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Tomorrow is the start of June! With June comes the start of summer and the realization that we are already halfway through the year. It is also a month where we celebrate National Scoliosis Awareness Month. Scoliosis is a spinal deformity that can form a sideways curvature of the spine. National Scoliosis Awareness Month brings scoliosis to the forefront – raising awareness and letting people know more about this sometimes-debilitating condition.
When you are standing up straight, your spine has a natural curvature to it. It is made up of three segments that each form a natural curve. These curves are important for balance and posture as we go through our daily motions of life. Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature in the spine that can affect one’s appearance and posture. It is most often diagnosed in adolescents and can worsen with age. An acute form of scoliosis isn’t harmful, with many adults living with it without even knowing they have it. A more severe form of scoliosis can be very painful and disabling. While most people can keep scoliosis at bay through exercise, others may have to go into surgery depending on severe it is.
Scoliosis is one of the most common conditions that often goes undiagnosed and untreated. It affects over four percent of the entire population with at least seven million people having scoliosis. Since the curve in your spine gets worse due to age, over half the senior population has it. With all these people going undiagnosed, it is more important than ever to use this month to raise awareness because it can help avoid potential back problems in the future. If schools do a scoliosis screening, they often don’t stress importance of it or offer any resources. Every school should do a scoliosis screening and stress the importance of it to the parents. Parents should seek a spine specialist for their kids if they need it or have any doubt about it. This can improve the amount of people suffering from spine distortions by getting the proper treatment they deserve.
Even if you don’t suffer from scoliosis, National Scoliosis Awareness Month should inspire you to avoid poor posture and avoid any back pain that is associated with it. Those parents who have kids or teens that are showing signs of scoliosis should seek a medical professional or spine specialist. They can find you the proper exercise or treatment to combat this condition.
For more information on National Scoliosis Awareness Month, click here.
Article written by William Graves.