Scoliosis Case Studies

Some of the main functions of the skeletal system is to protect major organs, provide support for muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and other tissues, and allow movement, but sometimes a disease in the skeletal system like scoliosis can cause problems in doing so. Scoliosis is a spinal deformity characterized by a lateral curve of the spine with a 10 degree or more visualized on a posteroanterior X-ray (Raising, p. 1). A person with scoliosis can have a single curve in one area or multiple curves along the length of their spine (Raising, p.1). Because our bodies are three-dimensional we observe internally by looking at the body in body planes, coronal, sagittal, and axial or transverse (Raising, p. 1). If the spine is curved and twisted in the

If the curvature of the spine is mild the treatment can simply be a spinal surgeon just monitoring it and making sure the curve does not become worse. When monitoring surgeons look progression in the curve and the skeletal maturity, gender, curve type, and the type of scoliosis (Raising, p. 5). Other cases a brace will have to be wore for most of the day to try and help straighten the spine back out. Which in adolescent girls the concern for them is their peers and their reactions not long term back pain, but because girls rapid physical development during puberty their body image is considered a consequence (Raising, p. 4). Another treatment option for bad curvatures would be surgery, and if the child is skeletally immature, growing rods can be used that can extend as the child grows before the final surgery is done (Raising, p. 3). The children that have the neuromuscular conditions and are wheelchair bound, skin integrity and lung function is well under consideration with the risks and benefits of surgery (Raising, p.3). Lung function is already restricted by scoliosis, but for children diagnosed with this it may worsen scoliosis (Raising p,