent idiopathic (of unknown cause) scoliosis, which occurs after age 10. Girls are affected more often than boys and the condition tends to run in families. Scoliosis can also occur in younger patients. Infantile scoliosis develops in children under three and juvenile scoliosis occurs between 3 and 10. In children with scoliosis, there is a risk the curvature will progress, or become worse. Generally, once the child
