Scoliosis


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scoliosis

[‚skō·lē′ō·səs]
(medicine)
Lateral curvature of the spine.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Scoliosis

 

a lateral deviation of the spine in man. Scoliosis develops during the period of rapid growth of the spine, between the ages of five and 15; it is three to six times more common in girls. The deviation may be to the left or to the right. Scoliosis generally occurs in the thoracic segment of the spine. It may subsequently also affect the lumbar segment, causing S-shaped scoliosis. If scoliosis is pronounced, the pelvis becomes misaligned, the gait is abnormal, and lung and heart functions are impaired. Scoliosis combined with kyphosis is called kyphoscoliosis.

Scoliosis may be congenital, caused by abnormal embryonic development, or acquired. Acquired scoliosis may develop from rickets, injuries (usually after a spinal fracture in the lumbar segment), paralysis (for example, during poliomyelitis), or reflex pain (for example, if the sciatic nerve becomes inflamed, resulting in the reflex strain of spinal muscles). Children who do not sit properly at their school desks are often afflicted with scoliosis; this type of scoliosis is usually accompanied by rachitic scoliosis.

Preventive measures are based on eliminating the main causes of the disease. Health standards should be observed in designing children’s furniture, and children should be taught to sit properly at a desk or table. Therapy includes swimming and exercise. Those with pronounced scoliosis can wear special corrective corsets or have surgical treatment.

REFERENCES

Movshovich, 1. A. Skolioz. Moscow, 1964.
Liandres, Z. A., and L. K. Zakrevskii. Operativnoe lechente skoliozov u detei. Leningrad, 1967. (Contains bibliography.)

V. F. POZHARISKII

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in periodicals archive ?
A total of 84 participants was divided into two groups: 42 adolescents without scoliosis (control group) and 42 patients with AIS (AIS group).
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Scoliosis is condition that causes a sideways curvature of the spine in S or C shape.
Scoliosis comes from the Greek word skolios, which means "crooked." Referring to your back or spine, scoliosis then means that the column is crooked sideways or curved as seen from behind - in some cases, resembling a snake.
Many people have heard of scoliosis and know this has something to do with the spine.
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The Scoliosis Research Society defines AIS as an unknown spinal deformity, characterized by changes in three planes: lateral curvature with a Cobb angle [greater than or equal to] 10[degrees], thoracic lordosis, and axial rotation.