MID ESSEX HOSPITAL SERVICES NHS TRUST/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY, https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/676525/view, https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/676524/view. The brace should not interfere with normal everyday activity and can be worn during most non-contact sports. After surgery, your child will be transferred to an intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit (HDU), where they will be given fluids through a vein (intravenously) and pain relief. Next review due: 3 January 2023. It's not clear whether back exercises help improve scoliosis, but general exercise is good for overall health and should not be avoided unless advised by your doctor. Exercise can help significantly with any muscular pain experienced with scoliosis, and back health in general. Young people with scoliosis may also experience some discomfort but it's less likely to be severe. For example, one of your shoulders may be higher than the other or there may be a bulge in your back. The hips can also appear uneven due to the twist in the spine. See your GP if these don't work. Braces are often made of rigid plastic, although flexible braces are sometimes available. Some cases of scoliosis are caused by conditions that affect the nerves and muscles (neuromuscular conditions), such as: Scoliosis can also develop as part of a pattern of symptoms called a syndrome. Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4LP, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust - Outpatient Assessment Centre, Hiring facilities for conferences and training, Patient and public involvement at the RNOH, Car parking and access points into the RNOH Stanmore Site, A Patient's Guide to Single Stage Posterior Scoliosis Correction Surgery, keep your distance if you go out (2 metres apart where possible), patients attending appointments must wear face coverings on site, Active monitoring (monitor regularly with imaging to see if the curve gets worse). In severe cases, this can cause problems such as: Don’t include personal information e.g. This is known as idiopathic scoliosis. Page last reviewed: 3 January 2020 Sometimes there are other problems in the body that may contribute to the spine becoming curved, such as having eccess movement of the joints, which is called being hypermobile. It's usually recommended that the brace is worn for 23 hours a day, and is only removed for baths and showers. About eight out of every 10 cases of scoliosis are idiopathic. These groups are a good source of information and support for people with scoliosis. If the infant or younger child's curve continues to progress despite bracing or casting, an operation may be necessary. Scoliosis can improve with treatment, but it is not usually a sign of anything serious and treatment is not always needed if it's mild. However, if the curve does not correct itself, it can reduce the space for the internal organs to develop in, so careful monitoring by a specialist is important. Occasionally a back brace may need to be worn to protect the metal rods after surgery. Your genes may make you more likely to get it though, as it sometimes runs in families. This can occur because some parts of the spine become narrower and weaker (osteoporosis) with age. Back pain is one of the main problems caused by scoliosis in adults, so treatment is mainly aimed at pain relief. Idiopathic scoliosis cannot be prevented and is not thought to be linked to things such as bad posture, exercise or diet. The condition does not usually cause significant pain or any other health problems, and tends to stay the same after you stop growing – see a GP if it gets any worse. Severe scoliosis can be disabling. These groups are a good source of information and support for people with scoliosis. This helps improve muscle tone and body strength, and will help make wearing the brace more comfortable. However, researchers have found there is a family history of the condition in some idiopathic cases, which suggests a possible genetic link. The GP will examine your back and can refer you to a hospital doctor for help with diagnosis if they suspect scoliosis. Most scoliosis (approximately 80%) is idiopathic i.e. In rare cases, babies can be born with scoliosis. The role of scoliosis specific exercises is currently under investigation. Older children may wear a back brace to stop the curve getting worse until they stop growing. In some cases affecting young children, the spine may need to be guided during growth in an attempt to correct the curve. We do not know why scoliosis happens in some people and not in others. In a child aged under two years of age, this can sometimes be achieved by using a cast. In some cases of scoliosis, particularly those affecting adults, the bones in the spine compress nearby nerves. Some patients have family members with scoliosis. This is known as syndromic scoliosis. There is a separate page about treating scoliosis in adults. After surgery to insert the rods, your child will need to return to their specialist every 4-6 months to have the rods lengthened to keep up with the child's growth. These are major operations and it can take up to a year or more to fully recover from them. A brace cannot cure scoliosis or correct the curve, but it may stop the curve from getting worse. Close menu. The X-ray images will also help determine the shape, direction, location and angle of the curve. This procedure will be done through a small incision, and takes place often as a day case or an overnight stay. Often, it affects the shape of the hips and/or the chest, which may be the first noticeable sign. If this is a problem for you or your child, you may find it useful to contact a scoliosis support group, such as Scoliosis Association UK. Less commonly, scoliosis may be caused by: Scoliosis Association UK has more information about the different types of scoliosis. In older children and adults, it is unlikely that scoliosis will improve with time, and in some it may progressively worsen. Modern back braces are designed to be difficult to see under loose-fitting clothing, but your child may still worry that they look different or unusual. If treatment is necessary, bracing or casting may be used to attempt to halt the curve’s progression. Read more about treating scoliosis in children and treating scoliosis in adults. Having scoliosis or wearing a back brace can be tough and may cause problems with body image and self-esteem, particularly for children and teenagers. Treatment for scoliosis depends on your age, how severe the curve is, and whether it's likely to get worse with time. In very young children, treatment is not always necessary because the curvature of the spine may improve naturally as they get older. These rods aim to allow for continued controlled growth of the spine while partially correcting the scoliosis. This is called idiopathic scoliosis. A pilates home video workout for people with scoliosis from the NHS Fitness Studio, where you can find a range of workout routines to suit you, whether your aim is …