Five Types of Scoliosis Everyone Should Understand
The spine’s curves play a significant role, including distributing weight in the body, maintaining balance, and dealing with the stress of day-to-day activities. Unfortunately, abnormal changes in this curvature (scoliosis) can lead to an imbalance causing unequal pressure and pain when carrying out daily activities such as gymnastics and lifting. Common triggers of scoliosis Katy include age, genetics, and leg height differences. These triggers can lead to the development of different scoliosis with different features. Keep reading this article as we analyze five types of scoliosis everyone should understand.
Idiopathic Scoliosis
This type is the most popular scoliosis contributing to almost 80% of all cases. Healthcare practitioners assert that idiopathic is multifactorial, meaning that it may result from several factors that can differ from one person to another. It is mainly hereditary and affects girls more than boys by around eight times. Under this type, there are diverse forms of scoliosis, although the most popular ones are adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and idiopathic scoliosis in adults.
Degenerative Scoliosis
Degenerative scoliosis occurs in adulthood without any condition history in the early life stages. Usually, the combination of the cumulative effect of lifestyle habits and age-connected spinal degeneration is the main contributor to this type. Even though a certain degree of natural damage occurs as a person ages, lifestyle behaviors can surge or decrease these effects. Factors such as obesity, chronic poor posture, physical inactivity, and lifting objects wrongly can also cause degenerative scoliosis.
Lumbar Scoliosis
This type comprises the growth of an abnormal spinal curving in your lower back. Lumbar scoliosis can introduce unequal pressures to the lower body, causing uneven leg lengths and hips. Furthermore, whenever it is comprehensive in adults, sciatica is a common complication that can arise. This problem occurs because the nerve begins in the lower back and spreads to the buttocks, back of the leg, and foot. You should report any form of discomfort and pain in your sciatic nerve to check for the presence of lumbar scoliosis.
Traumatic Scoliosis
Traumatic scoliosis develops because of trauma or injury in your spine. Fractures resulting from car accidents or falls are some of the common traumas. Tumor presence pressuring the spine can expose it to unequal pressure, making it misaligned. As a result, the misalignment causes the development of the scoliotic nerve. If left untreated, adults can experience long-term lower back pain and complications while moving; thus, seeing a practitioner for evaluation is advisable.
Neuromuscular Scoliosis
Neuromuscular scoliosis develops as a secondary problem of an existing neuromuscular condition like cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and muscular dystrophy. It is reflected as a different type that may involve a scoliotic curve bending toward the heart or to the left. This bend indicates that an underlying pathology plays a role in the development of scoliosis. Neuromuscular scoliosis is unique because it results from a larger medical disorder involving a disconnect between the brain and body communication affecting the spinal cord, brain, and muscular system.
If left untreated, scoliosis can develop to more than ninety degrees leading to dangerous health complications and surging chances of mortality. Progression can sometimes make surgery the last resort meaning if you are anxious about undergoing an operation, your peace of mind will be impacted. However, scoliosis can be confirmed early through diagnostic tests such as physical exams, spinal radiographs, MRIs, X-rays, or CT scans. Engaging in general exercises and participating in sports is advisable since they can boost your overall wellness to minimize the risks of the condition.