Understanding Scoliosis: From Detection To Treatment
Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City consultant spine surgeon Dr Saw Lim Beng during a recent interview on Understanding Scoliosis In Adult And Children: A Guide From Detection To Treatment.
KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- A healthy spine should appear straight, and when it begins to curve sideways like the letter 'S' or 'C', it could be a sign of scoliosis, a condition that often goes unnoticed until it becomes more serious.
According to spine surgeon Dr Saw Lim Beng from Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City, scoliosis is a condition involving an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine, often accompanied by rotation.
'Unlike a normal, straight spine, scoliosis causes uneven shoulders, a tilted body and a bulging rib cage or hump at the loin, usually on one side, leading to physical imbalance,' he told Bernama recently.
Dr Saw emphasised the importance of recognising early signs of scoliosis, like uneven shoulders or asymmetrical pelvic level, especially when a child walks, and noted that a 2017 publication found scoliosis affects two or three per cent of Malaysia's population, with less than 0.1 per cent being severe cases.
'Most cases are relatively mild, with curvatures ranging between 10 and 20 degrees, especially in growing children,' he added.
Dr Saw explains that scoliosis in children is most commonly idiopathic, making up about 95 per cent of cases with no known cause. Other types include congenital scoliosis (present at birth), neuromuscular scoliosis (linked to conditions such as cerebral palsy), and degenerative scoliosis (common in older adults due to spinal degeneration).
He said that the best time for children to undergo spine screening is during adolescence, typically between the ages of 10 and 15, as this is when scoliosis is most likely to develop.
He also noted that scoliosis can often be detected through a clinical examination, such as the Adam's Forward Bending Test, where doctors observe the asymmetrical rib cage as the child bends forward.
Dr Saw explains that treatment approaches vary depending on the severity of the curve and the patients' ages.
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