Could you have Scoliosis? Eight things you need to know.
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Think Scoliosis is a condition that only affects teenagers? Think again.
We talk to Gabrielle Coffee, a physiotherapist with Momentum Sports & Rehabilitation, to unpack this spinal condition and tell you what you need to know – including symptoms and treatment options.
After years of lower back pain, my sister was diagnosed with moderate Scoliosis during an X-ray. I was floored. Firstly, because my sister is in her late forties and I’d always thought that Scoliosis was a teenage disease, picked up in routine school checks in early high school. But also because the X-rays showed a really significant sideways curve—not just a minor deviation, but a serious S-shape in her spine.
I had a lot of questions: When did this happen? How was this not picked up earlier? Could it be treated? I wanted to know more. So I reached out to Gabrielle Coffee, a physiotherapist with Momentum Sports & Rehabilitation in Bruce who specialises in the management and treatment of Scoliosis, to dig a little deeper.
Let’s start from the top – what exactly is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine – or an S-curve in someone’s back.
Generally, you can see an unevenness in someone’s shoulders, or their pelvis or hips. But what not a lot of people tend to know is that it’s not necessarily a case of the spine bending directly to the side. For it to be called Scoliosis, there has to be a rotational component – like a three-dimensional-twist.
Can people get it at any age?
Yes – it can present at any age. So, for example, it sounds like your sister has what they call adult onset idiopathic Scoliosis. Idiopathic just means, of unknown origin. So it can happen at any stage, at any age, with no known reason.
So, what are the symptoms?
They can vary. Sometimes it can just be purely aesthetic; for example, “My clothes aren’t fitting right, and my top is sitting funny on my shoulder blades and hips.” It’s more common in females than it is in males, and so, a lot of time it’ll be girls growing into adolescence and their bra straps don’t sit right.
But often, it can be accompanied by back pain – that’s probably the most common symptom. Sometimes it can be a leg length discrepancy or even shoulder tightness.
What should people look out for?
If you’ve got tween or teenage daughters, generally when they’re going through that growth spurt stage is when most of your idiopathic Scoliosis occurs. So, something as simple as getting them to stand up with their back to you and getting them to just bend forward, touch their toes, and generally you can see if the spine isn’t straight. That’s probably the easiest way to check.
Particularly if your child is complaining of persistent back pain and they’re growing –potentially they’re playing lots of sport – and it’s just not getting better, it’s something to definitely rule out.
What are the implications of not treating Scoliosis?
Untreated curves will generally progress at a rate of one degree per year. So, if left untreated in a 15-year old, for example, they’ve got another 60-odd years ahead of them; and if they’ve already got a 20-degree curve, that’s going to be really significant.
Surgery is sometimes needed if there happens to be a major curve that cannot be treated via conservative management. And that’s major surgery. But if you can catch it at 20 degrees and do the correct treatment, then you’re potentially preventing years’ worth of pain and years’ worth of potential surgeries down the track.
So, what is the treatment for Scoliosis?
It’s twofold. The gold standard for treatment of Scoliosis through the International Scoliosis Research Society is what they call physiotherapeutic Scoliosis-specific exercise (PSSE) coupled with bracing.
Schroth-based therapy addresses the three-dimensional imbalance associated with Scoliosis from every plane – the aim is to achieve as much postural and balance correction as we can.
What should people do if this rings a bell?
Most people generally get diagnosed through their GP, or a physio, or other health professional. If you feel like you don’t know where to start, talking to your GP is always a good first option.
Go and see your physio – but make sure they’re specifically trained in Scoliosis. At Momentum, we pride ourselves on being the experts in support and bracing and that means we’re highly educated and trained in the treatment of Scoliosis.
I did my intensive training through the Barcelona Scoliosis Physical Therapy School and am one of the few therapists in the region trained in this method—that gives clients the confidence that they’re being properly screened for Scoliosis and any other potential conditions, and are in the best possible hands when it comes to treatment.
It’s really important for people to know that Scoliosis has to be diagnosed via X-ray, the angle of the curve has to be greater than 10 degrees, and there has to be that rotation.
What’s your aim when treating Scoliosis?
What makes me happy is when you can see that the work you’re doing is impacting a client’s day-to-day and improving their quality of life. And also, just empowering them to be able to understand that this is a long-term thing—which can be hard when you’re 14 years old – but that we can integrate treatment into their everyday routine so that it’s achievable.
At the end of the day, my aim is for my client to not need to see me anymore—they’ve got the confidence and knowledge to manage their condition. As much as I love my clients, if they don’t need to see me, then that’s my job done.
