What are the symptoms of idiopathic scoliosis?
In most cases the onset of the scoliosis is gradual and painless. Scoliosis is usually noticeable on bending down. Sometimes a mild to moderate scoliosis can develop without being noticed by the child or his or her parents. This is often because the condition usually develops during adolescence when children often become more self-conscious. Parents and others are not likely to see a naked back and see the problem. Scoliosis can cause mild pain and imbalance of the muscles. If scoliosis becomes more severe then it can become more disfiguring. This is because when the spine curves sideways, as the curve becomes more severe, the small bones that make up the vertebrae (spine) also twist round. This pulls any attached muscles, ligaments and ribs round with them. As a consequence: • If the scoliosis is in the thoracic (chest) region, the ribs and shoulder blade stick out like a bulge on one side of the back. Also, one shoulder may hang lower than the other and one shoulder blade may be high
