Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person’s spine has a sideways curve. The curve is usually ‘S’ or ‘C’ shaped over three dimensions. In some, the degree of curve is stable, while in others, it increases over time.
People with a family history of scoliosis are more likely to develop the condition. Women are more likely to have a more severe form of this condition than men.
Symptoms vary depending on the degree of curvature. Common symptoms associated with scoliosis include:
Scoliosis can also be categorized as either structural or non-structural. In structural scoliosis, the spine’s curve is caused by a disease, injury, or birth defect, and is permanent. Non-structural scoliosis describes temporary curves that can be fixed.
At Vivacare Advanced Physiotherapy and Pain Clinic, our physiotherapists will assess the cause of your condition and advise you with an individualized treatment plan. The clinic provides the following therapies to bring you quick and long term relief:
You will be given a home exercise regime including strengthening and stretching exercises to maintain the effects of therapy and prevent the recurrence of the pain.
Noticeable unevenness in the shoulders or hips, or a visibly curved spine — especially in a growing child or teenager — should be evaluated promptly, since early management options are more effective before growth is complete.
Physiotherapy — including specific scoliosis exercise approaches — can help manage symptoms, improve posture and, in mild-to-moderate structural cases, help limit progression, though it may not fully straighten a structural curve.
Not always — many cases are picked up on routine screening before pain develops. When pain does occur, it’s usually related to the secondary muscle imbalances rather than the curve itself.
It depends on the type and cause — curves diagnosed during growth years can progress if untreated, while adult-onset degenerative curves may progress slowly over time; regular monitoring helps track this.
Bracing is generally more effective in growing children and teens; adults are more often managed with targeted exercise, pain management and posture strategies, tailored to their specific curve.
There is a genetic component in many cases of idiopathic scoliosis, so a family history can increase the likelihood, though many cases occur without any known family link.
