An Evolutionary Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Etiology Spine-Limbs Links, Inspiration and Laterality as Basic Factors

Abstract

Moving on an evolutionary sight, this article individualizes three basic human causative factors in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis developing inspiration, bipedal locomotion and lateralities. The integrative approach considers the neuromechanical coupling in respiration, introducing the concept of pneumofascial competition (section one) as the loop that occurs between inspired air and pleural fasciae and then global myofascia. Affordances (possibilities) and constraints of respiratory system match positions and movements of whole body, where the links between spine and periphery (limbs and head) play a determinant part: these connections, the one that involves the spinal transverse plane, are worked out in section two. Therefore, section two appears a decisive step in trying to solve some questions about human bipedal locomotion and its proficiency, again in a neuromechanical coupling view, with totally original considerations about the role of scapula and about the spine as a treble torsion spring. Finally, it is possible to trace out a new adolescent idiopathic scoliosis etiology (section three), adding a third factor: laterality. What is only human is the hyper stressed lateralization (s) by means of cultural requirements. The motor hyper specialization is another form of energy saving (automatism). Thus, all the article is about the evolutionary principle of costs minimizing. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is here seen as an evolutionary mismatch disease between human nature and human culture and every curve can be explained in an integrative way, where causes and effects develop a mutual self-powering cycle.