What is curvature of the spine, and can it be treated?
A – The spine is a column of small bones, or vertebrae, that support the entire upper body. The cervical vertebrae are the five spinal bones that support the neck. The thoracic vertebrae are the twelve spinal bones that connect to the rib cage. The lumbar vertebrae are the five lowest and largest bones of the spinal column. Most of the body=s weight and stress falls on the lumbar vertebrae. Everyone’s spine has natural curves. The upper trunk has a contour called kyphosis and the lower trunk has a reverse direction of the rounded contour called lordosis. A certain amount of curvature is needed to maintain appropriate trunk balance over the pelvis. Some people have spines that curve abnormally in any of the three planes: back-to-front; side-to-side; or top-to-bottom, called scoliosis. On an x-ray the spine may have an S or C shape that is abnormal. Some of the bones in a scoiotic spine also may have rotated slightly, making the person=s waist or shoulders appear uneven. Men and women in
