Abstract
The etiology of pediatric idiopathic scoliosis remains poorly understood and it is likely that there is a combination of different factors responsible for its initiation and development. Although the literature highlights the importance of mechanical factors on spinal deformations, the concepts did not receive the attention and consideration they deserve. The Cobb angle is the gold standard value to assess the extent of spinal deformations and risk of progression. However from a biomechanical perspective, it is not the Cobb angle that prevails but rather the distance from the vertebrae to the axis of an ideal straight vertical spine that is well seated and centered on the sacrum.
Highlights
Juvenile and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (JAIS) is a deviation of the spine that develops during childhood and from which 2% to 3% of the population is afflicted
This article is a review of biomechanics concepts that are applied to the spine with simple concrete examples, and is addressed to clinicians and practitioners in orthopaedics, physical therapy, and sport and exercise science
Scoliosis is usually accompanied by a combination of signs and symptoms, namely a functional and/or structural leg length discrepancy (LLD), pelvic tilt, trunk shift, shoulders obliquity, gibbosity, asymmetry of the posture, obliquity and rotation of the head and neck, back pain, headache and differences of bilateral weight on force platforms
Summary
Juvenile and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (JAIS) is a deviation of the spine that develops during childhood and from which 2% to 3% of the population is afflicted. It is characterized by a principal deformation in the coronal plane that is measured in Cobb angle. Determining the risk factors for clinically significant curve progression would allow identifying patients that are more likely to benefit from bracing [1]. The risk factors include namely the pattern and magnitude of the curve, the patient’s age at presentation, the Risser sign, the patient’s menarchal status and the more advanced the deformations, the more likely they are to progress [2]. Some analytical material is presented to support the biomechanics principles here raised, its comprehension is not necessary to understand the concepts and examples described and that are aimed for a variety of readers’ health and sport disciplines and background
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