“Why do adults get scoliosis? ”
I was diagnosed with a moderate form of scoliosis and I'm 37 years old. I always thought scoliosis was a kid's disease, since I remember being checked for it at school. Why do I have it as an adult?
10 Answers
It can be caused by old injuries or repetitive posture over time that change the structure of your spine.
Your scoliosis could have started while you were a kid and continued to develop as you continued to grow. Unless you had an x-ray and had them analyzed you can not say you did not have the curves as a child. There are multiple reasons why you could develop scoliosis as an adult for this I recommend getting a thorough evaluation to rule out any bone disorders/diseases.
Scoliosis is defined by having a sideways curvature in the spine that has progressed to a certain number of degrees and best identified by x-ray. Depending on how you were evaluated as a child and at what ages could explain why it was not brought to your attention and that of your parents when young. The most important thing is to know the exact degrees of your curvature(s) and to monitor it by having a follow up x-ray every so often. Keep in mind, when you have an abnormal curvature in your spine is not always obvious by simply through observation or even a physical exam. People may also go for many years before it causes any discomfort. Your chiropractor should be able to identify the type of curvature you have (whether it is a true scoliosis) and the cause like past injury, other body imbalances affecting your spinal alignment, or idiopathic, meaning of unknown cause.
Neurological or anatomy issues
Several factors come in to play . Are you male or female (girls have a 7x greater chance of this malady). We’re you a early walker, tall and skinny child, family history of this malady. As fas a school screenings , it’t usually a waste of time. The screeners aren’t trained what to really look for. If caught early (before 5) there is a real good chance of stopping the progression. I recommend seeing a expert in spinal mechanics for evaluation. Also get your head out out of your lap looking at your phone.
Chances are it went undiagnosed for all those years. It's a very common finding in our office. Your brain is constantly doing all it can to keep you out of pain. I have slight curvature in my low back that I didn't have a year ago. Your spine is adapting to keep you functioning.
You are correct, scoliosis develops and is usually found in the skeletal growing phases of life (childhood and adolescence). You might have a mild case that was never noticed before. You could have a muscle spasm that is pulling you in a direction that mimics scoliosis. I’m not sure if an injury has put your spine in a “crooked” position.
When you were checked in school, it was probably not by a spinal specialist such as a Doctor of Chiropractic. For most people it was a phys ed teacher/gym coach, not trained to detect it. You probably did not have weight bearing spinal x-rays in that evaluation either. So, finding that you have a curve is not unusual. You could also have a short radius curve, not a scoliosis. You decide by the films. Hope your diagnosis is based on x-rays, by a professional.
98% of spinal curvatures are acquired from traumas and poor posture!
There are a few different reasons for this. It could be a "functional scoliosis" meaning something you do multiple times every day has caused your spine to compensate for that demand. It could also occur from an imbalance in your muscles, left vs right. This may also occur as a result of dysfunction in your extremities. I recommend consulting a Chiropractor or Physical Therapist to address your specific cause.
