Percentage of Teens with Scoliosis
According to the U.S Preventative Services Task Force up to three percent of teens, ages 10 -16 years of age have scoliosis (2018). Those who have curves of 40 degree Cobb angles will continue to progress into adulthood (U.S Preventative Services Task Force, 2018). According to Tan, Moe, Vaithinathan, and Wong (2009) progression of scoliosis curves to greater than 30 degree Cobb angles by maturity is most likely with curve for curves of 25 degree cobb angles, but likely in varying amounts in teens with lesser degree curves. Juvenile scoliosis occurs in 12 to 21 percent of children with scoliosis and in children ages of 3-9 years old (Vitale, 2017). Seventy percent of these children will have curves that will whose curve Cobb angles will increase (Vitale 2017).
These statistics demonstrated how important it is to get your child screened for scoliosis. They also demonstrate the need for immediate intervention if you have a child that has scoliosis. Schroth therapy is a proven intervention to keep scoliosis curves from increasing and often decreases the Cobb angles of children with scoliosis (Park, J., Jeon & Park, H. W. 2017; Schrieber et al. 2016).
References
Park, J., Jeon, H., & Park, H. W. (2017). Effects of the Schroth Exercise on idiopathic scoliosis: A meta-analysis. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. doi:10.23736/S1973-9087.17.04461-6
Schreiber, S., Parent, E. C., Khodayari Moez, E., Hedden, D. M., Hill, D. L., Moreau, M., . . . Southon, S. C. (2016). Schroth physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises added to the standard of care lead to better cobb angle outcomes in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis – an assessor and statistician blinded randomized controlled trial. PloS One, 11(12), e0168746. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0168746 [doi]
Tan, K.; Moe, M.; Rose Vaithinathan, R. and; Hee-Kit Wong, H. (2009). Curve progression in idiopathic scoliosis: Follow-up study to skeletal maturity. Spine. 34(7), 697-700. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e31819c9431
U.S. Preventative Services Taskforce (2018). Screening for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: Recommendation statement. American family physician. 15(97), 10 online
Vitale, M. (2017). Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis. Retrieved from http://pediatricscoliosissurgery.com/spine-conditions-treatments/conditions-treatments/juvenile-idiopathic-scoliosis/