Detect scoliosis early and get help sooner rather than later

As part of Scoliosis Awareness Month, the Randburg Sun spoke to physiotherapist and scoliosis expert, Dr Lou-Ann Rivett to get her opinion on why raising awareness about the problem is important.

According to Rivett, spinal curves occur during growth and growth spurts in young children and spotting them at an early stage can save your child from having to go under the knife.

Spotting scoliosis at an early stage can be difficult, and if treatment for it is left too late, it can be a problem during adulthood.

“Curves occur a lot less in adulthood. In childhood, the problem is more physical than it is painful, but if left to progress to adulthood, it can be painful then,” Rivett said.

Rivett added that one of the main ideas behind Scoliosis Awareness Month is that it’s there to help people to become aware of it and try to correct it before it gets worse.

“School scoliosis screening is very rarely done anymore, so what we find is that scoliosis diagnosis is only caught at a later stage when intervention is almost too late. The curves are much bigger and more difficult to deal with at that stage,

“Children very seldom take their clothes off in front of their parents, and the beginning stages of scoliosis cannot be seen under layers of clothing. If an intervention takes place at an early stage, scoliosis can be treated through exercise and braces, rather than surgery. It can save them from long-term pain.”

Details: www.scolicaresa.com