Have you ever wondered how adults have severe scoliosis during later ages? It may originate from childhood scoliosis. Since the 1960s early detection of idiopathic scoliosis has become an expanding cause in the United States. Screening for scoliosis began in Minnesota in 1963 and in 1973 the state of Minnesota enacted a statewide voluntary program. It is currently recommended screening girls at ages 11 and 13, and screening boys once at 13 or 14 years of age. Scoliosis screening has been recommended with many healthcare organizations utilizing the Adam’s Forward Bending test during routine health visits at 10, 12, 14 and 16 years of age.
Scoliosis is an extremely prevalent condition. The screening exam is an important tool for early diagnosis and to hopefully prevent the progression of spinal deformity in children. Proper management of the exam is essential to detection. The first step of the scoliosis exam is inspection. For this, the doctor will sit or stand right behind the child. The first thing the doctor will be inspecting is the shoulder height asymmetry. Shoulder height asymmetry is easily detected by feeling the top of the scapula, or shoulder blade, and noticing if one finger is higher than the other.
The next step is the Adams Forward Bend Test . For this step, your doctor will have the child relax and lean forward with the goal of evaluating the thoracic spine and the lumbar spine. The goal is to place the thoracic spine parallel to the floor. Because the spine is attached to the ribs, this is how your doctor will detect any asymmetry during your exam.
Only a Doctor of Chiropractic is specially trained to locate and correct subluxations – spinal abnormalities that can affect not only the spine, but the entire body. It is advocated that each scoliotic individual should be under chiropractic care. A body without subluxations is in a better position to resist abnormalities and diseases of all kinds, including scoliosis. Recent research suggesting that scoliosis may be caused by a neurological defect reinforces the validity of the chiropractic approach. Researchers have observed that ‘only manipulation can consistently bring about correction’ of scoliosis curves.
Don’t wait for your child to develop signs and symptoms of scoliosis. Call Fogarty Chiropractic Life Clinic at (321) 636-5200 to schedule an appointment for your child today.
