In a healthy body, the spinal column consists of 33–34 vertebrae — 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 4–5 coccygeal — connected to one another by ligaments, joints and discs.
In a normal spine, when viewed from the front and back, the vertebrae line up in a straight line from top to bottom. From the side, it has normal curves: forward in the neck (cervical), backward in the chest (thoracic), forward in the lower back (lumbar) and backward in the sacrum.
Scoliosis is a curve of this straight line to the right or left. When the spine curves, the vertebrae rotate, and this can result in a rib hump in the thoracic region and asymmetry in the lumbosacral region.
1Causes of scoliosis
- Genetic predisposition. Some people are more prone to scoliosis due to hereditary factors.
- Poor posture. Sitting in an incorrect position for long periods or not holding the back properly.
- Trauma. Injuries to newborns during birth or cesarean section, as well as spinal injuries that occur later.
- Irregular growth. Rapid growth spurts during puberty, uneven bone growth.
2Scoliosis may begin earlier
The true onset of scoliosis may date back to the time the baby was in the womb. The fetus remaining in an abnormal position for a long time (transverse lie, breech presentation, accelerated labor, delay in the birth canal), holding the baby incorrectly during breastfeeding, and the baby starting to walk without having crawled — these are the earliest risk factors for scoliosis.
In these situations, pathological intraosseous tensions develop in the occipital bone, the temporal bone, the first cervical vertebra, the sacrum and the pelvic bones. As the bones begin to grow, these areas of tension cause deformities in the structure of the bone.